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SEIU just released its endorsement list which didn’t even mention the Democratic state treasurer’s race between party-backed candidate Paul Mangieri and liberal Alexi Giannoulias. A quick call confirmed they’re staying out of the race.
As expected, the union endorsed Gov. Blagojevich for re-election, but made a very strong endorsement of John Stroger for Cook County Board President. From the press release:
The Cook County board president race is top priority for the area’s working people, SEIU members say. […]
Nearly 100,000 of the union’s members live in Cook County. These members saw city services curtailed under Stroger’s opponent, County Commissioner Forrest Claypool. When he directed the city’s parks and recreation department, Claypool slashed 1,100 jobs, according to a University of Illinois study. These cuts resulted in decreased services, particularly in non-lakefront neighborhood parks.
The union also endorsed Tammy Duckworth in the 6th Congressional District.
Consider this an Illinois politics open thread. Have at it.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 2:22 pm
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Is there a weblink? I would like to see some Gen Assembly endorsements.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 2:55 pm
What incumbent General Assembly members do you all think will face a close race or potentially lose in the primary?
Comment by Thinking Man Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 2:59 pm
In 2002 there were about 800,000 Dem. primary votes cast in Cook according to the State Board with a contested Gov. race. If SEIU has almost a 100,000 members in Cook and they can get them all out to vote, Stroger would be 25% of the way to getting all of the votes he needs to win (50% of 800,000). I know they won’t all turn out but just the fact they have that many members is a huge factor. But I am leary if they actually have that many members there.
Comment by anon Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 3:04 pm
Looks like more early signs of Blago momentum.
Comment by Anon Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 3:14 pm
If you are Alexi Giannoulias, do you see this as a win or a loss? SEIU endorsed Barack Obama in 2004 when all other unions were going towards Dan Hynes. Is this a good thing for Giannoulias because it did not go to Mangieri or is it bad because it did not go to Giannoulias???
Comment by ndpotus Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 3:14 pm
I have a feeling the Treasurer’s race will be close. There are a number of well-to-do Greeks, and they, more than almost any other ethnic group, love to see their own get elected to office, often regardless of their party. This will give him access to a lot of money, not to mention that of his family. This primary will basically be money versus Madigan (with a little bit of Chicago versus downstate effect), and I say it’s a toss-up.
Comment by Thinking Man Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 3:19 pm
This is a win for Giannoulias, no question.
Mangieri is the slated party candidate. SEIU is the most important, Democratic leaning group to get because of their membership and ability to provide field organization structure.
Keeping Mangeri from getting access to that cash and field support has to be a win.
Comment by Publius Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 4:57 pm
Another endorsement for an outstanding candidate, Tammy Duckworth . The beat goes on!
Comment by Stone Hack Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 5:06 pm
From the release:
“When he directed the city’s parks and recreation department, Claypool slashed 1,100 jobs, according to a University of Illinois study. These cuts resulted in decreased services, particularly in non-lakefront neighborhood parks.”
OK, so there’s SEIU’s beef with Claypool. He cut some jobs by privatizing some services, like parking. The line about the cuts resulting in decreased services is false (FTR, I haven’t read the study SEIU cited, but groups like the Civic Federation, Museums in the Park, and Friends of the Parks have argued the opposite, that more neighborhood parks were improved and for less in property taxes). The horror! I understand why SEIU doesn’t like him, but are they still holding their noses about supporting President Stroger? Do they read newspapers at SEIU? No endorsement would have been the right move for their members.
SEIU members are as likely as any Cook County resident to need a visit to a Cook County health facility. Shouldn’t they expect better than the current nightmare? And don’t get me started on the Forest Preserves, again, a mis-managed treasure that SEIU members probably care about like the rest of us. And I’d think the 100,000 SEIU members in Cook County might also expect some ethics in county government.
I respect SEIU. They are progressive, modern, smart and well-organized. But they are dancing with an old guard, machine politician and I would have hoped for better than that.
Comment by Anon Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 8:04 pm
I agree with Anon 8:04. The SEIU leadership screwed up royally with their endorsements of Blagojevich and Stroger. At a time when organized labor needs to reach out for support from the general public, this union has chosen to back two incumbents whose disasterous administrations are turning rank-and-file taxpayers against the Democratic Party and its hack candidates, as well as those who continue to blindly support such candidates.
This action also shows just how much labor leadership here places its support of the machine politics over the long-term needs of its members.
RANDALL SHERMAN
Secretary/Treasurer, Illinois Committee for Honest Government
Comment by Randall Sherman Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 8:30 pm
Randall and anon at 8:04:
C’mon guys. Unions are about protecting their membership. Did you really expect them to back Claypool, a guy who thinned their ranks when he ran the parks? And they absolutely had to back Blago. He changed state law and paved the way for thousands of health care workes to join SEIU.
I like Claypool, but he’s for privatization, that will never serve the “long-term needs of it’s (SEIU’s) members.”
Expecting SEIU to back Claypool is like expecting NOW to ignore the fact Sam Alito is anti-abortion and back him for the Supreme Court because he’s a top notch jurist.
SEIU is a freakin’ union, guys — not a newspaper editorial board.
Comment by Sammy Esposito Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 10:14 pm
How do you suppose the SEIU members at the UofI whose budgets have been slashed by the Blago regime feel about this endorsement? Don’t their Tollway and SOS members care that the Guv tried to slash their pensions?
I’m sure their International President Andy Stern who has ctiticized the AFL-CIO of being an “ATM machine for the Democratic Party” can’t be too happy about this move. Is there another SEIU trusteeeship in the works?
Comment by anon Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 10:16 pm
Sammy,
I hear you, and it’s no surprise, only chagrin. And I don’t think the jobs that were privatized at CPD were SEIU jobs. I have no back-up though, so feel free to show me the number of SEIU jobs lost/threatened. Don’t most SEIU members work for “private” employers anyway?
SEIU is using Claypool as a surrogate for their anger at others, no names please. They can’t really embrace Stroger, can they? I mean seriously…
Anon 8:04
Comment by Anon Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 10:39 pm
any word on HDO and their candidates? It’s going to be interesting to see how this election will turn out for them since they are in hot water. They have a 3-front war on their hands so they will be scattered across the city and burbs. Go Garza! Go Frias! go Rodriguez! Let them get a taste of their own medicine!
Comment by Silas Monday, Jan 23, 06 @ 11:26 pm
SEIU Stays Out Of Democratic Primary For Illinois Treasurer
Rich Miller reports that SEIU has decided not to endorse in the Democratic Primary for Illinois State Treasurer. While I don’t know a ton about the race - I’m guessing this isn’t good news for the slated Democrat, downstate candidate…
Trackback by WurfWhile Tuesday, Jan 24, 06 @ 12:28 am
The fact that SEIU endorsed Stroger makes me like Claypool even better.
Comment by Irish 1 Wednesday, Jan 25, 06 @ 4:36 pm