Afternoon election day notebook
Tuesday, Jun 28, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. JB Pritzker has contributed $2.4 million to other campaigns and committees this June. $1.5 million of that went to the Democratic Party of Illinois, likely for stuff like this…
Such an odd person.
* Lynn Sweet…
In the 1st Congressional District — the crowded Democratic primary to replace retiring Rep. Bobby Rush — a surprise last minute surge of outside money — $823,122, according to Federal Election Commission reports — was spent to elect Karin Norington-Reaves, who is backed by Rush. Last week, I reported how crypto currency interests put in a combined $1,092,561 to bolster Jonathan Jackson.
Most of the independent expenditures for Norington-Reaves — some $758,000 of the total — comes from a shadowy political action committee called Forward Progress, whose donors and organizers are not known. The rest of the outside spend for Norington-Reaves, $65,122, came from the Collective Super Pac, whose goal is, according to its website, “to create an America where Black people are equally represented at every level of government.” […]
GOP mega donors from Illinois — Ken Griffin and Richard Uihlein — both players in the GOP governor primary — Griffin for Richard Irvin and Uihlein backing Darren Bailey — are also factors in the $12 million in outside expenditures spent in the Miller and Davis primary, where the independent expenditures are about evenly split.
Griffin is the sole donor to the Illinois Value PAC — and his $1. 5 million contribution was used mainly on ads to oppose Miller. Uihlein donated $3 million to the Club for Growth Action fund between April and May; the group spent $2.5 million to help elect Miller.
Lynn has the outside spending in other races, too, so click here.
* Center Square…
Illinois statehouse Republicans that voted in 2019 to double the state’s gas tax and include annual increases tied to inflation face challengers in Tuesday’s GOP primary election.
The vote to double the gas tax in 2019 was bipartisan.
State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, supported the measure. Challenging Butler in the GOP primary is Kent Gray, who criticized Butler’s support for the doubling of the gas tax that also included a parking excise tax.
“Rep. Tim Butler, if you drive a car, he’s going to tax you as soon as it moves and he’s going to tax you as soon as you stop,” Gray said.
Butler defended his vote.
“I make no bones about the fact that infrastructure is one of the things in the state of Illinois that gives us a competitive advantage,” Butler said. “And what my opponent would like to do is strip that away, basically stop the hundreds of millions of dollars of projects that are being invested right here in this community.” […]
Don Debolt, who is challenging Springfield state Sen. Steve McClure in the GOP primary Tuesday. He said the incumbent is to blame for the state’s high gas tax.
“He voted to double the gas tax, but more importantly, they voted to put in automatic tax increases every year into the gas tax,” Debolt said.
McClure said Democrats already had the votes to double the gas tax in 2019 and if he didn’t support the measure, it would have been difficult to bring projects to his district. He said separate from the motor fuel tax is the sales tax on top of the price of fuel and that needs to be suspended without impacting infrastructure funding.
Both of those challengers are endorsed by Darren Bailey.
* Pic of Rep. Zalewski getting ready to face the last primary day…
* LBG mailer…
The governor has endorsed her opponent, Sen. Melinda Bush.
…Adding… More from Lake County…
…Adding… This endorsement arrived after 3 o’clock this afternoon…
“Organized labor is the backbone of the middle class, and families throughout Illinois’ need a representative of the court who is keeping their interests front and center. I know Judge Elizabeth Rochford will be a tireless advocate for workers because as an advocate for working people and families, she knows the value of unions in fighting for better wages, working conditions, and quality of life.”
-DeKalb County Building and Construction Trades Council President Lance McGill
Just a bit late.
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Election day notebook
Tuesday, Jun 28, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Aside from the silly counties argument, the original version of this Washington Post story contained a couple of weird errors…
Nothing illustrated this change more than the 2020 general election when President Biden beat Trump by one percentage point by carrying just 14 of the state’s 102 counties. (By comparison, Barack Obama won 46 counties in 2008.) Likewise, Pritzker handily defeated Republican incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018 by carrying just 16 counties. Pritzker’s strength came from the northeast pocket of the state — Cook County, which includes Chicago, and four of all five collar counties — and he barely campaigned elsewhere.
The corrected version (which is not labeled as such) changes Biden’s margin to the actual 17 points, but still incorrectly claims that the governor barely campaigned in the rest of the state. Not sure where that author was at the time. But, heck, I remember Pritzker catching flak from a Chicago reporter for holding a big pre-election event in the Metro East. Also, click here and check out that thread.
* Greg Hinz…
In one new twist, voters in DuPage County will be able to cast ballots in any of the county’s 263 polling places instead of going to the one closest to their house. The new option is intended to provide flexibility in casting a vote during a busy workday, but don’t be shocked if someone sees a nefarious plot to rig the vote.
