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* Jim Edgar is low-balling…
Gov. Pat Quinn is in big trouble with Downstate voters, according to public opinion polls, but he says he is the candidate for Downstate. […]
“I suspect Downstate, statewide candidates probably are gonna see a 20 percent margin by Republicans,” Edgar said.
As subscribers know, Brady’s Downstate margin is much higher than 20 percent right now.
* Scott Reeder has two fine lines about Gov. Quinn…
His poll numbers in some downstate communities could make tooth decay look popular. […]
In many ways, Quinn’s main political opponent isn’t Republican Bill Brady. It is himself. And he’s losing.
Can’t argue with either of those.
* Because of the Downstate shellacking, Quinn is being shunned by the region’s Democrats…
Gov. Pat Quinn seems like an unwanted man when it comes to campaigning on behalf of some Democrats involved in tight legislative races.
The governor, who is locked in his own tough battle against Republican Bill Brady, is viewed by some Democratic candidates as more of a liability than an asset on the stump because of his low poll numbers and his support for an income tax hike.
Take state Rep. Bob Flider, a Mount Zion Democrat, for example.
Flider, who is being challenged by Republican Adam Brown of Decatur, has repeatedly said he’s against Quinn’s plan to raise income taxes to help pull the state out of its financial mess.
There’s no way Flider wants to stand on a stage with the governor, waiting for some Brown operative to snap a picture that, of course, later appears in a nasty campaign mailer.
* Downstaters are even confident enough to start floating names for Brady’s cabinet…
“(State Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria) would be a great choice whether it’s a Republican or Democratic governor. He’s well-thought of on both sides of the political aisle. People rely on him a great deal when it comes to transportation issues important to the state of Illinois,” said Brad McMillan, executive director of Bradley’s Institute for Principled Leadership.
Yes, that Brad McMillan.
* And legislative Democrats are being forced to resort to some extremely hard-hitting ads to hold on to power. The Democrats’ job is made easier because the Republicans are backing some pretty strange candidates this year…
The more biting ad [by Democratic state Sen. Deanna Demuzio] shows veterans attacking [Republican opponent Sam McCann] as a “fraud” who “lies about his military career.”
McCann has claimed in literature that he was a member of the Marines and got an “honorable discharge.” He explained later that he signed up and took the oath, but was injured in an accident before going to boot camp. McCann previously promised to try to get a copy of his exact discharge papers, but said this week he has not received them.
He’s clearly touchy about the subject.
“Why is it that the president doesn’t have to display his birth certificate?” McCann said when asked about his discharge papers.
* Like just about every other political story these days, the retention race by Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Kilbride is receiving scant media attention. Quinn’s Downstate troubles certainly aren’t helping Kilbride.
The campaign did get a smidgeon of notice in the New York Times, however…
In Illinois, business interests are campaigning against the chief justice after a case that removed a cap on malpractice liability, prompting him to run a television ad that opens with the declaration, “I am not a politician.”
The opposition has posted some videos and press releases attacking Kilbride for wanting to retry a convicted murderer more than nine years ago. Kilbride, however, points to his support from police and prosecutors. No opposition ads have yet been spotted.
* Related…
* Fox Chicago Sunday: Bill Brady
* Patriot: Time for revolution - Rally in Downtown Peoria meant to focus on principles of Constitution
* Lawrence: Voters, now is not the time to check out
* Local, state officials warn politicians about sign placement
* Quinn, Brady split over some ethics issues
* Pat Quinn struggling to find clear message
* Cohen Wants Jobs Initiative Reinstated
* Green candidate for Ill. governor no longer believes capitalism ‘a bad thing’
* Green candidate backs free college
* Green Party candidate for Ill. governor defends big government, taxes
* Democrats fear Midwestern meltdown
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 2:42 pm
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Its hard to call brady an unknown when Quinn has run such a nonexistant campaign s of cook county. heck Brady could run a fewwho is this guy ads about quinn. The silence or lack of a quinn camaping is deafening.
