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* Press release…
Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed life-long farmer and Illinois State Representative Raymond Poe the Director of the Department of Agriculture. Poe’s experience as a legislator, as a businessman and as a farmer makes him the ideal choice to lead the agency.
Poe has represented the citizens of Central Illinois for the past 20 years as a member of the General Assembly. He’s a member of the Agriculture & Conservation; Appropriations-Higher Education; Personnel & Pensions; and Business Occupational Licenses (Republican Spokesperson) committees. He has farmed in Sangamon County his entire life.
In addition to his legislative experience, he served on the Williamsville School Board, where he was president for three years. He is also the former president of the Sangamon County Farm Bureau and the former president of the Lincoln Land Farm Supply.
Poe is a graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology in Chicago. He lives in rural Springfield.
…Adding… Lots of Republican names floating around as replacements, but this just landed in my inbox…
County Board member Anthony “Tony” DelGiorno will hold a press conference next week to announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the 99th state legislative district.
WHEN: Tuesday, November 17, 2015, 9am
WHERE: DelGiorno Home,1421 So. Lowell Street, Springfield, Ill. 62704
Born and raised in Springfield’s southeast Bunn Park neighborhood, DelGiorno has represented County Board District 22 since 2012, when he defeated 12-year incumbent Tim Moore. He is a graduate of Illinois College and American University’s Washington College of Law. DelGiorno is a partner at Jacksonville’s Rammelkamp Bradney law firm based in their Springfield office.
…Adding More… Leader Durkin…
“I consider Raymond Poe a very good friend and I am going to miss working with him in the Illinois House. I also want to thank him for everything he has done on behalf of the House Republican Caucus. For the past 21 years, Raymond has devoted himself to serving the residents and communities of central Illinois. He is well-liked and respected by everyone he meets. Raymond Poe’s experience as a lifelong family farmer and lawmaker make him uniquely qualified for the position of Agriculture Director – he will do an outstanding job.”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:04 pm
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Good man. Good choice.
Comment by Hon. John Fritchey Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:05 pm
One more hurdle Rauner has cleared.
Good luck, Mr. Poe.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:08 pm
Let the appointment bingo begin. Lots of names being floated…
Comment by FIREDup! Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:11 pm
Great pick, I worked with Raymond for many years and can say that he is wonderfully qualified and an all-around good guy.
Comment by Not Again Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:13 pm
Still begs the question of whether this is more to the benefit of the department or of keeping the caucus in lock-step. Independent thinking in unfunded/underfunded departments may be tolerable to the administration, where in the GA it is not, unless of course you’re a “Democrat”.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:18 pm
Reward for avoiding union vote? I’ve voted for Poe consistently even though I identify as a Dem. and have personally told him that. After his “non vote” I was done with him anyways. Moving on.
Comment by MAD MAX Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:18 pm
It only makes sense…farmer for most of his lifetime…you wouldn’t want someone who’s NOT a farmer running the Department of Agriculture, would you now?
Now this is over, can we focus on what could become the state representative race in the 99th?
Comment by Jake Leonard Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:19 pm
Thank you for your service Director Poe!
replacement should be Rich Goldberg! oh wait, that’d be a pay cut.
Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:21 pm
Good choice, but man oh man is Rauner clearing decks and causing himself less “headaches” as time goes by.
Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:22 pm
He’s never run a large company, let alone a government agency. And he’s less than a year out from a stem cell transplant–hopefully, his health is good. It would be nice if someone asked so we would know for sure.
So, on the surface, yet another example of someone getting a top state government post based not on what they can do or what they have done, per se, but rather what’s politically expedient. Poe’s a good guy, no doubt. But that’s not the point. We should be shooting for the best and brightest, not merely the person who is present.
Comment by OTOH Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:31 pm
360, the superstars live and work in Chicago. Same as it ever was.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:49 pm
Oh come on, avery bourne had to move into her district. Rich would love it here.
Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 2:53 pm
I thought Rauner was going to “turn around Illinois” and not promote career politicians over qualified outside applicants?These days Rauner is looking more and more like the corrupt political hacks he promised to replace!
Comment by DavidRSmith Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:08 pm
if this is a reward for his help on the union vote why is this story treated differently than the tax vote appointments under quinn that were eviscerated in the media? just cause poe is better liked? or quinn was more hated?
Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:12 pm
Congratulations Rep. Poe.
Now we’ll wait and see which Raunerite will be appointed as his replacement.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:17 pm
Is this a seat the Democrats could win?
Comment by Buzzie Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:24 pm
Quid pro quo, dear Clarice. Quid pro quo.
Comment by Moby Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:29 pm
===Quid pro quo, dear Clarice===
That’s so ridiculous.
Where’s the quid?
