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Bailey skips all questions, while Pritzker dodges three

Tuesday, Oct 18, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Hmm…

The Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ asked 19 questions of the three gubernatorial candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot in an effort to easily show voters the differences between the candidates.

Only incumbent Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker completed the questionnaire.

Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey and Libertarian Scott Schluter did not answer the questions.

Pritzker answered most, but not all of the questions. Here are the three questions he skipped…

Would you favor permanently abolishing the state sales tax on gas?

Would you favor permanently abolishing the state sales tax on food and beverages?

Would you favor mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for Illinois students in the near future?

Hmm. Maybe somebody can ask that at tonight’s debate.

…Adding… He didn’t provide “Yes” or “No” answers to those questions, but he did provide some written responses…

I am open to having conversations with the General Assembly about eliminating the state sales tax on gas, but we must ensure that critical projects and priorities are not threatened due to its elimination.

Sales tax revenue on groceries is collected by the state but is distributed to local governments. None of the revenue goes to the state. My tax relief plan in effect today eliminates the grocery tax by replacing the local revenue with state revenue. Working with local government, the state should consider the possibility of eliminating it altogether.

I’ve worked hard to protect the lives and health of all Illinoisans, including students. In fact, I kept our schools open while protecting the school communities during the worst moments of the pandemic. If re-elected, I will continue to assess the best options for keeping our students safe from the spread of COVID-19.

* Pritzker answered “Yes” to this question…

Do you support Illinois’ tax credit scholarship program that provides financial support for students to attend private and parochial schools?

As you may remember, he promised to end that tax credit program during the 2018 campaign. Here’s Pritzker’s explanation…

My main focus with respect to K-12 education is ensuring that there is sufficient funding for all children to receive a quality education, regardless of their zip code. That’s why I’ve dedicated an additional $1.3 billion toward public education during my term. With assurance from the advocates for Invest in Kids that they will support increased public school funding, my budgets have ultimately included the relatively small Invest in Kids Scholarship Program.

* He answered “No” to this question: “Would you favor changing the state constitution to allow for the diminishment of public employee pensions?”…

Many Illinoisans spend their entire careers contributing money to a pension fund with a promise that they’ll get that money back. I firmly believe that’s a promise that can’t be broken.

* This was his explanation for why he opposed bringing back the state’s parental notification of abortion law…

The repeal of parental notification was essential to protect society’s most vulnerable children: minors who are victims of rape and incest, victims who are poor, and victims of physical abuse at home. Those are the women and girls who were punished by this law which could lead to pregnant teens being kicked out, cut off or forced to have a child against their will. It put undue burdens on young people who didn’t have the necessary resources, whose parent may be in prison, or who are homeless.

Discuss.

22 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 *** Bailey claims own poll shows him two points down, but Pritzker camp calls the survey “junk”

Tuesday, Oct 18, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. From ABC 7’s story on the Illinois Broadcasters Association poll which has JB Pritzker leading Darren Bailey by 22 points…

“It’s really bad news for Darren Bailey. At this point in the campaign, he should be shrinking the lead, not seeing it grow. Pritzker’s putting some distance between himself and Bailey, significant distance and it would be very difficult, if this poll is accurate for Bailey to make up that ground in the next few weeks,” said ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington.

The Bailey campaign scoffed at those latest numbers and said their own internal polling shows the race is much closer.

“This is not a legitimate poll. It’s an internet survey and anyone who cares about honest journalism would do a better job of disseminating information to the people. Our polling shows this race is close because JB Pritzker has failed Illinoisans. Darren Bailey is focused on making Illinois safer and more affordable for everyone and we’re confident voters will choose a better direction for Illinois on Election Day,” said Bailey’s campaign spokesperson, Joe DeBose.

* Fox 32…

A spokesman for state Sen. Bailey called the results, “laughable.” The survey was conducted from Oct. 5 to Oct. 11.

