IDCCA votes to endorse Pritzker
Saturday, Oct 7, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
[Comments are now open on this post.]
* Vote count…
* Press release…
Today, the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association (IDCCA) and its 102 members met to vote on an endorsement in the Democratic Primary for Governor. With an unprecedented show of support, the IDCCA voted to endorse JB Pritzker for Governor representing nearly 70% of the County Chairmen.
IDCCA President Doug House released the following statement in reaction:
“At the start of the primary campaign I asked the candidates to travel to each of the Counties and meet with our members and the voters. To beat a candidate like Bruce Rauner, Democrats needed to be inspired by their vision for Illinois and their plan to win. I have been impressed with JB Pritzker and his strong, progressive message. JB is connecting with voters who share our core beliefs throughout Illinois and they believe that he can fix the mess that Bruce Rauner has created.”
“Each of the candidates submitted credentials to be considered for endorsement. The County Chairs of the IDCCA have voted, and I wholeheartedly agree, that JB Pritzker is the best candidate to beat Bruce Rauner. We are proud to support him for Governor.”
“The IDCCA is made up of volunteer, grassroots organizers who are committed to getting Democrats elected up and down the ballot. While Bruce Rauner, Donald Trump and Republicans are continuing to hurt our country, County Democratic Parties will be knocking on doors and talking with our neighbors about a positive way forward for our communities. With JB at the top of the ticket, 2018 will be a strong year for Democrats in every county in Illinois.
“We are proud to stand with the next Governor of Illinois and we are ready to get to work,” said IDCCA President Doug House.
* ILGOP…
“The IDCCA has done it again. Their endorsement of Pritzker today is the latest chapter in a years-long pattern of bending to Madigan’s will. The IDCCA has long been an instrument to support Madigan’s vulnerable House members, and now they’re being used by Madigan to coronate Pritzker with the Democratic nomination for governor.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
…Adding… Biss campaign…
In a video shared with supporters this morning, Daniel Biss unveiled “Rewriting the Rules,” a set of policy proposals designed to restore power to the people of Illinois.
“With a billionaire businessman in the White House, another in the Governor’s Mansion, and two more of the super rich running for governor, it’s time for us to ask some serious questions about what kind of democracy we want to have,” said Daniel Biss. “Do we want to have elections, or do we want auctions?
“The wealthy and well-connected have built a system that keeps them in charge while the rest of us fall further and further behind. From the way we fund our campaigns to how the district maps get drawn to the basic way you get on the ballot, the system is designed to push us out. Insiders will tell us it’s too complicated and that we should let them make all the decisions. Really, it’s quite simple: the system is rigged against us and it’s time to rewrite the rules.”
“Rewriting the Rules” includes the following policy proposals:
Grassroots selection of the party chair: If we want a Democratic Party that’s accountable to Democratic voters, we can’t rely on a closed door coronation. To bring in new faces and new ideas, we need a new process for electing party leaders that starts with local activists.
Small donor matching: With a system of public financing through matching small donations, grassroots candidates can run for office based on their ideas, not their bank accounts.
Ballot access: Measures to expand access to the ballot will create more competitive elections and ensure that political machines can’t limit third party access or throw ordinary people off the ballot based on technicalities.
Fair maps: Illinois needs an independent redistricting commission to draw fair maps while protecting the voting rights and representation of diverse communities in the General Assembly—because voters should pick their elected officials, not the other way around.
Ranked-choice voting: Implementing ranked-choice voting will give voters more opportunities to select independent and third party candidates who share their values and ensure that the candidate who gets elected is the candidate with the most support.
Term limits for leadership: Rather than allowing the Senate President, Speaker of the House, and minority party leaders to consolidate power over years and even decades, we must implement term limits to encourage the flow of new ideas and restore power to rank-and-file legislators.
More on “Rewriting the Rules” can be found at DanielBiss.com/Rewriting-The-Rules.
…Adding… Pritzker campaign…
Today, the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association (IDCCA) endorsed JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton for governor and lieutenant governor after 70 percent of chairs across the state voted for them. The IDCCA is made up of the elected Democratic party chairs from all 102 counties in Illinois.
“Juliana and I are humbled to receive the endorsement of the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association as we build our statewide, grassroots campaign,” said JB Pritzker. “We need to elect Democrats up and down the ticket in 2018, and no one knows that more than the 102 Democratic chairs of the IDCCA. I’m so excited to partner with local leaders to beat Bruce Rauner and get fellow Democrats elected in towns, cities, and counties across the state.”
“JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton are building a campaign that’s ready to take on Bruce Rauner, and we’re going to need that kind of leadership and commitment to win in 2018,” said IDCCA President Doug House. “JB has the background and the vision to get big things done for the people of Illinois. He’s spent his life fighting for what’s right, and he has real plans for our state’s future. We need a strong leader with an unwavering commitment to turn our state around after Bruce Rauner has spent the last few years damaging it, and I know that JB Pritzker is the best choice for the job.”
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*** UPDATE *** It’s been announced at the staff meeting that Kristina Rasmussen is out and Heaton is in.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* I told subscribers about this widespread, absolutely pervasive rumor earlier this morning…
I started hearing it on Wednesday night and by last night I was getting flooded with texts and calls.
Heaton is a former US Attorney for Central Illinois. He’s been the governor’s top public safety guy. He’s also in the Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Intern Hall of Fame, which I didn’t know until a little bit ago.
* But I didn’t mention this one, partly because Patty wouldn’t even come close to confirming it…
I still think it’s likely happening in the near future, however. She would definitely be an improvement.
* We may know more about Rasmussen/Heaton when this staff meeting gets underway, or maybe not. I’m hearing some don’t believe it will be announced that soon…
…Adding… The Sun-Times needs to restore their old stories. This is from a blog post I did in 2006…
* You gotta wonder what the heck Rodger Heaton was thinking when he made these dinner reservations. From Mark Brown:
If I were a gossip columnist, I could give you the entire substance of today’s column in just a sentence, then let the insiders make of it what they will.
It would read something like this:
Seen breaking bread recently in the Grill Room of Springfield’s Sangamo Club were Rodger Heaton, the new U.S. attorney for the Central District of Illinois, and his dinner companions, Republican power brokers William Cellini and Robert Kjellander. […]
But from the outside looking in, this seems exactly the kind of too-friendly relationship between federal prosecutors and Illinois political figures that caused former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald to insist on going outside the state for his U.S. attorney selections
Go read the whole thing.
We can’t. And the link to the Bernie story referenced in that post isn’t working either.
…Adding… Somebody sent me the full text of the Mark Brown column. Click here.
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* ILGOP…
In a Nod to Madigan, Longtime Madigan Front Group Expected to Endorse Pritzker
IL Dem County Chairs Assoc. has funneled campaign cash to Madigan’s allies and vulnerable House Democrats for years
“ILDCCA President Doug House is taking orders from Madigan - that’s why tomorrow’s expected endorsement of J.B. Pritzker comes as no surprise. For years, Madigan has used the ILDCCA to funnel campaign cash to his allies and vulnerable House Democrats. Now, Madigan is using the ILDCCA to bestow Pritzker with the Democratic nomination for governor.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
Tomorrow, the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association will be conducting a vote to endorse a gubernatorial candidate for the upcoming Democratic primary. In a nod to Speaker Mike Madigan, the ILDCCA is expected to endorse J.B. Pritzker, Madigan’s candidate for governor.
ILDCCA President and Madigan front man Doug House has already stated he will be casting his endorsement vote for J.B. Pritzker. House’s endorsement comes as no surprise - he’s already urged his fellow Democrats to “play nice” and not upset Madigan, as Madigan continues to steer support to Pritzker.
House and his predecessors have long done Madigan’s bidding and used the ILDCCA to funnel campaign cash to Madigan’s allies and vulnerable House Democrats.
After taking big campaign checks from special interest groups associated with Madigan and allies of Madigan in the General Assembly, the ILDCCA turned around and funneled that campaign cash to former House Democrats and Madigan-enablers like Kate Cloonen, John Bradley, and Mike Smiddy.
It’s clear the ILDCCA is one of many Madigan front groups.
Now, Madigan is using the ILDCCA to bestow Pritzker with the Democratic nomination for governor. The fact that Madigan will do anything to ensure Pritzker wins the nomination should worry Illinois voters, particularly Democrats.
I count 19 mentions of the word “Madigan” in that release. And it’s 21 if you include the subject line of the e-mail.
*** UPDATE *** From the ILDCCA…
Rich,
I wanted to respond to the ILGOP press release that you posted on the blog. This is the typical ILGOP response to everything. Blame someone eles for their constant failures. This response is also hysterical given the ILGOP has been bought and paid for by Bruce Rauner.
The IDCCA is made up of 102 independent County Chairs who will meet tomorrow and decide for themselves who will be the best candidate to defeat Bruce Rauner.
While the ILGOP continues to become unhinged in the midst of their own civil war, at least they could come up with something better than the same old response.
