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* Sheila Simon reacts to the AFL-CIO endorsement of Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka by the Illinois AFL-CIO…

Simon was clearly stung by the show of support to her fall opponent, lashing out at the union brass and insisting she – not Topinka – carried the support of “rank and file working men and women across the state.”

“It’s not surprising that a small group of insiders endorsed Judy Baar Topinka behind closed doors – after their membership had already recommended no endorsement,” Simon spokesman Dave Mellet said. “Sheila is a proud union member who supports a higher minimum wage – unlie Judy Baar Topinka, who called it ‘another giveaway program.’”

Bitter much?

* But…

Carrigan said the endorsement doesn’t necessarily mean the union will embrace Topinka over Simon when it does its endorsements in June for the general election.

Yeah, I’m sure the union folks will go with Simon in the fall campaign after she insulted them yesterday.

* More…

“Judy has been around decades. She has gone to labor events and labor conferences, and she’s always availed herself to talk to union members. Those countless events and meetings she’s been to paid off for her,” Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan told the Chicago Sun-Times. “She’s just better known throughout the state than Sheila Simon.”

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 9:49 am

Comments

Sheila should tap Rauner for some cash so she can run against “union bosses.”

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:05 am
Sad Banjo player is sad….

Also

Yeah, nice channeling of your inner Ranner there Sheila…

Comment by OneMan Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:11 am
Bad politics.

Comment by Wensicia Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:13 am
There is a sense of entitlement by Sheila that is very troubling. She has achieved nothing on her own politically, and her demands for support on the basis of her father’s career are unseemly.

Comment by LincolnLounger Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:15 am
===(Comptroller Topinka)has gone to labor events and labor conferences, and she’s always availed herself to talk to union members. Those countless events and meetings she’s been to paid off for her,” Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan told the Chicago Sun-Times. “She’s just better known throughout the state than Sheila Simon.”===

Says it ALL right there.

Comptroller Topinka has proven she will outwork Sheila to do what is best, and will out campaign Sheila, understanding politics, Illinois, and being seen as not a knee-jerk reactionary Republican who treats labor like a plague.

Labor has families. Labor wants a better Illinois. Topinka knows working with all groups, a better Illinois is realized.

Jim Thompson knew that. Jim Edgar knew that.

Can’t win a campaign on bitterness. Can’t win a campaign on laziness. Can’t win a campaign relying on presumptions.

We all call those campaigns…losing campaigns.

The warm light Pat Quinn bathed Shelia Simon with was retunred with ungratefulness.

Karma.

If I was Sheila Simon, I would call my “bestie” Lisa Madigan. They are tight, so she …well, not her, right? Call that “bestie”, and see if Lisa really, truly, wants to stay in the race. running against, arguably, the most popular Republican in Illinois, and without Labor support, and without a campaign aparatus, and without a sense of HOW to run statewide, and given her “name”, her father’s and mother’s careers in the General Assembly, and running statewide …

How can Sheila Simon be so bereft of political acuem?

At least Lisa Madigan, the apple… never fell that far from the tree.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:15 am
It’s laughable that Sheila would denounce the “behind closed doors” selection. Though she went through Lt Gov Idol auditions in 2010, the decision was made by the Governor…. “behind closed doors”.

Sheila Siimon, what a joke.

Comment by LittleLebowskiUrbanAchiever Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:16 am
Closed doors are only bad when you are on the outside of them…

Comment by OneMan Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:23 am
On my way to work this morning I was flipping thru the radio dial and landed on the WLS show with Proft and Wolf. They were talking about the Daily Herald debate in which Rauner was saying he is the only candidate who does not take any union money so he is totally independent of that.

Now, I don’t know if Topinka takes any union money for her campaign but her willingness to meet with these folks despite the fact that she may disagree with them AND the fact that the unions can respect her for that should give Rauner pause in his belief that a single issue like that inoculates him from any trouble - that being in the GOP means the unions are poison.

As CW said, Edgar and Thompson both understood the complex nature of the intertwined politics in Illinois. With such a large, urban, mostly democratic city coupled with a vast suburban and rural area leaning, in part, more conservative - being a single issue kind of candidate like Rauner may resound with some but in the tough slog leading up to the general, with a seasoned veteran opponent well versed in the populist style of rhetoric that won’t be enough. The same goes for the Comptroller office. Simon seems to have expected this to be a coronation of sorts and appears clueless as to the political reality. Not even an up and coming back bencher.