7 days ain’t great. I’ll give them that. And the IBA has been less than transparent about the poll’s methodology.

* NBC 5

Mark Harris, a strategist for Bailey, dismissed the findings of the poll, saying that internal polls show the state senator just two points behind Pritzker.

“It coincides with the national environment getting better for Republicans,” he told NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern. “We’re very confident that this is a close race and our data is showing it getting closer, and I don’t think JB Pritzker would be spending $100 million-plus if he thought this were a 20-point race.”

The Pritzker campaign fired back after the poll’s release, calling the razor-thin margin in Bailey’s internal polling “junk.”

“Darren Bailey’s desperation is showing,” a campaign spokesperson told NBC 5. “Just like the junk internal poll he tried to pass off last month, these numbers are wildly-off-base and inconsistent with all other public polling. Voters know Darren Bailey is too extreme for Illinois, and those who haven’t already voted early for Governor Pritzker will undoubtedly reject Bailey in November.”

The Bailey poll is here. No regional breakdowns and no question asking respondents about past election behavior, which I think is a decent way to check for accuracy. The IBA poll asked about geography, but not past votes.

…Adding… A commenter points out that Bailey’s poll uses a universe of 71 percent white people. Illinois is 62 percent white.

Also, Pritzker never lets off the gas. He didn’t ease up during the 2018 primary, even though he was safely ahead. He never slowed down during the 2018 general against a weak and unpopular Republican incumbent in a big Democratic year. And even after Richard Irvin dropped to third place during the 2022 GOP primary, Pritzker kept right on spending cash.

* Anyway, the Downstate numbers in two of the news media polls are odd. The WGN poll had Bailey ahead by just two points, 45-43 in Downstate. The WBEZ/Sun-Times poll had Downstate at a 40-40 tie. I’d be very curious to see what the IBA’s crosstabs show for that region. But, again, they’re being less than transparent.

*** UPDATE *** Dan Proft press release…

Don’t dismiss this bogus poll. Remember it.

This is how the corrupt and incompetent state-run Chicago press corps works. Use some leftist org like IL Broadcasters Assn to cook up a poll they can then report as ‘news’ to drive the outcome they desire on behalf of their fellow travelers in office. This is unadulterated fake news. RVs not likely voters. +17 on the generic ballot for Dems. There is no scenario in which that is remotely close and everyone who knows anything about polling and turnout modeling in IL knows what I’m saying is correct.

The generic ballot is + Dem in the single digits and trending toward the low single digits–at its height this cycle is was +9 Dems. Correspondingly, Bailey and the other statewides have been following that trend to where they are in striking distance depending on who turns out.

Bailey is the underdog. Of course he is. Every GOP statewide candidate in Illinois is. This trash poll dutifully reported by fake news outlets like WGN–yes, fake news outlets–is an effort to squelch out hope. Talk about voter suppression. They want to quell even the remotest signs of a popular revolt whether it’s over the Purge Law, confiscatory taxes, or the race and gender hustle in schools. Abandon any notion you have any control over your life and any ability to change it. Cede your sovereignty to the Dem Socialists as we have. Don’t think. Follow. That’s their message. They thrive on your fatalism. In fact, the only way people like Pritzker stay in office is if sensible people throw in the towel.

Remember this poll and the useful idiots these Pritzker apparatchiks in the fake news business consider you to be. This is so much bigger than even the governor’s race. Make a decision as to whether or not you want the leadership of virtually every civic, cultural, and educational institution in Illinois to continue lying to you with impunity. On November 8, tell the purveyors of acceptable lies you find them decidedly unacceptable. Use this egregious attempt to gaslight you to stoke the revolt that fells the current political power structure and sends an unmistakable message to the next one: We are in charge. We have some simple demands. We want a better life in Illinois. You’d better meet those demands or you’re next.

Ah, yes, fomenting anger to threaten the news media and “every civic, cultural, and educational institution in Illinois.” Lovely.