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* JB Pritzker has been calling around gauging support for a possible run for governor…
Some Democrats believe Pritzker, who has instant name recognition, a lengthy resume in philanthropy and an investment in Chicago’s business and tech world, is uniquely positioned to go up against multimillionaire Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who in 2014 spent a record amount of money in an Illinois governor’s race — more than $65 million.
“J.B. is not intimidated by Rauner’s money,” said a source close to Pritzker. “If he did this, he would do whatever it took to do it the right way. He would run to win and he would do what it takes to do that.” […]
Not everyone is cheering Pritzker’s potential candidacy. Some progressives fear pitting a billionaire against another multi-millionaire would create the wrong narrative in the Democrats’ quest to retake the governor’s mansion. Democrats have painted Rauner as the out-of-touch rich guy who is allowing the state’s neediest to suffer in order to push through his personal political agenda. Warring sides have left the state without a full budget since Rauner took office in 2015. […]
“[Chris Kennedy] can’t walk in with a check for $100 million and go toe to toe with Rauner,” said one said a top Illinois political operative who was among those Pritzker called.
We’ll see. Rich guys like to talk a lot of smack about writing big checks, but few actually do. Rauner did, which made him unique. And, speaking of money, Rauner stressed that he didn’t inherit his great wealth, which helped him connect with people lower on the economic food chain (think his grandparents’ trailer at their dairy farm that he mentions every chance he gets, or his fondness for his Harley, or his trash-can van, or his g-droppin’ ways). Pritzker inherited a fortune, which makes it far tougher for him to show he’s like everyone else.
Also, when he hires an opposition researcher to thoroughly look into his own past, we’ll know he’s more than just taking a cursory look at this run. Rauner did that early on, which was key to understanding that he was dead serious about his campaign.
Pritzker may have “instant name recognition” in some circles, but I gotta figure that lots of folks in Rock Island or St. Clair counties don’t know who the heck he is. More importantly, what will he do to build the party beyond Cook County and other reliable Democratic strongholds? He doesn’t have to win Downstate, of course, but he has to do much better than Pat Quinn within that region. We already know he’s a progressive Democrat, but how will Pritzker connect with the rest of the state?
And, early on, he’ll need an answer to the “Madigan question.” He needs to show that he can get things done, but isn’t willing to return to the pre-Rauner “status quo.” That’ll be important to Downstate and also to the suburbs, where the pro-choice Rauner will pursue independent women with a ferver.
* Your further suggestions?
…Adding… Right on schedule…
Cook rates Rauner's bid for re-election as a "leans R" race. #twill https://t.co/Z8FLO4IYX4
— John Gregory (@johngregoryx) December 5, 2016
From the narrative…
There are a few guidelines that were employed in this process. First, no incumbent starts a cycle in the Toss Up column. Do we expect Illinois GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner and Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf to have difficult races? Absolutely, but first they need announced first-tier opposition.
Emphasis added.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:03 am
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I would love to see him outspend and defeat Rauner.
Comment by Mal Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:11 am
So how is he with regular folks?
Yeah I know Rauner is pure evil, yada, yada, yada
But he did one on one as good as any candidate, he may have practiced the hell out of it to be able to do it. But he was a very good retail campaigner.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:14 am
Good for JB. Mixed feelings about the rise of the plutocrats.
If I’m him I spend a lot of time getting to know folks downstate and in suburban Chicago.
Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:15 am
Pritzker inherited a great deal of his wealth.
But in his business experience, he could actually point to going concerns that he started, kept operating and building, rather than preying on distressed companies, busting them out and bleeding them dry.
That’s something the Vampire Capitalist couldn’t do, not even one company, when asked directly, after a lifetime in business.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:20 am
Dickies is THE downmarket carhartt equivalent. Load up and point out how out of touch Billionaire Bruce is in his quilted canvas.
Comment by LizPhairTax Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:23 am
Wordlsinger, as always, is on to something here.
Pritzker will need to show how his biz experience differs from Rauner’s. A builder of companies vs. a guy only interested in building greater wealth.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:23 am
I am watching one, and only one person and this Democratic nomination for Governor. Prirzker is not that one.
