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* The initial vote was divided, but then the Democratic committeepersons voted for Mike Simmons by acclamation to replace Sen. Heather Steans As I told you Thursday, the 40th Ward Democratic Organization and the 47th Ward Democratic Organization were deadlocked between Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Mike Simmons and that today could be interesting. Cassidy was considered almost a lock. Didn’t happen.
I’m sure there’s going to be a wild back story on this. Ald. Harry Osterman, who shares an office with Rep. Cassidy, went with Simmons, for example.
That’s two Black people appointed to the Illinois Senate today. Both replaced white people.
* Some background on the new Senator from Windy City Times…
Simmons—who is Black (half African-American, half Ethiopian) and gay—is the founder and CEO of Blue Sky Strategies as well as deputy director of My Brother’s Keeper, a national program based at the Obama Foundation that works to remove the opportunity gap for young men of color. According to Blue Sky’s website, the firm specializes “in equitable urban planning, youth empowerment, government accountability, and anti-racist public policy.”
In a bio Simmons submitted to Windy City Times, he added that he is the son of a Black woman and single mother of two (and Rogers Park business owner who owned and ran her small business, Salon Pastiche, for 25 years), and an Ethiopian immigrant to Edgewater. He stated that his family was one of the first Black families to integrate Lincoln Square, in 1981. He currently lives in Chicago’s Uptown area with his partner.
The political candidate and former Equality Illinois board member also stated that he worked as a policy director for then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, where he led efforts to build new grocery stores in the city’s food deserts. […]
In an email to Windy City Times, Simmons said, “The district is home to many, many LGBTQ households. There are so many people in this district whose voices need to be heard in the State Senate, and I am stepping forward to be that voice. We have a historic opportunity to appoint the first Black person on the North Side to State Senate, and only the third openly gay, Black state senator in the country. And my public policy experience and community level experience have equipped me to serve at this level. I’m here for it!”
He was also a Crain’s 40 Under 40 award-winner.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Following is a statement from Rep. Cassidy on the appointment of Mike Simmons to the Illinois Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Heather Steans:
“I congratulate Mike Simmons on his appointment to the 7th District Senate seat long held by Sen. Steans. I thank our community members and the Democratic Party leadership in our area for their support, and for leading this process. I also thank the other candidates who stepped up and put their names forward on behalf of their communities. Finally, I am profoundly grateful to Sen. Steans, for her friendship and guidance over the years, and for her leadership on so many matters of critical importance to our communities. From COVID relief to tackling our budget challenges, from making sure our communities are fairly represented in redistricting to continuing to build on the progress in criminal justice reform forged by the Black Caucus, I pledge to continue to be a relentless voice for our values in the Illinois House of Representatives.”
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* Sun-Times…
Members of the Illinois Republican Party on Saturday picked a former gaming board chief to be the next head of the state party.
Don Tracy, a Springfield attorney who was appointed to lead the Illinois Gaming Board by former Gov. Bruce Rauner, won the backing of members of the state GOP’s central committee.
Tracy was not immediately available for comment.
In a statement earlier this week, Tracy said the “state is in danger” of “becoming a depopulated, left wing, one party, over-taxed, and anti-police financial basket case.”
* I don’t have a press release from the ILGOP, but I do have one from the IDCCA…
Following the Illinois Republican Party electing Raunerite Don Tracy as their new Party Chair, President Kristina Zahorik of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association (IDCCA) released the following statement:
“It is rich that the Illinois GOP appointed a new chair with a history of corrupt behavior. We repeatedly watch Illinois Republicans cry crocodile tears over political corruption, and today they proved they’re the Grand Old Party of hypocrisy with their appointment of Don Tracy.”
The State of Illinois Office of Inspector General found that Don Tracy illegally made campaign contributions through his wife while serving on the Illinois Gaming Board. The report said Tracy “made loans and contributions either directly, or through his wife, to political committees” in violation of state law. Tracy was appointed to the Gaming Board by former Republican Governor Bruce Rauner in 2015.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From Mary Morrissey, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois…
“As the Republican Party struggles to take control of its party back from white supremacists and violent extremists, Illinois Republicans have chosen a leader whose ties to Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner promise a return to the failed policies of the past. The Illinois GOP has deemed Don Tracy, a Trump supporter who resigned as the Illinois Gaming Board chair after steering illegal contributions to former Governor Rauner’s campaign, as their best hope to carry their party into the future. It will be interesting to see if the Illinois Republican Party will continue to embrace questionable leadership, division and extremism or consider working with Democrats to find solutions that lift up workers and families across Illinois. We aren’t holding our breath.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** ILGOP…
In December of 2020, outgoing Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider announced a transition plan in which there would be an open and transparent process for the selection of a new chairman. Today, after lengthy interviews with the three finalists, spirited discussion, and a weighted vote amongst the ILGOP State Central Committee, Don Tracy of Springfield has been chosen as the next chairman of the Illinois Republican Party and has unanimous support from the committee.
Tim Schneider immediately offered his resignation and Don Tracy accepted the role of chairman to fill the remaining two years of Schneider’s term.