That is a really good idea and I hope it eventually goes statewide.
* Contrary to this take, there are a ton of hot legislative contests…
STATEHOUSE RACES: They’re all up for grabs, but only a few are really hot. Top of the list for Democrats is state Rep. Mike Zalewski vs. challenger Abdelnasser Rashid in the 21st District. Zalewski is seen as one of the last vestiges of the Democratic machine and has the support of House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Gov. JB Pritzker. While Zalelwski is a progressive with an energetic ground game.
Also watch challenges to state Reps. Denyse Wang Stoneback in the 16th, Lindsey LaPointe in the 19th, and Kathleen Willis in the 77th. Among Republican races, we’re watching for the outcome of Brett Nicklaus’ challenge to Sen. Win Stoller in the 37th District state Senate seat.
Um.
* Late outside money in CD11…
* The Post-Dispatch ain’t happy at all with the choices in the CD15 GOP primary…
Republican Rep. Rodney Davis of Taylorville, supported by this newspaper in his 2020 reelection bid for Illinois’ 13th District, used to be someone unafraid to stand up to former President Donald Trump and defend old-style GOP beliefs without veering off the deep end. Sadly, space aliens kidnapped that man and replaced him with someone willing to compromise his principles at every turn just to stay in office. For inspiration on hypocrisy, he turns to his spiritual and political mentor, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy.
Challenging Davis from the far right is Rep. Mary Miller of Oakland, who never seems to miss an opportunity to align herself with the likes of white supremacists.
Space aliens. Whew.
* Frank Avila formed this committee last month, but has never reported any contributions. Looks like a possible Chicago FOP front group…
* One side of a Lyons Township Democrats’ palm card…
The flip side…
Who says bipartisanship is dead?
* Poultry politics…
Mike Holloway has had chickens at his Loami residence since shortly after he moved there in 1976.
At some point, Holloway doesn’t remember when, they were outlawed in the Sangamon County village about 15 miles southwest of Springfield, but Holloway was “grandfathered” in and allowed to keep his chickens.
Loami voters will consider an advisory referendum Tuesday about allowing chickens back in the village’s limits. The village of Clearlake and New Berlin also have referendums.
…Adding… The Chicago Board of Elections being the Chicago Board of Elections…
As of 8:30 a.m., State Rep. Delia Ramirez, a Democrat running in the 3rd Congressional District race, was one of two voters who had shown up at her polling place at Harriet Beecher Stowe School in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, which opened with two of four poll workers still yet to arrive.
Ramirez said while she was enroute to vote, she saw volunteers in front of the voting site at Yates Elementary School did not have voting booths open as of 6:45 a.m. Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Max Bever did not have information about Yates but confirmed three other polling locations had delayed starts.
“Unfortunately, Lillian and I talked to a number of voters who said ‘I’m sorry, I’ve been waiting, I have to get to work,” said Ramirez, who addressed reporters alongisde Lillian Jimenez, who is running to replace Ramirez’s seat in the Illinois House.
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LIVE COVERAGE
Tuesday, Jun 28, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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* You’ve all heard this by now…
At a rally with former President Trump on Saturday, Republican Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois applauded the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, saying it was a “historic victory for White life in the Supreme Court.” Her campaign immediately responded, saying it was an error and she meant to say “a historic victory for right to life by the Supreme Court.”
“Mary stumbles while saying ‘Right to Life’ and the fake news vultures are out,” her spokesperson Isaiah Wartman said in a statement to CBS News.
Wartman said Miller has the “most Pro-Life voting record in Congress” and that she is the “proud grandmother of two beautiful grandchildren” who have Down syndrome.
The explanation there ain’t great. She wasn’t talking about eugenics, necessarily, so why bring up Down syndrome? Also, she has mixed-race grandchildren.
* Austin Schick…
During her portion of the speech, Miller also took shots at Davis and at multiple times called him a “RINO,” the abbreviation for a “Republican In Name Only.”
“Rodney Davis betrayed us by supporting Red Flag laws and voting for the disgraceful Jan. 6 witch hunt commission,” Miller said.
In the hour-long speech, Trump stuck to similar talking points since losing the 2020 election. Those points included claims that the election was stolen and slamming the January 6 committee that is in the process of investigating the insurrection that occurred at the U.S. Capitol.
“The unselect committee are pushing a fake and fabricated narrative based on doctored video lies and testimony,” Trump said. […]
“The best thing that happened about January 6 was I paid $26 for a full tank of gas,” [Bloomington resident Althea Shonn] said.
* Jason Rosenbaum and Brian Munoz at St. Louis Public Radio…
Miller’s opponent in the GOP primary, Congressman Rodney Davis, said in a statement on Sunday that the first-term congresswoman’s “comments yesterday are just another part in a disturbing pattern of behavior she’s displayed since coming to Congress.”