Comment by Ghost Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 2:47 pm
Most downstate democrats aren’t shy of Quinn it’s just that Quinn is snubbing them. I don’t believe in polls besides exit polls since they tend to be wrong. See the previous British Elections and the primary battles in other states
Comment by Publius Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:04 pm
So the Legislators weren’t willing to vote for any plan that would address the budget, Brady’s “plan” for addressing the budget isn’t based in reality, but Quinn sucks? Is anyone taking the time to connect the dots? Too bad minus $13 Billion ain’t this easy! Addressing it requires a little more than superficial deception. It requires the kind of real, progressive change and reform that Quinn has been pushing as Governor, and for decades previously.
Comment by Quinn-bashing fad Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:06 pm
North of I-80, too. I’ve done a lot of Northern Illinois driving in recent weeks, and have seen some, not a lot, Brady signs in all parts of the region, but virtually none for Quinn.
Over the weekend, I spotted a couple of enormous, side-of-garage signs for Brady located just a couple blocks from Quinn’s alma mater, Fenwick. Maybe former classmates. Those Irish hold a grudge.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:07 pm
Also remember that Quinn signs are in high demand and they are in short supply according to my sources
Comment by Publius Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:09 pm
since we are hitting the chicago msm like a pinata at albert pujols birthday party today, doesn’t brady’s big win kill their notion that illinois is too democrat to elect a conservative?
laura washington, here’s looking at you.
Comment by shore Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:09 pm
20 years ago, the judicial races got some press coverage in Cook County. Now, just about none. Once again, a large number of hack judges will get elected or retained (along with some good ones), and nobody will notice.
Until some folks have their divorce, or criminal, or accident case before one of those judges. Then they’ll notice.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:10 pm
I am resisting the urge to make a joke about the dental health of some of my some downstate neighbors. It’s right there, waiting to jump off the keyboard, but discretion is indeed the better part of valor. Quinn’s downstate poll numbers are enough of a joke for today.
If he has the money, and I don’t think he does, he should go up with a positive closer in all downstate markets. Something straight to the camera that says, “hey, I’m Pat Quinn. You know me, you know my heart is in the right place. You know I’m in tough spot, but I’m standing with you, fighting for you, through thick and thin. Together we’ll get through this recession and make Illinois great again.” Or some similar schmaltziness.
It probably won’t help sway any voters, but it might make people feel better about him once he’s gone from public life.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:10 pm
One thing is for certain, if we don’t like you we’ll vote for the other guy! So the willingness of voters to vote for the “conservative” in this election says very little for Mr. Brady - who I may vote for. One thing is for certain, Quinn is getting nada from me.
Comment by GetOverIt Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:13 pm
The votes all count the same if it is a vote for a guy or a vote against a guy.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:15 pm
I was walking in the People’s Republic of Oak Park last night and saw an equal number of (huge) Brady signs and (not really legible from the street) Quinn signs. this is scary.
Comment by soccermom Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:22 pm
I was convinced that Kilbride was toast given that Ed Murnane’s mission in life is to destroy him. Maybe I was wrong. Murnane hasn’t done anything yet and groups that would traditionally work to oust a guy like Kilbride are now supporting him. I would love to see Kilbride retained, if only to wipe the smug look off Murnane’s face.
Comment by Are we there yet? Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:23 pm
We should stop measuring Quinn’s poll numbers in points, and instead use degrees of toastiness.
He is almost inedibly burnt.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:26 pm
===He is almost inedibly burnt. ===
More like charcoal.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:37 pm
Although, I suppose you can eat charcoal.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:38 pm
I know it’s mean, but I can’t help approaching Quinn staffers at events and asking the old “so how are things going?”
Responses:
1. You know, very well… we’re seeing some, you know, good things… getting a positive response. (Stuttering Stanley response)
2. Brady’s nuts; he can’t win. (Ostrich response)
3. Well we just came from [city A] and next we are going to [city B] and we have a rally in [city C] tomorrow. So… yeah. (I don’t really want to say so here is our schedule)
4. Umm… how are things going for YOU GUYS? (Don’t make me cry response)
Poor blokes.