Chairman Don Tracy has released the following statement in response to his selection:
“I am truly honored and excited to have been chosen by the State Central Committee to serve as Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party. I want to thank each member for the opportunity to serve. I promise to lead with honesty, integrity, and the vigor we need to turn Illinois around. I also want to thank the other two finalists - Mark Shaw and Scott Gryder - for their tireless work on behalf of the Republican Party. I look forward to working with them to elect more Republicans.
I ran for this position because I love Illinois - it’s my home - and I believe the ILGOP can be a tremendous catalyst for change in this state. The upcoming election cycle can be monumental if we seize on the tremendous opportunities before us. We have a weakened Governor who can be defeated; we have a US Senate seat to win; we are well-positioned to win back Congressional seats; we can claw back seats in the state legislature if we recruit the right candidates; and lastly, we have an historic opportunity to elect a fourth Republican to the state Supreme Court for the first time ever.
The only way we can capitalize on these opportunities in 2022 is if we unite the party. My number one priority is to give every Republican a seat at the table and give every Republican a voice. Regardless of our differences, Republicans are the only hope for turning Illinois around and keeping it from becoming a depopulated, over-taxed, and anti-police financial basket case. There’s too much at stake in 2022 to be anything less than a united band of brothers and sisters in the fight to save Illinois.
So, whatever your political leanings, wherever you live - if you want to fight corruption, restore fiscal sanity, grow our economy, and stand for law and order - you’re on our team. It’s time to suit up, work together, and bring home some wins for the people of Illinois.”
Don Tracy is a successful businessman and lawyer from Springfield, Illinois. Born and raised in rural Mt. Sterling (Brown County, Illinois), he is the oldest of twelve children. Don and his eleven siblings own the thriving family business, Dot Foods, Inc., a national redistributor of food and related products, and other national businesses. Headquartered in Mt. Sterling (population: 2,025), Dot Foods, Inc. was founded in 1960 by Don’s father and currently employs 6,000 people across the United States and Canada.
Don is the first chairman of the Illinois Republican Party from outside Chicago and the collar counties since 1988.
*** UPDATE 3 *** House GOP Leader Jim Durkin…
The stark contrast between Don Tracy and Public Official A, who is still the chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, will speak volumes in Illinois households this upcoming election cycle. Don Tracy will work diligently to rebuild the Republican Party in Illinois so we can continue our momentum in the 2022 election cycle and take over the majority in the Illinois House and Senate chambers.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Some members of the Eastern Bloc…
State Representatives Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City), Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville), Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur), Chris Miller (R-Oakland) and Adam Niemerg R-Dieterich) are issuing the following statement on the election of Don Tracy as Illinois Republican Chairman.
“Despite some news reports, Don Tracy is Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party because several of the most conservative legislators in the state who represent the areas with the most weighted vote were involved and backed him.
We talked directly with Tracy and supported him based on his commitment to continuing to engage working families and support the values of working people.
This isn’t a Trump or anti-Trump deal. It’s about putting the Republican Party in the best position to win by speaking to the middle class and working class families in Illinois who have disproportionately shouldered the burden of poor policies from our state’s one-party rule for far too long.
We have been and will continue to be engaged in this process, and we look forward to working with Chairman Tracy. Make no mistake about it- the election of Don Tracy as State Party Chairman is a big win for conservatives.
*** UPDATE 5 *** Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie…
“I want to offer my sincere congratulations to new Illinois Republican Party Chairman, Don Tracy,” said Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “I am confident that Don’s business and political experience will be of great value to our party as we begin to rebuild and grow the GOP in our state.”
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* Shot…
* Chaser…
State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, a Democrat from Oswego, said she is leaning toward waiting but plans to make a decision after consulting her doctor — something she said every lawmaker should do. Kifowit said vaccinating lawmakers is important to state government’s ability to function.
*Facepalm* Just own it, please. C’mon.
* She still managed to get in a dig at Republicans, though…
Kifowit found it ironic that Republicans who voted against remote voting in the legislature would also be critical of Pritzker’s adding lawmakers to Phase 1B of vaccine distribution.
“They must not believe in the continuance of government like I do,” Kifowit said. “I think that we need to get to work. We need to do everything in our power to make sure we can do the work of the people.”
Um, OK.
…Adding… Eleni Demertzis from the HGOP…
Legislators can easily do their jobs by wearing a mask and following the guidelines put forth by IDPH on how the General Assembly can meet safely. Follow the science and stop thinking you are better than the hundreds of thousands of workers that have to show up to their jobs everyday, including your dedicated legislative staff.
* Meanwhile, WCBU has a story about some central Illinois Republican legislators who say they won’t be vaccinated until it’s their turn. But the reporter also interviewed a member of the Senate’s 41-member super-majority…
Meanwhile, State Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, said he and his wife, who already were in phase 1B prior to the governor’s change on Wednesday, have received the first dose of the two-dose vaccine.
“I think that whatever the governor does, (the Republicans are) gonna have a criticism,” said Koehler. “The legislature does need to meet.”
He said the General Assembly has numerous concerns it needs to deal with, including the state budget.
