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Tacking leftward

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Illinois

* Yesterday’s State of the State address was aimed right at Gov. Pat Quinn’s base, as WUIS accurately points out…

Quinn laid out a list of proposals that seem finely honed to appeal to Democratic voters: increasing the minimum wage, doubling a tax credit for the working poor, and requiring at least two days of sick time for all employees.

“We need to help our workers, especially our single parents, avoid that awful choice: dragging themselves from a sick bed to work, or losing a day’s pay — or maybe even their job,” Quinn says.

Quinn also called for a big expansion of the grants that help low-income people go to college. In recent years, Illinois has run out of money and had to stop giving out so-called MAP grants midway through the school year.

Then, there’s the “Birth to Five Initiative,” aimed at helping low-income children from the womb through kindergarten.

* Before he can gear up to defend himself against the eventual GOP nominee, Quinn needs to get his own base fired up. Remember these polls of mine from last year?…

Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll of 1,394 likely Democratic primary voters on July 19 found that Quinn was leading Daley 38-33. In that poll, the governor was getting less than half — 47 percent — of the black vote, while Daley was getting 26 percent, which isn’t bad when you figure that another quarter of the black vote was still up for grabs. […]

[Another poll] I commissioned on Aug. 12, which found that 48 percent of 1,538 likely Democratic primary voters were dissatisfied with their choice between Quinn and Daley and 9 percent were unsure. So a clear 57 percent majority were either unhappy or ambivalent about the two announced candidates.

Among black Democrats, just 31 percent were satisfied and a huge 57 percent were dissatisfied with their two choices.

It’s pretty obvious that lots of Democrats want somebody else to run, and black Democrats are particularly eager to see another candidate get into the race.

And…

Quinn is not overwhelmingly popular with black voters. Just 47 percent back Quinn against Daley, according to the July poll, and Quinn’s job approval rating in a June poll among black Democrats was a mere 28 percent, while 40 percent disapproved.

I seriously doubt he’s moved the needle much since then.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:16 am

Comments

Calling his base to the polls.

Got to do it.

But is he assuming the independents/switchers aren’t going to come out?

Comment by walker Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:20 am
The question is, if Rauner is the nominee what impact Meeks has with some of the base…

Comment by OneMan Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:27 am
===The question is, if Rauner is the nominee what impact Meeks has with some of the base…===

Great obesrvation. Can Meeks get raw votes out of pictures and endorsements for Rauner, and against Quinn, if that is the match up come November?

Nicely done.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:35 am
It strikes me as surprising that a Governor who signed into law civil unions, gay marriage, an end to the death penalty and an income tax increase needs to tack leftward, but here we are.

Comment by The Captain Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:37 am
Gee, it’s always been my understanding that EITC is a Republican concept, and, I believe, one we should be proud of

Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:42 am
Rev. Meeks might be the most productive and prolific Precinct Captain in the city, affecting a precinct without precinct lines if you know what I mean. He could be a big help to anyone.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:52 am
If Quinn wants to double the number of MAP scholarships in five years, all he has to do is cut the award size in half.

I hope he meant he’d double the funding for MAP over the next 5 years, but that isn’t exactly what he said.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:56 am
Good ear 47. I hadn’t given that the thought you did. Thanks for the observation.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:05 am
Two days sick leave could hurt mom and pop c corps, everything has to be carried on to the consumer.

Comment by fac finder Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:49 am
–Gee, it’s always been my understanding that EITC is a Republican concept, and, I believe, one we should be proud of –

You’ve get that right, Schnorf.

Pres. Ford got it rolling. But Pres. Reagan expanded it greatly in 1986, with the help of some Bolshie out of Chicago named Rosty.

Ford. Reagan. Rosty. Sigh. Those were conservatives.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:39 pm
i still want to know when and where meeks went fly fishing with rauner. montana? the chgo river? did rauner provide transportation? any pictures of meeks in waders (from LL Bean)? any contributions to meeks’ causes by rauner? any meeks allies on the payroll?

Comment by langhorne Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 3:11 pm