* This shows a fundamental misunderstanding of Democratic politics here. The unions have a ton of money. They’re a type of funding source that the Republican Party simply does not have…
“I think probably in the long run, it’s a good development if we’re not relying on one guy, not that we wouldn’t welcome Ken Griffin’s money and are appreciative of it,” [Pat Brady, a former state GOP chairman] said. “But what happens is you get lazy and that’s why I think the Democrats are in that trick bag with Gov. Pritzker. They’ve got a guy who’s going to write all the checks, and that’s not good. Parties are supposed to be bottom-up organizations. That’s how you get people out to vote.”
* But, yeah, spending for the gubernatorial primary has been huge…
For this primary, industry records from the first of the year show, nearly $59 million was spent on TV ads in the governor’s race on Chicago broadcast and cable stations. The spending was led by Pritzker’s $15.1 million, Irvin’s $15 million and the DGA’s $7.45 million.
But the spending has been so pervasive that even in Rockford, the nation’s 139th-largest media market, nearly $8 million was spent on ads, led by $2.8 million by Irvin, $1.9 million by Pritzker and $1.75 million by the DGA.
* From the Chicago Elections Board…
For comparison to the 2018 and 2014 Gubernatorial Primaries:
The 2018 VBM return total 2 days out was 15,250, so combined with the EV total (2 days out: 89,213), the full vote tally for 3/18/2018 was 104,463 ballots cast.
The 2014 VBM return total 2 days out was 5,467, so combined with the EV total (2 days out: 36,707), the full vote tally for 3/16/2014 was 42,174 ballots cast.
And Primary 2022 is currently 98,512 ballots cast for two days out (6/26/22).
So, running a bit behind 2018. Things seem to have improved.
* VoteVets parked a video truck in front of one of those early voting locations and had its Gil Villegas ad running on a loop…
“Representative Danny Davis has always been an effective leader and lawmaker who is deeply rooted in his community. He serves with passion and integrity, and that’s why I’m endorsing him in his upcoming primary,” Biden said in a statement released by Davis’ campaign. “So much is at stake, and we have more work to do to bring costs down for families and keep our communities safe. I know Rep. Davis will continue to be an essential partner in getting it done.”
Davis said he was “grateful for President Biden’s support in this race and for his partnership in Washington, as we work to solve the pressing problems that families in Chicagoland face each and every day.”
But Collins said the endorsement was an example of Davis, who has served in Congress since 1997, “using his resources to call in favors to save himself” rather than assisting the district’s residents.
“He knows that voters are ready for a new generation of people-powered leadership, unbought by corporate PAC dollars, that will put our community above everything else. Time’s up on self-serving absentee leadership,” Collins said in a statement.
Collins is supported by Justice Democrats, a far-left organization that has helped to elect progressive candidates, such as “Squad” members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. In addition, she has received endorsements from the Center for Racial and Gender Equity and the Illinois Youth Climate Movement.
Offering support for several controversial ideas in recent time, Collins has called for defunding the police and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Collins was front and center filming a Facebook Live video of a “Defund the Police” rally in July 2020 and marched with protesters chanting to “defund the police” in a separate Facebook Live video the same day.
Claiming in multiple Facebook posts, some of which are no longer viewable, that “immigrant families are constantly living in a state of fear,” Collins called for an end to ICE.
* Speaker Welch out campaigning with some of his members…
State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz took heat over the weekend for posting a controversial image criticizing the Supreme Court decision overruling Roe v. Wade. The sketch portrayed the image of a pope pointing a pistol at Lady Liberty. The Chicago GOP was outraged and called for Feigenholtz to resign.
“The posting of this disgusting cartoon has finally, but now openly exposed the deep contempt held by Senator Feigenholtz and her liberal woke colleagues toward not only the Catholic Church, but towards Christian religion in general,” Chicago GOP Chairman Steve Boulton said in a statement.
In a statement to Playbook, Feigenholz said, “Friday was an incredibly traumatic day — not just for me but for women around the country in the aftermath of the SCOTUS decision to overturn a woman’s right to choose. I posted an image that spoke to the moment and then later learned it offended people of faith. I immediately removed the post as I meant no ill will toward anyone who found it offensive, and am sorry. I have and will continue reaching out to friends and community members with the hope of healing.”
* Ms. Daniels is also a candidate for her party’s state central committee, so she got a nice little local press pop ahead of Donald Trump’s visit…
U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood blasted Republicans and Donald Trump right before the start of the former president’s rally Saturday at the Adams County Fairgrounds.
The second-term Democratic congresswoman from the 14th District covering outer western and northern suburbs of Chicago was the featured speaker at the rally at Clat Adams Bicentennial Park. […]
Katherine Daniels, chairman of the Adams County Democratic Central Committee, told the crowd of about 100 that “Donald Trump and his circus” weren’t needed in Adams County
“Donald Trump needs to get back on his plane and go back to Mar-a-Lago, because we’ve got work to do joining people together, working together supporting working people, supporting mothers, supporting children and supporting working people all across the United States, Adams County and (Illinois 15th District),” Daniels said.
But her state central committee opponent, Pritzker-backed Liz Brown-Reeves, blanketed the Quincy and Jacksonville area with thousands of dollars in radio ads starting last Friday…
* More…
* Leaders gathered in Cairo for updates on the Alexander-Cairo port project: Mendoza promised Friday morning that the Alexander-Cairo port project is going to happen. “So far I have paid out 11 vouchers totaling 1 million dollars from the department of commerce and economic opportunity. And 43 vouchers totaling nearly 1.7 million from the Illinois department of transportation for architectural and design expenses related to the project,” said Mendoza.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