If you need anything else, please let me know. Thanks
Dan Kovats
Executive Director
Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association
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* Republican Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison says he’s filing a new ordinance to repeal the county’s pop tax and has more than enough votes to override a veto from Board President Toni Preckwinkle if they all stand firm.
Morrison’s original ordinance would’ve repealed the tax immediately, which would be next Tuesday. The new ordinance would allow the tax to expire at the end of the fiscal year, which would be December 1st.
Commissioner Morrison says he has 12 co-sponsors on the measure, with perhaps more soon because some commissioners couldn’t sign on before he filed it. It takes 11 votes to override a veto. Commissioner John Daley is a co-sponsor, Morrison said. Daley said yesterday that he had switched positions and now wanted to repeal the tax.
So, that could be the end of the much-hated pop tax.
…Adding… The Tribune has the names of the other flippers…
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, a Preckwinkle’s floor leader; Stanley Moore; and Dennis Deer. All are Chicago Democrats. Garcia and Moore voted for the tax last November. Deer was recently appointed and this will be his first major vote. All are expected to seek reelection next year.
…Adding… From a Chris Kennedy fundraising e-mail yesterday that I didn’t see…
Food can be medicine and it can also be poison. In a food swamp, almost all the food is poison. Discouraging unhealthy foods is important but so is an investment in healthcare and access to healthy foods.
That’s not what we’re doing with this soda tax in Cook County. What we’re actually doing is hurting working families in Illinois.
It’s time to stop with these regressive taxes that hurt our working families. Chip in $5 to our campaign so that we can make sure that we reform to our tax code to help our working families, not hurt them.
Cook Country thinks it can clean up its finances with a patchwork of regressive fixes like a soda tax. Illinois needs a wholesale reform of our tax code, starting with ending our reliance on a broken property tax system to fund local schools.
Saying we’re helping kids when we’re simply imposing another tax on their families, is playing pretend.
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* Tribune…
Aurora may get a Small Business Development Center to help fledgling businesses succeed, according to Gov. Bruce Rauner. […]
He told an audience in the Arthur N. Bonifas Conference Center next to Alarm Detection Systems that there is money in the current budget proposal for a small business center in Aurora. While that budget is still in flux — he said the current projected $1.7 billion deficit is too much and must be cut — he said officials are looking for an Aurora location for the facility.
The SBDC, as it is called, would help small businesses develop a network of relationships, assisting them to find resources they might need to be succeed, Rauner said.
“The key to sustaining successful business is being in a network,” Rauner said. “You need a network of relationships.”
* Thirteen months ago…
Springfield’s fiscal mess continues to rack up victims: small-business development centers on college campuses around the state, which are shutting their doors or retrenching because of funding shortfalls.
About a quarter have closed, the latest at Governors State University in south suburban University Park, which is going the way of abandoned locations at Joliet Junior College, Illinois State University in Normal and Waubonsee Community College in Aurora.
For three decades, the centers have been a free resource for fledgling entrepreneurs starting companies or trying to keep them going. Juicy Luzy Sangria owner Luz Cavazos is opening a 1,500-square-foot plant in Oak Lawn with $20,000 from small-business lender Accion and said it wouldn’t have happened had Governors State’s SBDC not helped draft a business plan.
Once numbering 36 statewide, the centers typically serve a few hundred clients each and cost in the neighborhood of $200,000 annually to operate. They’re jointly funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and matching state funds; some directors said schools chip in an amount equal to three-quarters of the state match through employee salaries and in-kind contributions.
…Adding… I missed this DGA press release yesterday…
Today, Governor Bruce Rauner visits Aurora to speak to announce the opening of a new Small Business Development Center, but perhaps he should explain why the previous center closed under his watch. Or why the state’s economy lags under his failed leadership.
Illinois Small Business Development Centers were hit hard in the two-year budget impasse. Crain’s Chicago estimated that a quarter of all SBDC’s on college campuses closed in Illinois including one located on Waubonsee Community College campus. The Aurora Beacon-News reported that the center closed in 2016 due to the budget impasse, and had served 400 businesses the year before.
WCC is about 20 minutes from Aurora.
* Pritzker campaign today…
Yesterday, Bruce Rauner announced an expansion of the Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity’s Small Business Development Center Network (SBDCs) – the same program he’s decimated as governor.
Under Rauner’s failed leadership and manufactured crisis SBDCs in Illinois were decimated, forcing almost one quarter to close and slashing the number of jobs created and retained by them.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and Bruce Rauner destroyed many of the small business development centers needed to help them grow and thrive,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “With jobs leaving this state and businesses shutting their doors, Bruce Rauner’s damage is done.”
…Adding… Heh…
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