Rich hits all the reasons Pritzker is talking a good game, but isn’t IN the game. If you think and are wanting Pritzker to run, or even not run, today, these discussions about Pritzker running are no different than baseball trades in the Hot Stove season or free agent signings and players shopping themselves to be in a discussion.
What needs to be done?
Hire a “spokesperson”. Why? One person, or a Crew, to begin a voice and a messaging through contacts the press and pols see as forwarding and in some cases floating Thebes and responses, that gets people’s attention.
Share a stage, be relevant. Chris Kennedy, sharing a stage with Jim Edgar was not just about talking, it was about imaging Kennedy and sharing a stage with a governor. Edgar elevated the political profile of Kennedy and allowed Lennedy to be take serious as he and Edgar were “equals”. Pritzker needs to show that level of seriousness and acceptance of what it means to be a governor. There needs to be a visual reality of being serious in policy and governing.
Travel everywhere. Like Rauner, be everywhere. A “listening tour” with a Flack or two in hand? That’s serious. Peoria, Quad Cities, the College Canpuses, Springfield, Marion, Paducha and Metro East media markets, Quad Cities and Central Illinois media markets too. Rockford? Check. Galena? Check. The collar counties? Absolutely. Travel, Flack(s) in tow, and listen.
Pick ONE issue now, and learn it ten ways to Sunday. Make sure it polls well (I’ll get to that) and know all the pivots, pitfalls, positives, and especially the positives. Everything in the early days need to be more about himself and this issue than anything.
Polling. If we’re already beyond the “phone call” phase, I already of the belief polling has been done and analyzed. Now, this second round of polling needs to be about knowing what he “knows” and then honing a beginning framing of himself. This is also “assuming” the oppo research on himself has been done, analyzed, and gamed out, all of which Rich coveted and I’m looking beyond those “givens”.
Finally, be willing to go negative early and often on Rauner, like come April. Be willing to set up a Biss-like PAC to continue to go after Rauner. Any money spent early against an incumbent is worth twice its value come election time. Ask Bruce Rauner.
That’s where I’d kinda start, that’s the “obvious” stuff. I’m responding to the Post. Pritzker is going to need others to give input beyond the obvious, and I’m sure if Pritzker is serious, he will find those other things and people too.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:27 am
No doubt, Bruce made a fortune in private equity. But c’mon, his dad was a senior VP at Motorola and he grew up splitting time between the mean streets of Lake Forest and Scottsdale, AZ.
Rauner’s upbringing was way more Pritzker than it was Grabowski.
Comment by TR Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:27 am
In 2015, now Governor-elect and billionaire Jim Justice of West Virginia bought old coal mines he sold off and reopened them before he announced his run for Governor. I’m not saying that this is what he should do, but if he can demonstrate he has had a positive business impact somewhere downstate it’d be a good start compared to Rauner who I cannot recall him ever helping a single business in the region.
Comment by Name/Nickname/Anon Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:28 am
I’m not sure there’s room for two rich guys in this Democratic primary. We’ll know which one is serious when we start seeing oppo leaks on the other one.
Comment by The Captain Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:30 am
Your observation that he’s not a household name; not even close to being so, is spot on. In the race to define him, it could be done before he even starts. There is a playbook out there on him that already succeeded in a run for Congress. And in that area, he is more of a household name.
So far, all we know is he “could” go dollar for dollar. He would be challenged to run against MJM as well. This isn’t a good race for him. He’s not the guy.
Comment by A guy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:32 am
===Rauner’s upbringing was way more Pritzker than===
You know that. I know that. But will voters know that?
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:33 am
@Oswego Willy
You think that Politico piece pitched itself?
Comment by S. Grobnik Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:33 am
Pritzker has never worked a day in his life. He will be every bit the appealing candidate that Hillary Clinton was in the Rust Belt! And just why do the Dems want to retake the Governor’s Office?
So they can tax and spend the state into even deeper oblivion?
Comment by Formerpol Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:33 am
- S. Grobnik -
No. Do you?
Rich people like their names in the “papers”
One piece ain’t a “flack - message” strategy.