Comment by Obamarama Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:39 pm
Charcoal can be good for you:
//www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=medical+use+of+charcoal&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Pat isn’t.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:40 pm
OK, burning charcoal then.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:42 pm
Why not just plain old fashioned ash…
Comment by Ghost Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:46 pm
I definitely don’t want him as governor, but he’s a decent human being and I really am starting to feel sorry for the guy.
Comment by Responsa Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:49 pm
If he was a smoked turkey, he’d be at 164.5 degrees.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:49 pm
In other words, a half degree from being smoked.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:49 pm
When I talk politics with my downstate neighbors, all they associate with Quinn is the huge budget disaster and the social services that have been damaged or wiped out by the cuts. They don’t associate Brady with much of anything other than that he’s a businessman and a downstater and maybe a businessman from outside of Chicago could do a better job than another Chicago hack (their words, not mine).
Short of Quinn coming up with the magic beans to balance the budget, pay the overdue bills, and restore services, I don’t think that there is much that will help him downstate. He’s being looked at as a failure and there’s a downstater running against him.
Comment by Aldyth Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:54 pm
===In other words, a half degree from being smoked.===
Thanks for clarifying that, Rich. LOL
Comment by Obamarama Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:59 pm
Aldyth said,
“Short of Quinn coming up with the magic beans to balance the budget, pay the overdue bills, and restore services, I don’t think that there is much that will help him downstate.”
This race is WAY beyond even that helping Quinn. The only way Brady now loses is if he is found naked in some park with a couple of hookers. There is absolutely nothing Quinn can do that has a positive effect on his campaign, only some currently unforeseen Brady event can alter this race.
This one is cooked into the cake already. It is now a completely uninteresting race.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 4:03 pm
===The only way Brady now loses is if he is found naked in some park with a couple of hookers.===
SLC won the LG primary. Just sayin’
Comment by Obamarama Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 4:05 pm
Quinn is for partisan judicial elections? surprising.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 4:12 pm
Outside of JBT for one term (and she’s from Riverside) it’s been eight years of Chicago Dems ruling the constitutionals. Just another fact that breaks Brady’s way.
It’s always, always, better to be lucky than good.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 4:13 pm
“I definitely don’t want him as governor, but he’s a decent human being and I really am starting to feel sorry for the guy.”
I recently felt the same way, until he played all the games with protecting the Budget Office raises and sucking up to AFSME while at the same time screwing the merit comps– again. It felt a little too much like his predecessor. Whether he has just been hiding his true self behind a reformer act, or corrupted by his new power, either way he has lost the moral high ground.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 4:23 pm
Brady doesn’t have to run on his own record. If he stays quiet and out of trouble, Quinn will lose on his own merits.
Comment by Aldyth Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 4:26 pm
Re: Brady’s cabinet
I wonder what Jim Ryan will get. Brady certainly would not be where he is without him.
Comment by Joe from Joliet Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 4:29 pm
As the star wars character Yoda would have said wise are the downstate democrats when I new master appears. Quinn appears to be toast, unless Brady actually presents some sort of plan for the budget. But he too follows the wisdom of Yoda who also said: “The dark side clouds everything. Impossible to see the future is.”
Comment by Rod Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 4:37 pm
Regarding the retention of Tom Kilbride: I asked some of the attorneys and judges in my county that I know and respect about whether they personally were going to vote for Kilbride? Granted, the guys in the legal profession that I asked were Republicans but this question was posed to them not as one Republican to another but rather as one friend to another. I have heard them candidly speak out in favor of certain other Democrat judges before when I have asked their opinion. Political affiliations and persuasions were pushed to the side when we talked as “one guy to another” out on the golf course.