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:31 pm
“Is this a seat the Democrats could win?”
The district includes a lot of Springfield who just recently elected a Dem. mayor but outside of Springfield the district is solid Republican with a lot of state workers who have the past voted lock-step for GOP candidates.
If AFSCME can flip this to a D seat, it would a huge win.
Comment by Give Me A Break Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:33 pm
360 is right. Bourne was appointed to replace Wayne Rosenthal and she didn’t even live within the district. (Pawnee is most definitely 99th, with some rural areas in the 96th. Not a single bit is classified as 95th.)
That’s why she was forced to move in-district.
Comment by Jake Leonard Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:35 pm
It seems he will do well there. Best of luck to him.
Comment by A guy Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:36 pm
=I thought Rauner was going to “turn around Illinois” and not promote career politicians over qualified outside applicants?=
Rauner misled the voters??? I’m shocked! Shocked I tell you!
Comment by Qui Tam Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:41 pm
===Where’s the quid?===
Well, his P vote on SB1229 comes to mind. I don’t think a Y vote would have resulted in his Ag Director appointment, but maybe I’m just a cynic.
Comment by Moby Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:47 pm
=== Is this a seat the Democrats could win? ===
It could be more in play than it has in the recent past.
The powers at be have been co-opted by the Rauner money and jobs and no longer care about the older employees or retirees. They’ll appoint a Rauner loyalist.
There are a lot of Republican (or former GOP) state employees who survived the Blago/Quinn years. As state employees they are under attack by the current administration. GOP retirees are also fed up with constant attacks. I see these folks balking at supporting the appointee.
I would have voted for Poe, but I expect to vote against the appointee unless he/she demonstrates he/she will vote to support the district.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:48 pm
Rich, what’s the over under on the age of Poe’s replacement? And how many times they use the words “common sense business reforms” in their acceptance speech?
Comment by DuPage Bard Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:50 pm
A “P” vote in a squabble like this is hardly like a “Y” for an income tax increase. Comparisons like that don’t work.
Comment by walker Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:53 pm
Raymond Poe is the right fit all the way around.
Even the politics work for the governor. That’s not even remotely a slam. “That’s the business we chose”.
Congrats to all involved.
Tough break for moderates in the GOP, that’s true too.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:54 pm
I think Norseman and Team Sleep nailed it. Rauner has now installed Brauer at IDOT and Poe at Agriculture. Whoever the GOP appoints will be no ally of state employees or retirees.
Comment by The Dude Abides Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 3:57 pm
=== Is this a seat the Democrats could win? ===
It will still be tough. There is a deeply rooted culture of anti-government state workers (go figure)who would stay with the GOP. So you can’t count on state worker vote.
Comment by Qui Tam Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 4:01 pm
Norseman - but given how heavy-handed the Rauner folks have been in those appointments, my guess is that no one with the profile you mentioned would be considered.
My money is on Gray Noll - who is well-liked by the local GOP types, is an assistant State’s Attorney and ran against Sam McCann in 2012. That last part alone would be a nice dig at a Rauner “enemy”.
Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 4:02 pm
Gray Noll is a nice guy, but hadn’t proved all that electable (outside Park Board). My money’s on Catie Sheehan or Cory Jobe.
Comment by FIREDup! Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 4:05 pm
===So you can’t count on state worker vote.===
Against a Raunerite?
The seat’s in play as long as Rauner is dumping on the state and state workers.
Republican isn’t the “brand” anymore.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 4:06 pm
Jake Leonard, please…… just…… stop.
At the time of her appointment, Bourne was a legal resident of and a registered voter in Montgomery County - in the 95th District. Her family’s property sits in a rural area of Montgomery County, only the MAILING address is Pawnee. She wasn’t forced to move anywhere. If she had not been a legal resident in the district, she could not have even applied for the appointment.
Comment by Been there, done that Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 4:06 pm
Team Sleep, I have no doubts about it. I’ll have no problem voting against Noll.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 4:18 pm
Why on earth would Alderman Jobe give up a $100,000+ post - where he gets free travel, no less - for that?! I don’t see it. Catie Sheehan is a good choice, but in all likelihood she probably already makes more than a state rep and she’s got a good gig and a safe county board seat. If you’re looking for someone who’s from here and run for something bigger and will likely be a yes man, then it’s Gray Noll all day long.
Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 4:23 pm
Partially eching Anonymous @ 2:18….
I believe Raymond Poe is a good choice for the Dept of Ag given his background and experience.
However, I don’t think he’ll have very much to do over there. I suspect Mr. Poe will wind down his public service career just presiding over a State Agency that the governor has little interest in operating or funding adequately.
Is this “no-future-in-it” outlook the reason the last Director left after such a short time?
Comment by Bluegrass Boy Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 9:13 am