K? K.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:35 am
Please spare us another Illinois multimillionaire egomaniac! J. B. Pritzker’s last quixotic run for public office helped put Jan Schakowsky in Congress. Pritzker split the vote while finishing third in the primary.
Comment by No Thanks Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:35 am
I wouldn’t get all puffy-chested if I were JB. Those Democratic “leaders” who are encouraging his self-financed candidacy are primarily pursuing a strategy to keep 60 members in the House. Winning the governor’s office is a secondary concern. Madigan doesn’t want to share the labor campaign cash.
It’s always about 60 votes.
Comment by Roman Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:37 am
So Pritzker inherited his wealth and Rauner earned his legitimately. Got ya!!
Maybe Pritzker could just place a call to MJM and tell him to negotiate. Pritzker could save a lot of money.
Comment by Piece of Work Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:38 am
===This isn’t a good race for him. He’s not the guy.===
Pritzker isn’t the guy, Kennedy isn’t the guy, Quinn isn’t the guy… - A Guy -.
Maybe if you want, game out who IS the guy, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:39 am
**Please spare us another Illinois multimillionaire egomaniac! J. B. Pritzker’s last quixotic run for public office helped put Jan Schakowsky in Congress. Pritzker split the vote while finishing third in the primary.**
Sweet… who’s the progressive that Pritzker can help put in office? Because most of us will take that!
**Winning the governor’s office is a secondary concern.**
LOL - you do understand that the Governor’s office has a huge say on what the map will be, right?
Comment by JoeMaddon Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:40 am
@Joe Maddon:
The Chicago area has four “Progressives” in the US Congress (Davis, Guitierrez, Kelly and Schakowsky) now. What have they actually accomplished for Illinois?
We need leaders who can produce some positive results not more empty rhetoric.
Comment by No Thanks Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:47 am
– Sweet… who’s the progressive that Pritzker can help put in office? Because most of us will take that! –
The whole state ain’t a north side/suburban Congressional district.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:48 am
==who has instant name recognition==
He…does?
==First, no incumbent starts a cycle in the Toss Up column.==
This seems like an indication that they think Rauner is in more trouble than “Lean Republican” would indicate. And “Lean Republican…But…” feels about right. No doubt a 36% approval rating is a big problem. But he’s the incumbent and he’ll have the money.
==But in his business experience, he could actually point to going concerns that he started, kept operating and building, rather than preying on distressed companies, busting them out and bleeding them dry.==
He’ll need to sell that, though. OTOH, Rauner can’t just attack him as a rich guy. That sure didn’t work for Pat Quinn!
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:53 am
If J.B. Pritzker or Chris Kennedy want to jump into this they must remember the Truman adage: “Given the choice between a Republican, and someone who acts like a Republican, people will vote for the real Republican all the time.” There has to be a contrast. They can’t just run as centrist technocrats in this populist political climate.
I am skeptical of heirs like Pritzker or Chris Kennedy connecting in a room of Rock Island County Democrats or members of the Decatur Trades and Labor Assembly, for example. At least we know for sure that Chris Kennedy has been south of I-80 at some points in the last ten years because he had to attend U of I BOT meetings. Has Pritzker?
And in Pritzker’s case, the first negative ad/mailer that comes to mind for me is the Hyatt chain’s conduct toward strikers putting heat lamps on them in Chicago. Maybe he’s just a Hyatt heir and has no connection to the day to day but the linkages one could make from the businesses is something he has to prepare for. IMO Republican CEO type politicians who have mistreated workers or cheated the govt. can get elected despite mistreating people/cheating because people expect Republicans to be cruel, miserly and selfish, but voters expect more purity from Democrats as the party seeking social and economic justice and will punish them for any hypocrisy there.
Also, if either of these guys run they need to build a vision for this state. And it has to be for the whole state. Pritzker can’t just run on Chicago being a bigger and better tech hub of the Midwest. He’d have to find ways to connect that vision to every corner of the state. Maybe through the universities, all the universities and not just U of I. But a vision beyond Rauner bad has to be provided by the 2018 Dem gub nominee because Madigan sure isnt gonna come up with one.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:53 am
==But c’mon, his dad was a senior VP at Motorola and he grew up splitting time between the mean streets of Lake Forest and Scottsdale, AZ.==
Also, I doubt most voters knew/cared how Rauner made his money. They just coded him as “Rich Guy” with both the positives (”Probably effective!”) and negatives (”Probably out of touch!”) that that entails.
