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This just in… Gianulis dies

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Illinois

* 10:40 am - John G has passed away…

John Gianulis, the man credited with transforming the Rock Island County Democratic Party into a dominant political machine that’s reigned for years in the Quad-Cities, has died, officials said Monday.

He was 87.

Gianulis stepped down as party leader two years ago because of health problems. […]

Friends say that Gianulis’ drive — and a knack for fusing the different factions of the party — put together winning coalitions.

He also was known over the years for having a sharp memory, with the ability to recall dates and past events in party history with clarity.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 10:40 am

Comments

Godspeed John! You will be missed! Your dedication to the Chairman’s Association and to your home county of Rock Island was without equal! A legend has left us today.

Comment by prairiestatedem Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 10:47 am
Damn, I was just thinking of him this morning as I considered the Lt Gov considerations. I miss you already John G. Bless you!

Comment by babs Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 10:49 am
You’ll be greatly missed.

Comment by Apple Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 10:51 am
Great guy….one of the classics….

Comment by vince glothor Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 10:52 am
John was one of the best people one could hope to meet. He was the most loyal person I’ve ever met and a true warrior.

God bless you, John.

Comment by Anon Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:01 am
you will be missed john. a true democrat. the current chairmen could learn a thing or two from him. god bless you john.

Comment by downstater Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:02 am
A true gentleman and champion of the democratic party of Rock Island County. He will be greatly missed.

Comment by JoJo Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:13 am
23,057

That’s what I’ll always rememember John G. for.

The weekend before the Kilbride Supreme Court race in 2000, John G. told the Rock Island Argus that Kilbride would win, and that he’d beat Illinois Senate Judiciary Chair Carl Hawkinson by 20,000 votes in Rock Island County.

No way said Hawkinson, whose media market included Rock Island.

Kilbride won Rock Island County by 23,057.

From Kennedy to Evans to Kilbride, Illinois Democrats owe John G. a great debt.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:18 am
what a guy, and how he will be missed by a party that needs such dedication.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:22 am
I met Mr. Gianulis at an event for Alexi during the treasurer campaign. He was courtly in a good old-fashioned way, not at all off-putting, and had time for everyone who wanted to meet him and get his perspective. Big loss for the party and the state.

Comment by corvax Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:22 am
John was a great Illinois democrat with an excellent memory for political stories. Stanley Winstein and John G teamed up to many western Illinois democrats. Lane Evans was able to survive politically in great measure because of the support those two contributed to his re-elections campaigns.

Comment by Louis Howe Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:24 am
I must be losing my memory….it’s Stewart Winstein, not Stanley…..

Comment by Louis Howe Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:26 am
John G - godspeed - I’m sure he’s probably up in heaven with Carlos Hernandez Gomez, talking shop and laughing at the results of this primary.

Comment by 312 Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:42 am
John G. was what politcs was about before they CRIMINALIZED it!

Comment by TitforTat Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 11:55 am
What a great man. Loved to spend time sitting in his office waiting to talk with him while he was on the phone. He didn’t pull any punches with anybody and didn’t care that you heard what he said.

Comment by Been There Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 12:30 pm
God speed, John G. You and your family are in our prayers.

Comment by Downst8 Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 1:00 pm
I will always remember working with Johnny during the early Blago years. He was one hell of a guy, and just about the funniest senior citizen I have ever met. There are very few octogenarians that brighten your day by dropping an several F-bombs while describing the current state of affairs, and John did it with flair. I had not spoken with him as much in the last few years since he retired, mostly just at Christmas. And now I regret it terribly. I’ll miss you.

Comment by Lester Holt's Mustache Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 3:35 pm
I always adored working with Johnny G. since the first time I met him when I was Press Secretary for the Dukakis 88 campaign here. Had a great time bringing him V.P. Gore, Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman and AFL-CIO Pres John Sweeney for one of the Labor Day parades, Johnny had the whole parade so wired, it was beautiful. I can see him lining up some precinct captains and organizing things upstairs right now.

Comment by Kitty Kurth Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 5:38 pm
The Democratic Party could sure use a leader like John G. right about now. We will miss you dearly John.

Comment by Central Illinois Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 6:07 pm
Any relation to Giannoulias? Sometime last names get shorten, maybe to Gianulis.

Comment by Joe Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 7:03 pm
John G. : one of the few people to actually treat me like a person when i was an intern. didn’t have his head up his you know where just because he had achieved a degree of power and fame.

Only met him a few times, but was a better person for having done so.

Rest in peace, friend.

Comment by this old hack Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 8:17 pm
John G, as everyone in politics knew him, was a good man, a good Democrat and a real fighter for working families. Many a Quad Cities Democrat owe their political existence to John G. John was a class act and the last of his kind. He will be greatly missed. Rest in peace Brother.

Comment by Laborguy Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 8:19 pm
TitforTat you are sooooo correct.

John G. was a great guy. How someone so blunt and straightforward could be so well-liked was kind of a neat trick but he pulled it off. RIP - sorry to see how RRB let you down.

Comment by Rambler Monday, Feb 8, 10 @ 9:21 pm
John wasn’t always a nice guy. RIP anyway.

Comment by Fed up Tuesday, Feb 9, 10 @ 1:33 am
RIP…Thanks for the post. He was a good man and a hard worker. He will be missed by many.

Comment by anon Tuesday, Feb 9, 10 @ 2:38 am
Indeed, John was a great Democrat, and in partnership with Stewart Winstein, Rock Island County became one of the dominant counties in Illinois. Another character, Sam Rueben, was a force in RI County, back in the FDR years, who was instrumental in building the Dem Party with Winstein. Rueben was head of the IL Liquor Control Commision from the Gov. Hoerner administration until Walker dumped him in ‘73. Old Lions of a real party apparatus. God speed to John.

Comment by Respectfully... Tuesday, Feb 9, 10 @ 6:47 am
thank you for everything, John G …. you will be missed, as will your great work with the Downstate County Chairs.

Comment by ted baxter Tuesday, Feb 9, 10 @ 10:45 am
Rest in Peace John. From a shipmate aboard the Livingston in the Pacific during WW2. You will be fondly remembered.

Comment by Edgar A. Bowen Sr./shipmate Tuesday, Feb 9, 10 @ 12:34 pm
Let’s be honest. The man was so crooked they’re gonna have to screw him into the ground.

Comment by Blue Dog Dude Tuesday, Feb 9, 10 @ 5:13 pm