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Tuesday, Nov 23, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Monday, Nov 22, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Some campaign stuff

Monday, Nov 22, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WGLT

A Bloomington state senator is pushing back against former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s view that Illinois will not be a top-tier state next year for funding in Republican races for governor and U.S. Senate.

Christie made the remark in Chicago, during a speech at the Chicago Union Club. Christie was promoting his new book about how to get the Republican Party past former President Donald Trump.

State Sen. Barickman, R-Bloomington, said Christie should wait a bit on his conclusion that Illinois is not competitive in those statewide races.

“I don’t think the answer on that issue is fully yet known. Whether we are a top-tier state for funding largely depends on who the candidates are,” said Barickman. […]

“Suburban voters I think are not going to be overly motivated by social issues per se. I think they’re going to be driven by property taxes, crime, high quality schools. We can’t do it if our candidate is a non-starter with the suburban households where there are so many votes,” said Barickman.

* What Christie said

As for Republican chances in Illinois in next year’s midterms, when Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth are seeking reelection, Christie likened the situation to a famed “Peanuts” cartoon.

“Sometimes Illinois is a little bit like Charlie Brown and the football and Lucy, and how you think you’re gonna get it and then you wind up on your back,” said Christie, who as head of the Republican Governors Association was actively involved in the election of one-term GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2014.

“I think there could be Republican gains here but it’s not a top-tier state in terms of where Republicans are targeting money,” he said, referring to lower-ballot races such as those for Congress. “If we’re spending money in Illinois in October of next year, we won the House and Senate already. That’s called piling on once you do that.”

Thoughts?

* Zero surprise here

Democrat Nikki Budzinski of Springfield, a labor activist who worked in President Joe Biden’s administration until earlier this summer, has secured an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Springfield in her run for U.S. Congress in the 13th District.

The announcement came Sunday at Durbin’s Springfield home. […]

Democrat David Palmer, 35, a Champaign resident who is a Country Financial Insurance broker and financial planner, lives in the 13th District.

Palmer, who is Black, said the new 13th District would include majority Black East St. Louis which would be a boost to his election chances.

Still waiting to see what Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) plans to do.

…Adding… A commenter claims Rep. Ammons announced her re-election campaign today. Checking.

…Adding More… Rep. Ammons got back to me just now to confirm that she’s running for reelection.

* Meanwhile, on to a press release…

Michael Rabbitt, business transformation leader at Argonne National Laboratory, and a community activist, who is seeking the appointment to replace retiring State Representative of the 15th House district in Illinois, John D’Amico, has received the endorsement of 39th Ward Neighbors United, an independent political organization that fights for racial, social, and economic justice in Chicago’s 39th ward. Rabbitt’s strong performance yesterday’s People’s Candidate Forum, coupled with this key endorsement, gives him momentum heading into Tuesday’s appointment meeting.

The ward with the most weighted vote is the 39th and Sen. Ram Villivalam is the committeeperson. Contrary to what you might have read elsewhere, Villivalam had nothing to do with the Neighbors United endorsement.

* Russ Stewart

State law mandates the area committeepersons of the party of the resigned incumbent meet within 30 days to pick the replacement, which means in D’Amico’s case by Dec. 8. The selection is by weighted-vote, based on the turnout in the 2020 Democratic primary, which was 35,637. The apportionment is as follows 38.2 percent in the 39th Ward, 32.6 in Maine Township, 17.7 in Niles Township, 9 in the 41st Ward, and the rest scattered. Joe Cook, the 41st Ward committeeperson, has said he won’t seek the job. The choice will serve through the end of 2022 and have an edge in the June 28 primary.

Michael Rabbitt of Wildwood was in the race before D’Amico quit. He works for Argonne Laboratories as a manager. He is an advocate of police reform and affordable housing. He models himself after Will Guzzardi, Lindsay LaPointe and John Arena, and is waging a door-to-door campaign. He will be the leftmost candidate.

Others in the contest, who will likely seek selection, are Dan Cotter, an attorney from Edgebrook and former LSC president and CBA past president, Casey Smagala of Albany Park, a 2019 39th Ward aldermanic candidate who is close to Villivalam, Mike Kelly of Mayfair, a firefighter who is the football coach at St. Edward’s parish school, Liam Kelly, who ran for subcircuit judge in the 2020 primary, and whose brother Eamon is Evanston Township committeeperson, and Dean Alonistiotis, who works for MWRD commissioner Kim Du Buclet.