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:32 am
“Sheila is a proud union member…”

Really? The Lt. Gov. is in a union?

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:45 am
Sheila could not win the Mayoral election in Carbondale. That alone tells the tale of her political prowess. She was picked by Quinn for one reason, Simon looked good on a bumper sticker.

Comment by John A Logan Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:51 am
Serious question : why did the AFLCIO not endorse in the other four statewide races, or did I just miss something?

Comment by Nick Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:54 am
**Serious question : why did the AFLCIO not endorse in the other four statewide races, or did I just miss something?**

You just missed something:

http://ilafl-cio.org/documents/COPEendorsements11614.pdf

Comment by dave Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:13 am
Snark aside, unions have often engaged in backstabbing behavior. Look at the police/firefighters in Milwaukee cutting deals with Scot Walker to save *their* bargaining rights. Look at the Teamsters. Why exactly is Simon the villain here? Is their any policy reasons why Topinka would be more labor friendly than Simon? Or if it’s pure Combine looting of the public, why isn’t that more condemnable?

Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:29 am
===Or if it’s pure Combine looting of the public, why isn’t that more condemnable?===

That was Kasserific!

===Is their any policy reasons why Topinka would be more labor friendly than Simon?===

I think if you read the rationale by the Union as to why, your answer is there. Comptroller Topinka earned … earned … their trust and their endorsement, while Sheila hoped and counted… on their endorsement.

Sheila Simon is not a villian.

The politics Sheila Simon has practiced with the “Sneedlings” and the posturing, and the Copmtroller race as a true 2nd Choice, brough on by a bad decision to make it quite clear AG is/was her first choice …

Sheila is not a villian, Sheila is a victim to her own decisions, leading up to talking on, arguably, the most popular Republican in Illinois, as her almost admitted 2nd or 3rd choice office, behind AG, and deferring LG and Treasurer, the easier roads.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:38 am
===Sheila is a victim to her own decisions===

That, my friend, is called hitting the nail squarely on the head.

Comment by Deep South Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:47 am
“whaddya gonna do, vote Republi . . .oh wait”

Comment by Now What? Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:21 pm
1. Never get involved in a land war in Asia.

2. Never run against JBT in a non-gubernatorial.

Comment by ZC Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:21 pm
Private sector and the trade unions have more of history of supporting the GOP than the public employee unions.

Comment by Meanderthal Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:40 pm
===more of history of supporting the GOP than the public employee unions. ===

The history of the IEA in the suburbs and AFSCME Downstate would contradict your notion.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:41 pm
Operating Engineers, Carpenters, Painters & Decorators at Mc Cormack Place …

I don’t know, I think there is a bit of a Union history with the GOP

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:46 pm
Has Sheila Simon done anything in her campaign besides issue bitter statements about Judy Baar Topinka? Her campaign is absolutely pathetic.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:54 pm
My bad on the listing of the trades.

Was trying to point out it is not just a passing support they give, but blew past your point, where Rich really addressed a discrepancy.

Apologies.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:04 pm
Get it together Sheila. This is not how you do it.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:06 pm
“Operating Engineers, Carpenters, Painters & Decorators at Mc Cormack Place …”
You forgot Teamsters…

Comment by Mouthy Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:14 pm
I can understand being disappointed by not getting a key endorsement, but if she didn’t see that coming it’s on her. Topinka is a moderate Republican who has cultivated relationships across the ideological spectrum on a number of issues. As long as she’s running for an office that doesn’t give her veto power on those issues, I’m sure the state fed won’t be the only Dem leaning interest group to back her. I think in a Blue State like Illinois, with Oberweiss and Rauner making the Republican ticket so extreme, Simon has a chance, but she’s going to have to get it on her own.

Also, nothing says I’m a true friend of labor more than repeating corporate attack lines, like “small group of insiders”.

Comment by Century Club Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:28 pm
Sheila - you had no experience before Lt Gov - and you still have no ecperience - you are not your father

Comment by Marie Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 2:11 pm
Has anyone figured out which union Simon claims proud membership? Local 313 Banjo Pickers?

Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:07 pm