Each of them told me that they are hoping that Tom Kilbride is “not” retained. The judges that I know each told me that they can’t speak out publicly about their opposition to Kilbride or it would come back and haunt them and their judicial/legal careers. They said if they were retired, then they would speak out publicly against Kilbride. They said he is a very vindictive-type of guy so they are keeping their thoughts to themselves and “keeping out of the fray” as far as speaking out publicly against voting for Kilbride’s retention. They said that Kilbride was a left-winger’s left-winger and usually sides with those who have been found guilty. Chances are (based on his record) Kilbride isn’t likely to get any Tea-Bagger’s voting for his retention. I guess we will soon find out come November 2nd.
Comment by Cool Hand Luke Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 5:29 pm
I love how media outlets always seem to report that Whitney wants to raise the income tax; and while they might sometimes mention that this would be coupled with property tax relief, they almost NEVER mention that MOST people–more than a majority–would actually see a REDUCTION in overall taxes under this plan. I think that’s biased reporting, but I guess all reporting is, by necessity, biased some way or another.
Comment by Squideshi Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 6:26 pm
I have a question for everyone out there-What would Blago’s poll numbers be if he were running for re-election (without the indictment of course). He was far from perfect but nobody was more disciplined on the stump than him I miss the guy just for that. Quinn not even close in that department
Comment by phil sanders Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 6:27 pm
Oh my! Such Brady-backin’ boldness and complacency a good month and a quarter b/4 the votes are actually counted! For your pre-coronation ceremonies and/or Cabinet-planning, folks, which is more food for thought for ya at this point: “Accidental” leader Harry Truman holding up “DEWEY WINS” headline or all of the “Quinn is dead” prognostications from late December, 2009 until that (were you shocked THEN too?) early February Quinn VICTORY after having trailed in EVERY 1/2 way or better respectable Poll with his opponent solidly ahead? Oh my…just to remind you open or closeted “Brash Bradyites” that in downstate Illinois even, there’s this old sayin’ about not “countin’ your chickens before they’re hatched???”
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 6:35 pm
===after having trailed in EVERY 1/2 way or better respectable Poll with his opponent solidly ahead? ===
Pat Quinn never once trailed in any poll before primary day. Never.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 6:47 pm
To add into that I would point out that for most of the early polls Pat Quinn held a pretty large lead over Dan Hynes that fell off the closer it got to the primary.
Comment by RMW Stanford Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 7:44 pm
Cool Hand, you must be far right handed carrying Murnane’s water. Kilbride is NOT vindictive nor “left-wing”–except perhaps to a right-winger to whom anyone who is not used to having someone who actually has an interest in civil liberties and the general public instead of just the corporate interests…but never mind. Tom Kilbride is a great judge and doesn’t deserve such slander.
Comment by D.P. Gumby Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 8:26 pm
Cant wait to see wait Brady does when he gets a real cup of reality after the election and realizes that a cut of 10% across the board wont fix the $13 billion mess we are in.
Comment by Rick Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 8:45 pm
God help us if Brady wins. He is disastrous.
I vote for Whitney.
Comment by state employee Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 9:57 pm
I don’t want Quinn or Brady. Sigh. With Quinn, we’re still walking on 2 legs, even if they’re wobbly. With Brady, we’re looking at amputation.
Comment by Emily Booth Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 10:41 pm
Sorry, Rich–you do know your stuff overall, and, indeed, from late December, 2009 until Feb. 2, 2010 primary election day, PQ wasn’t behind in every poll as mentioned. However, and for RMW Stanford, part of the shock in the all-critical couple of WEEKS leading UP to Feb. 2nd was the FACT that in at least TWO respectable polls, Quinn HAD not “never” (sorry for the double negative)”trailed” Hynes. 1)RASMUSSEN REPORTS of January 27, 2010–Hynes: 43% Quinn : 37%. 2)PUBLIC POLICY POLLING of January 26, 2010–Hynes: 41% Quinn: 40%. Just to set the record straight–and even though PQ WAS well ahead in early December, he had actually fallen BEHIND shortly before 2-2, per at least a couple of polls, but still pulled it off. I just honestly don’t think the Fat Lady has started singing yet, that’s all….
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 6:38 pm
Darn. I totally forgot about those polls. Thanks.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 6:52 pm