Mike Kelly is close to former Rep. D’Amico.

…Adding… Candidate list courtesy of the 39th Ward…

-Dr. Christina Brophy (Triton College; Professor of History & Humanities)
-Daniel Cotter (Howard & Howard PLLC; Attorney)
-Vince Fattore (Lexington Group; Chief Information Officer)
-Judy Kehoe (AAIA/A.C.E.S., Inc.; Contracting Specialist)
-Michael J. Kelly (Chicago Fire Department; Firefighter/EMT)
-John Melaniphy III (Village of Niles; Director of Economic Development)
-Michael Rabbitt (Argonne National Laboratory; Business Leader)

* Related…

* Illinois Comptroller visits Arcola mayor

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Part-time DuPage Dem social media staffer resigns after horrid and stupid tweets

Monday, Nov 22, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The DuPage County Democratic Central Committee has been paying this person $500 a month for the past three years. It was definitely not money well spent

After Sunday’s Christmas parade horror in Waukesha, Wisconsin, an Illinois Democrat appeared to portray the tragedy as a form of payback for Friday’s acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha.

“It was probably just self-defense,” read one of a series of mocking social media posts from Mary Lemanski, who is listed as the social media director for the Democratic Party in DuPage County, Illinois.

Lemanski also describes herself as an acting student with the famed Second City comedy group.

“Living in Wisconsin, he probably felt threatened,” read another post attributed to Lemanski, referring to the SUV driver in the Waukesha case.

* After the pushback began

The DuPage Democrat then offered onlookers her own perspective on the Sunday attack.

‘I’m sad,’ Lemanski shared later that night. ‘I’m sad anytime anyone dies.’

‘I just believe in Karma and this came around quick on the citizens of Wisconsin.’

Then, in another, more judgmental, message directed to the citizens of the state that saw both of the contentious attacks, the staffer proclaimed, ‘You reap what you sow, Wisconsin.’

Her tweets are now deleted, but you can see them all at the links above.

* Facebook

The DuPage Democrats deleted that post, and rightly so. She shouldn’t have been using the official site to announce her resignation.

* Twitter…


* So much has been written about the Rittenhouse case nationally and in Illinois, but I’ve avoided it because it was a Wisconsin court case. Various Illinois pols reacted after the verdict, but I’m ignoring them, too. Do yourself a favor and read Mark Brown

Many people are going to have trouble accepting the Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty verdict, but I think there would be fewer of them if they’d watched the trial, beginning to end, as a jury does.

It bothers me deeply that Rittenhouse killed two people with a gun a 17-year-old shouldn’t have had in a fight he shouldn’t have been anywhere near.

But, as I wrote before the jury began its 26-plus hours of deliberations, it’s the correct verdict based on all of the evidence and the law.

It really was self-defense. Rittenhouse wasn’t the aggressor in the chain of events that led to the shootings. […]

I certainly pray people won’t be emboldened by this verdict to show up with their guns every time there is a protest over a matter of public dispute. But I fear some will.

Despite what people are saying, Rittenhouse’s acquittal should not be seen a victory for white supremacists (though I’m sure that crowd is celebrating) any more than a guilty verdict would have been a victory for antifa.

On the other hand, if those redneck clowns in Georgia get away with the shotgun lynching of Ahmaud Arbery, now, that would be a victory for white supremacists.

Take a very deep breath or three before commenting, please. There are plenty of other websites that encourage you to spew anything that comes to mind. This ain’t one of them. Also, remember that you’re often being manipulated…


…Adding… Press release…

“The Democratic Party of DuPage County immediately severed all ties with Mary Lemanski once became aware of her callous and reprehensible posts. She does not speak for us and we unequivocally reject her statements about the tragic events that occurred yesterday in Waukesha. We as a party denounce violence of any kind. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families impacted by this heinous act, which shocked and saddened us all.”

- Democratic Party of DuPage County Chair Ken Mejia-Beal

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*** LIVE COVERAGE ***

Monday, Nov 22, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

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* Campaign news: Big Raja money; Benton over-shares; Rashid's large cash pile; Jeffries to speak at IDCCA brunch
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* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
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