“This is why it’s so important to vote in our Republican Primary on Tuesday and show the country Miller’s behavior is unacceptable,” Davis said. […]
After calling him an “establishment RINO,” Miller alluded to how Davis called for Trump to withdraw in October 2020 after a tape came out showing the then-GOP presidential nominee making vulgar remarks about women.
“If Rodney Davis had gotten his way, we would have had crooked Hillary Clinton in the White House,” Miller said. “And we would have had the most leftist Supreme Court in history.” […]
During an interview earlier this month with St. Louis Public Radio, Davis criticized Miller for being inaccessible to the media and emphasized that he’s built a stronger constituent service system since coming to Congress in 2013. […]
“A lot of the constituents, 80%, know that I’m a fighter,” Davis said. “I have fought Nancy Pelosi every election cycle. … Every election cycle, it’s been a race that has been at times the No. 1 most competitive race in the nation. These are the fights I’m used to.”
Donald Trump has messed with Rodney Davis’ mojo since Day One. It’s been painful to watch. Maybe he should’ve just run against Nikki Budzinski. It woulda been a race he knew how to win.
* Scott Reeder…
“I think this is going to be a very close race,” said Mike Lawrence, former director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and a longtime Illinois political observer. “I think it is significant that Trump came and campaigned for her. I’ve said all along that could make the difference.”
* Media advisory…
Congressman Rodney Davis will hold a pre-Election Day media availability this afternoon in Springfield with Sangamon County Republican leaders. Davis plans to discuss his campaign heading into Election Day tomorrow, thank Sangamon County Republican leaders for their support, and take questions from the media. Details can be found below:
WHO: Congressman Rodney Davis, Sangamon County Republican leaders
WHAT: Pre-Election Day media availability in Springfield
WHERE: Sangamon County Republican Headquarters, 1132 E Sangamon Ave, Springfield, IL 62702 (across the street from the Illinois State Fairgrounds)
WHEN: 3:30pm CT, Monday, June 27, 2022
RSVP/QUESTIONS: Aaron DeGroot, cell phone: xxxxx, xxxxx@electrodney.com
Congressman Davis also plans to hold two media availabilities tomorrow in Taylorville, one at 4:00pm CT and a second one after the polls close, exact time to-be-determined. The location will have tables, chairs, and WiFi access if media would like to work from Taylorville for the duration of the evening. Final details will be sent out later today.
*** UPDATE *** Rodney Davis press release…
Mary Miller has emerged from her Biden basement strategy. During one of those incredibly rare times Miller gives an interview, she has honed in on her closing message to voters just one day before the Primary Election: “I’m not a racist.”
This morning during an interview on WMAY, Miller was asked to say what she would tell an individual who may have heard her “white life” comments and thought they were racist. Miller’s response was in part, “I’m not a racist.”
Miller caused a media firestorm yesterday after she called the Supreme Court abortion decision a “victory for white life” during a rally in Adams County. Miller claims she misspoke, but she has a history of espousing extreme rhetoric. Just two days after taking the oath of office, Miller praised Adolf Hitler in a prepared speech in front of the U.S. Capitol Building, saying Hitler’s views on indoctrinating youth should be emulated.
Miller (no relation) was asked “Are you racist?” Her reply…
It’s so ridiculous. Not one person I’ve talked to that was at the rally, or heard it on TV thinks that I didn’t, that I didn’t stumble over saying ‘right to life.’ That’s all it was. I’m not a racist. I don’t know what else to say.
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Trump/Bailey endorsement roundup
Monday, Jun 27, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Um…
“Darren is a farmer and he’s a fighter and he has been an outstanding warrior in the Illinois state Senate where he’s totally totally respected by all of them,” Trump said.
Not sure where the former president obtained that insider information about the Senate.
* Brenden Moore…
On Saturday, he went further: “Darren is just the man to take on and defeat one of the worst governors in America, J.B. Pritzker.”
“He will crack down on the violent crime that is devouring our Democrat-run cities and restore the state of Illinois to greatness,” Trump said. “Darren has my complete and total endorsement.” […]
Calling Pritzker “pathetic,” Trump criticized the governor’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and compared gun violence in Chicago to the military situation in Afghanistan during his presidency.
“Everybody’s fleeing your state. This is a disaster,” Trump said.
* NBC 5…
“He wants to cut your taxes,” the former president said. “He wants to lower your regulations down to the lowest in the country and make Illinois competitive again, because it is not competitive at all.”
* Alex Degman and Dave McKinney…
Trump then launched into a seemingly unscripted anecdote involving Bailey when the two were posing for pictures with one another backstage.
