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Dillard’s not so secret secret

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Illinois

* Pretty much everybody knows that Sen. Kirk Dillard will choose Rep. Jil Tracy as his running mate, so Sen. Dillard didn’t even try too hard to hide it this week…

“Let me tell you without divulging secrets, the people of Southern Illinois will be extremely pleased with who my running mate is,” Dillard said. “It is rumored out there that it is somebody who grew up in deep Southern Illinois and might even be a double SIU Saluki graduate.”

Dillard also dropped a hint that it was a woman. […]

State Representative Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) has been widely rumored to be Dillard’s choice for Lt. Governor. She was born in Carbondale, Illinois and lived in Anna. She graduated from Southern Illinois University with both a bachelor’s degree and a law degree. She has been in the State House since 2006.

Tracy said earlier this week an announcement would be made next week and Dillard says he’ll make his official announcement in southern Illinois sometime after the holiday.

Thoughts on Tracy?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 12:59 pm

Comments

I live in Southern Illinois and never heard of her.

Comment by Nieva Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:01 pm
Solid choice. Well educated and successful family business. Understands the issues and not a rabid lawmaker.

Comment by 4 percent Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:12 pm
Jil is great, maybe the coolest in the House. Smart, fun, engaging, and relatable she is a great pick and most importantly she can pick up the tab for her travel.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:16 pm
Good choice. Sharp, well respected. Could be a credible statewide candidate. Knows Springfield enough, but hasn’t been around for too long.

Comment by John Galt Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:22 pm
It can be a positive thing not be heard of these days in the political arena.

Comment by Sunshine Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:26 pm
Boring….typical of Dillard to step on his own story.

Comment by Whatever Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:28 pm
I’m no Dillard fan, but the choice certainly improves my thoughts about him.

Her family business is VERY impressive.

Comment by Downstate Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:28 pm
Great pick for Dillard - should help him win Western Illinois in the primary this time. Jil also won’t hurt his chances in November. If they don’t win, she could always run against John Sullivan for Senate in 2016.

Comment by Southwest Cook Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:34 pm
Good choice

Comment by Keep Calm and Carry On Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:37 pm
Don’t know a thing about her except she looks like she could be Kirk’s sister.

Comment by Wally Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:38 pm
It would be a better choice for her to run for Governor and him for Gov. Light.

Comment by Mokenavince Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:41 pm
Great choice. Jilly Tracy is excellent.

One more hit to an already pathetic House GOP caucus though.

Comment by Rahm'sMiddleFinger Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:43 pm
A native of Anna, IL a place that isn’t exactly known for its progressive views on race.

Ask any native what the locals say ANNA “means” and you’ll understand why.

Comment by Brendan Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:50 pm
Any leaks from the Rutherford, Rauner or Brady campaigns?

Comment by Bill White Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:56 pm
Brendan, while that’s historically been true, she did leave.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:56 pm
He should have picked Dick Tracy for help on “The Case of the Missing Contributors.”

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 2:02 pm
Please, please tell me she’s going to campaign with him as JIL.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 2:04 pm
Always liked her….until she hitched herself onto the über conservative train.

Comment by Just Me Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 2:06 pm
Brendan– there are many fine people in Anna who don’t feel that way. That comment is unnecessary.

Rich- by suggesting that the comment may be true but “she did leave” is a discredits the many fine people in Anna who have chosen to stay.

Both of you seem to be painting with a very broad brush and perpetuating a stereotype that is not necessarily true.

Comment by Frost Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 2:06 pm
So will we see Jil-Lard signs?

Comment by LincolnLounger Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 2:09 pm
At best, his second choice. Dillard desperately wanted Erika Harold, but she’s too smart and wouldn’t bite.

Comment by too obvious Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 2:23 pm
Great choice. She was impressive on the Blago impeachment committee, and she is both smart and fun. Plus it is nice to see a downstate woman on the ticket.

Comment by Kay Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 2:31 pm
Eh, she is unimpressive.