“I think this helps to ease the feelings that we can meet and somehow be safe,” Koehler said. “I think the real issue is that we have to have more vaccine, it has to be distributed quicker, in a more ethical way.”
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* Sun-Times…
With fissures dividing the national Republican Party as it searches for direction and a message after the presidency of Donald Trump, the Illinois GOP is waging its own, lower profile quest for unity as members prepare to pick a new leader who can bring them together.
But rather than disagreeing over Trump, freshman Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, stolen elections or other conspiracy theories, the Illinois Republican Party’s challenge is to bridge ideological differences, reach out to minority and urban voters — and go back to winning elections.
Members of the state GOP committee are planning to meet Saturday to elect a successor to outgoing Chairman Tim Schneider, who’s been in the seat since 2014.
Illinois Republicans are hoping a new face at the head of their party will bring the “new energy” and “new ideas” needed to unite Republicans and “appeal to the most people possible” to make gains in the statehouse, Senate and other higher offices.
There’s some pretty good stuff in there, so go read the rest. But nothing about how to handle three dozen county party chairs who want “One Mind One Strength and No Division.”
…Adding… The Daily Herald has an interesting point about the weighted vote for party chairman…
That’s because the votes of the committee members — each representing one of the state’s congressional districts — are weighted based on the number of people who voted in the March 2020 Republican primary. Rural districts tend to have more Republican voters — and thus a higher weighted vote.
Of the state’s 18 districts, the 15th District, represented by Republican Mary Miller of downstate Oakland, had the most GOP voters in that election. The 18th District, represented by Republican Darin LaHood of downstate Dunlap, had the second-highest total. Third place went to the 14th District, represented by Democrat Lauren Underwood of Naperville.
Northeastern Illinois is overwhelmingly blue, with every Chicago-area congressional seat except one — Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger’s 16th — now held by a Democrat. That would have been unfathomable a generation ago, when the suburbs were solidly Republican.
Kinzinger’s district is exurban and rural.
* Tribune…
U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois was one of 11 Republicans to cross party lines Thursday and support Democrats in stripping GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of her House committee assignments in a rebuke to her controversial past statements supporting false conspiracies and violence against politicians. […]
The vote to remove Greene, a freshman Republican from Georgia, from her positions on two committees, Education and Labor, and Budget, was 230-199. Except for Kinzinger, Illinois’ congressional delegation of 13 Democrats and five Republicans voted along party lines. […]
Appearing on CNN hours prior to the vote, Kinzinger noted that during the House Republican Conference held Tuesday night, Greene received a partial standing ovation, which he called an “embarrassment” and “disappointing by factor of a thousand.”
Kinzinger also was critical of House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy for not taking action to remove Greene from her committee posts.
* CNN…
Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger criticized House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Thursday for not taking action against far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and said the GOP leader “needs to stand for truth.”
“Kevin needs to be very clear that he’s going to stand for truth in this party,” Kinzinger told CNN’s John Berman on “New Day.” “He needs to stand for truth and he needs recognize this party, the future is not going down to Mar-a-Lago and being with Donald Trump.”
* And…
If his goal is to move the Overton window to the center for the national GOP after decades of rightward lurches, then I can see where he’s going here. And the Lincoln Project has proved there is money to be raised for this sort of message, so maybe his new PAC will take off (Lynn Sweet reports there has been a “strong response so far,” but didn’t specify any dollar amount). Other than that, his congressional career appears to be over and I’m not all that confident he can win a statewide primary here even if he gets really lucky.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Ten Republican members of the US House of Representatives have formally voted to impeach former President Donald Trump, and a few in the Senate may join them as well. This action has created widespread division and anger among the Republican party both nationally and here in Illinois. In response the Illinois Republican Party has released the following statement:
“We strongly disagree with any Republican, Congressman Adam Kinzinger included, who voted to impeach President Trump or those who vote to convict him in the U.S. Senate, but we will let the voters be the arbiters of any vote taken by an elected official.
As we prepare to select a new chairman of the Illinois Republican Party on Saturday, it’s our collective belief that uniting the party will be the single greatest endeavor of the new chairman. Our elected officials must unite behind defeating President Biden’s radical left-wing agenda. In just two weeks in office, the President has already given into extremists by cancelling the Keystone pipeline, refusing to enforce our immigration laws, and cowering to the teachers unions who refuse to educate our children in-person despite all the evidence of its necessity.
The stakes of the 2022 election here in Illinois - defeating Gov. JB Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, winning back congressional seats, and electing Republican judges to the Illinois Supreme Court - are too monumental to engage in a circular firing squad. We cannot play into Democrat hands by fighting amongst each other, so we encourage all Republicans to focus on the future rather than relitigating the past.”
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* Press release…
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and CPS CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson today issued the following statement regarding negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU):
“Yesterday afternoon, we received a counter proposal from CTU leadership and responded with our last, best, and final offer. We expect a response from CTU leadership today. We will be making further statements later today about school on Monday”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Not looking great…
*** UPDATE 2 *** OK…
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and CPS CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson today issued the following statement regarding negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU):
“We have yet to receive a formal response in writing today from CTU leadership. The ball is in their court.”
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