“I wanted to say hello because I’m hearing Darren’s really doing a job,” Trump began. “And we’re standing up, and I’m shaking his hand. He said, ‘Sir, you have a hair coming down right in the middle.’ It was coming down. He said, ‘Let me get it, sir.’ And he grabbed it and pulled it out. I said, ‘Oh, that’s terrible. That’s terrible.’ I’m still looking for that hair. He just ripped it out.
“Which tells you a lot about Darren. There’s no games, right? Somebody else would’ve patted it gently back. He ripped it out,” Trump laughed. “That’s going to be one I remember. We’re still searching for that hair.” […]
“I’m glad President Trump told the story about his loose hair because here’s the deal. I will not lie to anyone, and I will not let anything go unnoticed,” Bailey said. “And when I see it, I will name it. And when I name it, we will fix it. And we have our work cut out for us in Illinois, friends.
Video of the hair bit is here.
* Rick Pearson and Jeremy Gorner…
“We have our work cut out for us here in Illinois, friends,” Bailey said. “I’ve made a promise to President Trump that in 2024, Illinois will roll the red carpet out for him because Illinois will be ready for President Trump.”
Trump lost Illinois by 17% of the vote in his winning bid for the presidency in 2016 and his losing reelection run in 2020.
Trump, who has often delayed endorsements unless he was sure of a candidate’s victory, predicted Bailey would “win the primary very big and you’re going to go on and win the election.”
* Tina Sfondeles…
It could make a difference in the general election, as Gov. J.B. Pritzker will use the endorsement against Bailey, should he prevail. Hours before Trump’s rally, and in anticipation of some roasting, Pritzker’s campaign blasted out a video of the governor calling Trump “a narcissist who values power over principle and seeks out darkness over light.”
The campaign said Trump’s visit was an attempt to prop up far-right extremists running for office — even though Pritzker himself paid for ads to help boost Bailey’s campaign with ads calling him “too conservative.”
“We stand with the people who barred the doors of the Capitol on Jan. 6th – not the ones who were trying to knock them down,” Pritzker said in the video. “And any candidate who refuses to speak out against Trump’s Big Lie has no business running for office. Not in Illinois.”
* Friends, it’s a conspiracy…
Gary Rabine, another GOP hopeful, was also there working the crowd. His bus was kicked off the fairgrounds and supporters were told to cover their t-shirts if they want to get in the rally.
Rabine said Trump was close to endorsing him but it was blocked at the last minute.
…Adding… DGA…
“With this new endorsement from Trump himself, there’s no question: Darren Bailey is the most MAGA, far-right conservative candidate in this race,” said DGA Illinois Press Secretary Yael Sheinfeld. “A would-be Governor Bailey poses a serious threat for Illinoisans everywhere. Voters know Darren Bailey is far too conservative for our state.”
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Happy warriors they’re not
Monday, Jun 27, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Man, there is so much whining in this New York Times article about the primary race…
“This has never happened in the history of our nation that a Democrat would spend this much money stopping one individual from becoming the nominee of the Republican Party,” Mr. Irvin said in an interview after touring a manufacturing plant in Wauconda, a well-to-do suburb north of Chicago. “There are six Republican primary opponents — six of them. But when you turn on the television, all you see is me.”
Ken Griffin has almost ten times the wealth of JB Pritzker. Griffin said he was going “all in” to beat Pritzker and then he split town before the first round was even over. I don’t wanna hear about money, or the lack thereof.
* And bitterness…
Representative Darin LaHood predicted an “overwhelming” Bailey primary victory in his Central Illinois district, but warned that he would be toxic for general-election voters.
“Bailey is not going to play in the suburbs,” said Mr. LaHood, who has not endorsed a primary candidate. “He’s got a Southern drawl, a Southern accent. I mean, he should be running in Missouri, not in suburban Chicago.”
Southern Illinois is the south. Has been forever. Congressman LaHood should maybe get out more.
* And even an admission of ultimate failure…
“Whether or not Darren and I win the general election, if we can at least get control within our own party, I think long term we have an opportunity to be successful,” Mr. DeVore said at their stop in Green Valley.
* And, of course, it’s gotta have uninformed voters with a grievance about the big city…
“Everything that we pay and do supports Chicago,” said Pam Page, a security analyst at State Farm Insurance from McLean, Ill., who came to see Mr. Bailey in Lincoln. “Downstate just never seems to get any of the perks or any of the kickbacks.”
…Adding… And anthropomorphism. Can’t forget that…
“The rest of the 90 percent of the land mass is not real happy about how 10 percent of the land mass is directing things,” Mr. Bailey said in an interview aboard his campaign bus outside a bar in Green Valley, a village of 700 people south of Peoria.
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LIVE COVERAGE
Monday, Jun 27, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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