1) Isn’t a great communicator
2) Lacks institutional knowledge (guess some may see this as a good thing?)
3) Doesn’t bring much name recognition outside of her area – bet you most people in Anna would ask “who?”
4) Has only been opposed in an election once (2006 - easily defeated the dem), so she has never been involved in a hotly contested, intense race = lacks campaign experience
5) Her campaign war chest is fairly light

But…I guess the question is, “who else is there?”

Comment by Under Influenced Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 3:10 pm
A solid record of voting for pension cuts, including those already retired.

Comment by Federalist Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 3:11 pm
It will be nice to get her out of our district. The Tracy’s reek of money, Dot Foods. They try to make over towns and buy up all the real estate which makes them unpopular in some towns. Happy to see her off to the show piece job.

Comment by No to Tracy town Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 3:11 pm
I sense a pattern of female running mates…

Comment by Archiesmom Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 3:40 pm
She too has “IL” in her name; “J Tracy” isn’t too bad though, so he should be ok.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 4:47 pm
Funny how many people find “her family business” so “impressive.”

The woman finished law school, passed the bar, and has been working as a government lawyer for quite some time now, all while raising 4 children.

But I guess marrying into money is still gonna be her biggest accomplishment and qualification in some folks’ minds.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 4:52 pm
Two thoughts:

1. Meh

2. Who’s running for her seat and/or being appointed if she resigns? I’m going to have to talk to that person at some point on some inane bill.

The rest is just effluvia…including Dillard’s campaign

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 5:06 pm
Whoops - missed one…

3. Worked for Lisa Madigan - that’ll pair well in an attack on Kirk’s Barack ad

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 5:24 pm
A lot like Dillard. Competent, capable, not especially exciting on the campaign trail.

Well written, designed and produced spots might do wonders.

We could do much worse in the Lt Gov candidate spot, and probably will.

Comment by walkinfool Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 5:34 pm
No great loss here in Quincy. Any retiree voting for her just remember wow.s tiring to take away our benifit. Dillard should have looked a little harder then her what a joke.

Comment by QUINCY Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 6:25 pm
A competent legislator who hasn’t shown the kind of leadership ability that someone a heartbeat away from the governor should possess.

Comment by reformer Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 6:38 pm
If she had the leadership potential, then why wasn’t her name seriously considered months ago to succeed Cross?

Comment by reformer Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 6:39 pm
I used to like her but she, as my representative, is unresponsive, argumentative and if my views don’t match hers she basically tells me to shove it. Plus she’s now all about stripping public employee pensions, even those already retired. They won’t get my vote

Comment by Former Merit Comp Slave Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 6:43 pm
I think Jil is a great choice. The insinuation, that because she was from Anna, she is racist, is simply appalling. NOTHING could be further from the truth and is a comment made from sheer ignorance.

Comment by big brother Friday, Aug 30, 13 @ 6:53 am
Pension reform, as union members you elected the union officials, as a cititzen you elected the legislature. Instead of holding both sides feet to the fire for funding of your pension you turned a blind eye and now it is unsastainable. your eye was easily taken of the ball to look at the shiney object…new lucrative contracts every four years instead of raising the important questions of you leadership and demanding your pension be funded.

Comment by big sister Friday, Aug 30, 13 @ 7:01 am
Former Circuit Clerk Randy Frese lost a nasty Senate race to John Sullivan. He will be first man up. That will motivate Sullivan to find a serious Dem challenger. That might be tougher than you think. The Adams County Democratic Party is a mess.

Comment by Stephen A. Douglas, not Smith Friday, Aug 30, 13 @ 8:01 am
I’m talking about for the State Rep. seat Tracy is vacating.

Comment by Stephen A. Douglas, not Smith Friday, Aug 30, 13 @ 8:03 am
Vacating may not be the proper term as I don’t know if she is doing that. Not running for re-election I meant to say. Sorry. First time caller.

Comment by Stephen A. Douglas, not Smith Friday, Aug 30, 13 @ 8:31 am