I don’t think political communications are nuanced enough to convey variations in rich guys to voters.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:55 am
===political communications are nuanced enough to convey variations===
Really?
“Self-made” vs. “Granddaddy’s money.”
Nuanced enough for ya?
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:57 am
===That sure didn’t work for Pat Quinn! ===
Or Hillary.
Just sayin…
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:58 am
==Winning the governor’s office is a secondary concern.==
House Dems will move the last election of a Governor before the census up a bit higher on the Priorities Depth Chart.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 9:58 am
–So Pritzker inherited his wealth and Rauner earned his legitimately.–
If by “legitimately” you mean gouging on life-saving baby heart-defect drugs, multiple bankruptcies, busting out nursing homes, Medicaid/Medicare fraud, laying off bankrupt companies on an addled-brain dude in a wheelchair without his knowledge….
Of course, the “hands-on” chairman of GTCR got all Sgt. Schultz-like when questions on the actions of his companies came up during the campaign. He knew “nothing, nothing.”
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:02 am
== you do understand that the Governor’s office has a huge say on what the map will be, right? ==
The Speaker just lost five seats in a presidential election year. Don’t think the possibility of losing seven or eight in a mid-term hasn’t crossed his mind, especially if he has to share all that labor and trial lawyer cash with a Dem governor candidate.
JB isn’t being “encouraged” to run because he’s the second coming of Barack Obama. It’s always about 60. Not saying that’s right, just the way it is in certain quarters.
Comment by Roman Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:03 am
Sorry, but I keep thinking of Butch Cassidy’s line about E.H. Harriman: “Inherited guys, what do they know”?
Comment by SAP Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:05 am
===Winning the governor’s office is a secondary concern.===
(Sigh)
No. It’s THE concern.
The next governor signs the next map.
The next governor is the ONLY concern with that map hanging out there.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:07 am
==Really?==
Yes. While “Self-made vs. Grandaddy’s money” is indeed a simple message, I see no evidence that voters particularly thought Rauner was one or the other.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:09 am
Someone who can go toe-to-toe financially with Rauner? Someone who can propose solutions that don’t involve decimating unions? Someone who doesn’t have the ulterior motive of separating the state from providing social services?
On the face of it, it could look good to have a super-rich candidate go in opposite directions and not in the vulture directions of Rauner.
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:10 am
@Name/Nickname/Anon -
Here’s an equivalent of the buying up old coal mines idea - the Pritzkers figure out how to get Tesla to put a factory in the recently shuttered Mitsubishi plant in Normal. That town is already big time wired or electric cars because of the electric car that Mitsubishi was making there. Make that happen J.B. and I’ll knock on doors for you.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:11 am
Oh, goody. We’ve got JB’s “official” trial balloon flying high along with Kennedy’s.
I’m looking for Bill Daley’s to take flight in 3…2…1…
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:14 am
@Oswego Willy
One piece ain’t a strategy - but it’s a start.
My point is - takes pieces like this to establish your early lede.
Comment by S. Grobnik Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:19 am
===no evidence that voters particularly thought Rauner was===
I’m talking about 2018, not 2014.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:24 am
Fine. I’ll vote for anyone with a pulse and a name that’s not Rauner at this point.
Comment by Anon Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:25 am
- S. Grobnik -
Your drive-by trolling what I was saying is noted.
===My point is - takes pieces like this to establish your early lede.===
I think I made my lede and the after clear, and isn’t it assumed this run no matter where it’s found now IS planted? Is that… “obvious”?
===You think that Politico piece pitched itself?===
Asked and answered.
Anything else?
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:25 am
The liberals that are concerned that this would become a contest of millionaires, should remember that they have to win the Office of Governor before any real campaign finance reform can take place. Campaign finance reform is unlikely to take place while Rauner is governor.
Comment by A Jack Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:28 am
First, JB has the personality of a doorknob. Really nice guy, but not dynamic at all.
