[Bumped up to Thursday morning for visibility.]
* The advisory is silent on media questions at the governor’s campaign event tomorrow, which starts at 12:30 in the afternoon…
MEDIA ADVISORY: Governor Rauner to Visit Machesney Park Business Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Governor Rauner will visit Midwest Aero Support Inc. in Machesney Park, Illinois. He will tour the facility and speak with employees. […]
Governor Rauner will tour the facility and speak with employees
* No press questions will be allowed at the governor’s Peoria event, according to his official public schedule…
Daily Public Schedule: Thursday, July 26, 2018
What: Gov. Rauner takes action on Senate Bill 3527 regarding the River’s Edge Tax Credit
Where: Peoria Riverfront Museum Plaza, 222 SW Washington St., Peoria
Date: Thursday, July 26, 2018
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Note: No additional media availability
* And there’s good reason why he won’t take questions in Peoria…
* SJ-R…
“It seems to me the governor is avoiding spending any time with the president,” Pritzker said. “On the one hand, he stands with the president in so many ways and is silent in the face of so many of the president’s policies that are bad for Illinois.” […]
In the meantime, while Trump is in Granite City, Rauner will be visiting other areas of the state. Rauner said Tuesday that he was just in Granite City to act on legislation and was not planning to return right away.
“He’s obviously avoiding (Trump),” Pritzker said. “This governor seems to want to play both sides of the issue.”
* Some Illinois Republican officials will be in Granite City, however…
* And DPI’s new executive director will also be there, but I seriously doubt he’ll be on stage with the president…
DPI Executive Director to Join Local Protests Against Trump’s Proposed Health Care Cuts
Granite City, Ill. — Tomorrow, Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Christian Mitchell will join local protests against Donald Trump’s first visit to Illinois as president. Mitchell will highlight Trump’s attacks on healthcare and attempts to undermine Illinois working families.
* These local House Dems in districts won by Trump in 2016 probably won’t be picketing, however…
State Rep. Jerry Costello II, D-Smithton, and state Rep. Monica Bristow, D-Godfrey, are applauding the steel tariffs put in place by Republican President Donald Trump ahead of his visit to the Granite City Works steel mill on Thursday.
“I am glad to see the reactivation of two blast furnaces at the Granite City mill,” Costello said in a news release. “Our region is witnessing the positive results of our country’s new tariffs on steel. As a result, middle-class families, local businesses and others are seeing the real effects of investment in our capable workforce and community. We need to continue to push policies on both the state and national level that will continue to foster the creation of good-paying jobs.”
Bristow commended the President’s efforts to bring back steel jobs in the metro-east.
“One of my main priorities in Springfield has been fighting for local jobs and to restore those that we have seen outsourced overseas,” Bristow said. “I am encouraged and excited to see the reactivation of two blast furnaces in Granite City, restoring local jobs to our communities and providing jobs for middle class families.”
…Adding… Snark from Team Pritzker…
While Donald Trump makes his first visit to Illinois as president today, Bruce Rauner is playing hooky, stating : “I, uh, I do not plan to go. I was just in Granite City just in the past week.”
Really? He really can’t visit Granite City twice in a week’s time? Everyone knows Rauner is a staunch Trump supporter — whether he’s a silent partner or cheerleader — so what’s the real reason Rauner won’t appear with Trump?
“Bruce Rauner is ditching his partner in crime on his first presidential visit to Illinois, and he’s pretending it’s a scheduling conflict,” said Pritzker campaign spokesman Jason Rubin. “It’s time for this failed governor to level with the voters about the real reason he won’t appear with Donald Trump.”
…Adding… John Shaw, Director of the Paul Simon Institute, on WSIL TV…
“Democrats believe this is a seat they can win. They believe it’s a democratic-leaning seat,” Shaw explains. “While Republicans need to hang on to this seat in order to keep control of the House, and they have incumbents. You can’t lose incumbents in a very competitive year.”
Vice President Mike Pence has already shown his support for Bost by attending a Metro-East fundraiser for him in mid-July. Shaw says President Trump’s upcoming visit to the area will further secure votes for Bost among Republican voters.
“I doubt the president is going to win over new converts to the republican party, that’s just not his style,” Shaw says. “I think he’s going to do a good job in solidifying the republican base, which is the reason I think Bost is welcoming his visit.”
However, Shaw doubts the president’s appearance will have a lasting impact on the mid-term elections. “I think its probably a helpful development for Bost in the short-term, but I’m not sure there’s going to be any permanent change in the structure of the race due to one Presidential visit,” he says.
* And Brian Mackey for NPR…
President Trump’s trade fights with China, Canada and Europe have put some members of Congress in a tough spot. Do they stand with American steelworkers, whose mills might benefit from newly imposed tariffs, or soybean farmers, whose exports are at risk in a trade war? Brian Mackey of Illinois Public Radio reports from the southern part of that state.
