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*** UPDATED x1 *** Quinn wants truce - Plus: Giannoulias leads in new poll; Filing day fun

Monday, Nov 2, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* After running a TV ad that is deliberately designed to insult our intelligence, Pat Quinn is now saying he’ll stop the negatives if Dan Hynes stops. From a press release…

We are perplexed by Comptroller Hynes’s concerns with our latest TV ad, given that everything in our ad is factually correct and based on the Comptroller’s own public schedules, which are readily available to all. These schedules make it clear that, during the greatest budget crisis in Illinois history, the state’s comptroller was largely absent from the scene. […]

It remains our intention to conduct a campaign of ideas and principles. But given Hynes’ unrelentingly negative TV campaign, we are firmly committed to forcefully responding to his distortions of the Governor’s record.

Dan Hynes made the decision last month to run a negative campaign based on misleading voters about the Governor’s decades-long record of fighting for tax fairness and tax relief for working families. He can make another decision today to end this negative approach. Upon his pledge to pull his latest attack ad, we will pull our response ad from the air and will devote all future TV advertising to Governor Quinn’s record and his plans for moving Illinois forward.

That is today’s choice: Dan Hynes can continue down the negative TV campaign path that he started, or he can join Governor Quinn is restoring this campaign to the informative, issues-based principles that Democratic primary voters deserve.

Awaiting Hynes’ response.

*** UPDATE *** From the Hynes campaign.

“Two days after launching an embarrassingly absurd attack ad that continues to draw derision from outside observers, the Quinn campaign wants a way out. No thanks. We will continue to run our campaign based on a discussion of the central issue facing the state of Illinois and its future – the budget crisis. Pat Quinn is free to continue talking about haircuts.” -Matt McGrath, campaign spokesman

* Democrat Alexi Giannoulias has released results of a new poll that shows him ahead of Republican Mark Kirk. From a press release…

Democrat Alexi Giannoulias leads Republican Mark Kirk in the race for U.S. Senate in Illinois, 46 – 43 percent. In addition, voters approve of the job that Giannoulias is doing as state Treasurer by more than a 2:1 margin.

In a matchup against Democrat David Hoffman, however, Kirk fares much better. Kirk leads Hoffman by a 48 – 39 percent margin. Giannoulias outpaces Hoffman’s performance in every region of the state, including the city of Chicago.

Giannoulias currently leads Kirk in the Chicago media market by a 51 – 38 percent margin. David Hoffman, who has spent the last four years in the public eye as the city’s Inspector General and generated 405 news stories, trails Kirk inside the Chicago market (41 – 47 percent).

The general election findings are based on a sample of 805 likely general election voters conducted October 25th – 28th conducted for the Alexi for Illinois campaign. A sample of this size is subject to a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

Speaking of the US Senate race, this is from ABC’s The Note…

With a conservative revolt pushing a Republican candidate out of a key House race in New York State, the head of the conservative group Club for Growth is warning that other Republicans could face similar fates in primary races next year — and Gov. Charlie Crist, R-Fla., is at the top of that list. […]

Chocola said other candidates could also come under scrutiny from the right. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., who’s running for the Senate next year, is “probably not” someone the club would support, he said.

It’s not at all clear from that piece if the Club for Growth will take after Kirk. Seems kinda doubtful.

By the way, Democratic candidate Jake Meister has posted a web video about filing day.

* Today is the last day to file for the February 2nd primary. Click here to watch them come in. Several candidates have submitted their petitions...

Among filers today is Ed Scanlon, a lawyer from Oak Park, running for the Democratic nomination for governor. He’s against any state income-tax increase, and wants the state to save money by putting new employees on a defined contribution retirement plan - such as a 401(k), instead of a defined benefit plan that pays monthly for life.

Scanlon said he might spend as much as $500,000 on his own race.

As of 2:04 pm, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger had not yet filed for reelection. State Rep. Michael Boland hadn’t yet filed for lieutenant governor.

But there have been a few who did hand in petitions. Among them is Chicago Ald. Brian Doherty, who will run as a Republican for retiring Democratic Sen. James DeLeo’s seat. As subscribers know, this has been one drama after another. Conservative Republican Patrick Hughes has filed for US Senate.