Second, to HisGirlFriday… Chris Kenendy has already given speeches at the DuQuoin State Fair and the Rock Island Labor Day picnic. Both were incredibly well received. People were lining up for pictures afterwards. Pretty sure that won’t be happening to JB.
JB is like Bill Daley in my mind. Both have focused their careers, giving, and focus on DC. Springfield is a whole different animal.
The good news is, we should get a picture of who is serious in the next month or two.
Comment by WizzardOfOzzie Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:35 am
Will Pritzker’s $100M donation to a private university with an already insanely large $10B endowment play well in Charleston, Carbondale, etc?
Comment by City Zen Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:35 am
Old Blue is going out on a limb. Costello II is going to throw his hat in the govermors race early. Rauner will go after him big time anyway,and his district has become heavy R. Bost looks entrenched. Schimpf seat untouchable for a few years. So what the heck. He might as well go down swinging.
Comment by blue dog dem Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:39 am
Pritzker doesn’t have name recognition downstate, but neither did, dare I say the name, Blagojevich when he first ran. But Blago did pick a somewhat recognized name in Quinn as his running mate. Likely the smartest thing he did.
Comment by A Jack Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:39 am
=== But Blago did pick a somewhat recognized===
Quinn ran on his own. C’mon. Keep up.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:40 am
If the hotel guy is interested in beating Rauner (rather than buying a new toy for himself), why doesn’t he choose a candidate to funnel many millions toward?
Also, money is not the main issue. Both sides have, and will have, plenty of money to effectively promote their message. The content of the message is more important. Ask Hillary.
Comment by Anony Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:41 am
- City Zen -
Hows about the Rauner Library, Rauner Dormatory, and not funding Illinois Higher Ed… At all?
Ugh.
Pathetic.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:41 am
===…but neither did, dare I say the name, Blagojevich when he first ran.===
… and yet, in the Primary, it was downstate that carried Blago to the General.
Hmm.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:43 am
@Oswego Willy
All good on this end. Looking forward to the listening tour.
Comment by S. Grobnik Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:44 am
If I’m running a Rauner campaign against the hotel guy, I’m running commercials with him starring as Spaulding Smails.
Comment by Anony Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:49 am
–But Blago did pick a somewhat recognized name in Quinn as his running mate. Likely the smartest thing he did.–
That’s some revisionism. Quinn is the original nobody nobody picked.
Secondly, Blago won the primary with Downstate votes; he got beat in the city by Vallas, who didn’t campaign Downstate because he didn’t fly.
Mell boated John Gianulis early on and had him working the Downstate Dem organizations like crazy for Blago.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 10:58 am
If this turns into a battle of the billionaires, anyone but JB please (no Chris Kennedy either, but he doesn’t have that kind of personal wealth). And whoever is talking on his behalf claiming that he understands that the “little people” are going through (their own words, ugh) please stop. And if all the Dem party has to offer up is another rich, privileged white guy then we are in trouble.
Comment by shytown Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:26 am
==Maybe if you want, game out who IS the guy, lol===
Really Willy (that rhymes if you say it out loud) Why in the world would I help by “gaming out’ who the guy is. I have one name in mind that could help tremendously mitigate the money advantage. Who even said it had to be a guy?
I’m not here to assist them. I can tell you the list of names so far would all be A-OK with me.
Comment by A guy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:34 am
JB is a good guy but it will even be hard for him to outspend Rauner. Rauner and his friends could easily raise 200+ million dollars and it wouldn’t even hurt the check book.
Comment by Rocky Rosi Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:38 am
===Rauner and his friends could easily raise 200+ million dollars===
The dude is worth $3.4 billion. $200 million is a single-digit percent of that.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 11:40 am
I concede on Quinn. My point is that others have overcome the name recognition problem. Pritzker can too if he decides to run. And he would be helped if he picked a well known downstate Democrat as his running mate in the general election.
Comment by A Jack Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:20 pm
“The dude is worth $3.4 billion. $200 million is a single-digit percent of that.”
Yep. And he has several family members worth that much or more.
Comment by Michael Westen Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 12:33 pm
A Jack has a good start…
Comment by Loop Lady Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:15 pm
JB recently gave $5 million dollars to Diana Rauner’s charity to help them weather the storm that her husband created. That seems like a pretty powerful ad in the primary.
Comment by WizzardOfOzzie Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:16 pm
It’s nice to be asked. It’s nice to be talked about. That way everyone thinks of you and remembers you as a serious opponent. Until you run…then it becomes you won or you lost. There’s a risk there to the family name. My prediction. No way he runs. No way.
Plus, he’s a very nice and decent man. But, he doesn’t have any real magnetism to him. Hasn’t been to enough cook outs or keg parties to really learn how to appeal to people south of Sugar Rautboard. He’s a Society Guy. That’d be my first communication; Champagne and Caviar. Doesn’t sell here.
Comment by A guy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:39 pm
== The Chicago area has four “Progressives” in the US Congress (Davis, Guitierrez, Kelly and Schakowsky) now. What have they actually accomplished for Illinois?==
What have any of the Illinois Representatives accomplished for Illinois?
For that matter - What has the complete House of Representatives accomplished since 2010?
Comment by Rufus Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:48 pm
==I’m talking about 2018, not 2014.==
Ah, well that, of course, isn’t written yet. Though I suspect Rauner’s term in office will do far more to shape his image to the electorate than how he made his money.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:55 pm
OW, I too think it’s all about the guv’s race. But I suspect the Speaker has that contest pegged as a distant second to maintaining his majority. Not saying he doesn’t care who the nominee for Guv is, it’s just a secondary concern. Any other nominee besides JB forces him to share campaign cash.
Comment by Roman Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 1:57 pm
–There’s a risk there to the family name. –
LOL, what’s the risk? Is that supposed to mean something?
The Inside Dope on the Pritzkers, the Kennedys, what’s for them, what they were born to… Robin Leach is definitely one of the voices in your head.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 2:03 pm
==But I suspect the Speaker has that contest pegged as a distant second… ===
Considering that if Rauner wins, he would sign the map… I’d be very hard pressed to think Madigan and Democrats see Rauner signing the next map a distant second.
Nope, if they can get the governor that will sign their map, that’s THE ball game.
Why don’t think the Fair Maps fight is as it is.
Dems gambling in winning the mansion back. Why “fold” if they can “control” the mansion and the resident (as a partisan Dem) that will sign that map.
That’s why this is as it is. The Gamble.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 2:10 pm
Kennedy recently made very positive impressions during downstate swings in the Quad Cities and Southern Illinois. Solid political potential if he decides to move forward.
Comment by Downstate Dem Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 3:31 pm
I’m just not feeling it with Pritzker. he has the money, but the party should try raising money to do good policy, not find someone with money and try to sell them. of course, most of the time, the money raising is going for legislative candidates, so there’s that problem and who knows when that is transforming.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 3:51 pm
The Pritzkers have a pretty strong brand. Known and liked for their philanthropy. Identified with good causes and organizations.
You think a campaign doesn’t sully that kind of stuff. Ask Gidwitz. Ask Romney. Ask Fiorina. Ask Meg Whitman. Heck, ask Trump.
The Pritzkers are more suited for Embassies.
Comment by A guy Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 4:17 pm
LOL, Guy, as usual, you start with your conclusion and then backfill your “rationale” with a lot of nonsense.
Terrible how the philanthropic Rauners “sullied” their good name by getting into politics. You think they see it that way?
What am I asking, “think” — I’m sure your Robin Leach brain-voice knows, with all its inside dope.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 5:42 pm
Danny boy–the State, the State is callin’. Run one more time please!!!! Statewide recognition isn’t a problem for a 3 term Constitutional office holder. Labor loves the man and except for a shortened primary season, he would’ve beaten Pat Quinn 6 years ago! Maybe JB Pritzker, Bill Daley & Chris Kennedy can write, and request from their family and friends, giant checks to combat Raunger and his billionaire supporters. Can anybody find anything negative about him?
Comment by qualified someone nobody sent Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 6:16 pm
Lisa Madigan, which requires and is preceded by triple-jujitsu move of the Speaker indicating he will resign in 2018.
Comment by peon Monday, Dec 5, 16 @ 8:40 pm
Why wait till the general take em out in the primary like dunkin
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Dec 6, 16 @ 8:15 am