Sen. Don Harmon has filed for 7th District State Central Committeeman against Congressman Danny Davis. Davis has filed for Congress and Cook County Board President. He has until next Monday to decide which office to seek. Former congressional candidate Christine Cegelis has filed for the 6th District Democratic Central Committeewoman slot against Joan Brennan.

Republican Rosanna Pulido has filed again for the 5th District congressional slot. Pulido is an anti illegal immigrant activist who won the special Republican primary to replace Rahm Emanuel and was stomped by Mike Quigley. Aurelia Pucinski has filed for a vacant slot on the 1st Appellate bench.

* Related…

* Schillerstrom congratulates Dillard for folding on video poker

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Afternon follow-up: Quinn; Ditka; Budget

Thursday, Oct 22, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Sun-Times followed up on a poll story I wrote for subscribers this morning…

“The Mighty Quinn” played as Gov. Pat Quinn finished his speech announcing he was running for governor Thursday morning at the hotel where he launched many citizen initiatives.

But then he left the stage trying to avoid questions from reporters about polls showing his support a bit less than “mighty.” Quinn’s nine months as governor — after 33 years as a political activist, gadfly and sometimes-second-level elected official — have sometimes reinforced his image as a populist but other times left him vulnerable to charges that he’s now protecting the status quo.

A new Rasmusson poll finds 53 percent of Illinois voters disapprove of Quinn’s job performance while 45 percent approve.

The significance of the poll is it’s the first time a Rasmussen survey has ever shown more voters disapproving of Quinn’s job performance than approving.

The poll, by the way, also had the generic gubernatorial ballot…

In a generic ballot match-up for the 2010 Governor election in Illinois, a Democratic candidate holds a 43% to 37% edge over a Republican.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state finds that another 20% of voters there are not sure which party’s candidate they would choose.

The plurality of voters not affiliated with either party (43%) are not sure which candidate they would choose at this time. Thirty-six percent (36%) would pick the Republican while 21% would vote for the Democrat.

More on the Quinn announcement from the Tribune…

He spoke before a phalanx of cameras about his plans for rebuilding Illinois, although he never mentioned his unpopular push for a state income tax increase as a method to fund his initiatives.

Quinn explained that his lack of mentioning a tax increase was because “there’s only a certain amount of things you can talk about in the course of 10 minutes,” even though his address to supporters was about twice as long.

* The Hill followed up today on the Ditka didn’t endorse Patrick Hughes story…

Ken Valdiserri, who serves as president of Ditka’s Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund charity, said the endorsement could have been forgiven as a mixup, but that the finance committee situation is another matter.

“He never agreed to do it,” Valdiserri said. “Mike doesn’t have time to be on a finance committee of any politician. He doesn’t have time to be speaking and helping candidates when he’s in the middle of his busiest season,” which includes serving as an NFL analyst on ESPN.

And then a few minutes ago the Hughes campaign sent out this press release…

The campaign of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Hughes has issued the following official statement with approval of the Mike Ditka organization:

“As of October 22nd, Mike Ditka is endorsing Patrick Hughes for U.S. Senate. This statement is being issued jointly by Mike Ditka’s organization and the U.S. Senate campaign of Patrick Hughes. We have no further comment on anything that has been discussed or reported in any media.”

Due to Coach Ditka’s numerous business and personal commitments, he will not be serving on Patrick Hughes’ finance committee.

* Meanwhile, Crain’s reports that Gov. Quinn wants the federal government to guarantee a $14-billion Illinois pension obligation bond issue…

According to newly installed state Budget Director David Vaught, Gov. Pat Quinn recently brought up the idea with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and others at the White House. The governor got a good enough reception that “he intends to extend” his efforts, Mr. Vaught said.

A federally guaranteed bond issue could be an enormous help to Illinois in dealing with a huge fiscal 2011 budget hole that Dan Long, executive director of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, the Legislature’s fiscal research arm, now pegs at $11 billion to $12 billion.

Mr. Vaught said a federal guarantee would cut the interest rate on such a bond to “in the 3% to 4% range” from “5% to 6%.” That would make it much more profitable — and less risky — for the state, which would invest the funds in higher-yielding stocks and bonds.

Since any profits could be booked up front, at least in part, the state would be able to avoid making hundreds of millions and perhaps billions in annual contributions to worker pensions that it otherwise would have to come up with in the next few years.