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* Korecki…
As J.B. Pritzker explores a 2018 bid for governor, he has tapped an array of advisers that includes influential Democratic donor Michael Sacks, POLITICO has learned.
Sacks, GCM Grosvenor CEO and a top personal adviser to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, called Pritzker “extraordinary” and offered his backing should Pritzker ultimately file campaign papers.
Sacks was the lead donor to the anti-Gov. Bruce Rauner political action committee, LIFT — Leading Illinois for Tomorrow — in last November’s legislative battles, and has long financially backed Emanuel’s campaigns and funded Democratic efforts in Illinois and elsewhere. […]
Among others with whom Pritzker is conferring on an unofficial basis: state Sen. Heather Steans, who chairs the Senate appropriations committee and Matt Hynes, former chief lobbyist to the city of Chicago under Emanuel, said Becky Carroll, who is handling Pritzker’s communications for this phase.
Steans was once considered a possible gubernatorial candidate and is closely allied to Senate President John Cullerton.
Anyway, that’s a lot of Rahm folks.
* One person not mentioned in the piece is Nikki Budzinski, who was the UFCW’s political director before running labor outreach for Hillary Clinton’s campaign. She’s from Illinois and was recently hired by Pritzker to handle things. From her Twitter feed this past weekend…
.@JBPritzker got a warm welcome from the McLean County Democrats. Thank you for hosting! pic.twitter.com/DhvpSgsgZe
— Nikki Budzinski (@nbudzinski) January 21, 2017
Great to be rallying in Peoria with @JBPritzker and downstate progressives today! #nastywomen pic.twitter.com/gCuozej9yO
— Nikki Budzinski (@nbudzinski) January 21, 2017
.@JBPritzker meeting with @RICoDemocrats on the first stop of our downstate swing! Great to be with Democrats today. pic.twitter.com/dvux8ZPamm
— Nikki Budzinski (@nbudzinski) January 20, 2017
* Back to Korecki…
On Saturday, [Chris Kennedy] took part in the Women’s March in Chicago.
“He marched with his wife and kids and other relatives in Chicago,” said Hanah Jubeh, a senior adviser to Kennedy.
Hanah Jubeh is also an advisor to Sen. Kwame Raoul, who describes Kennedy as an old friend. The two men attended the Operation PUSH breakfast on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day last week. Sen. Raoul has long been listed as a possible gubernatorial contender, but Kennedy’s Jubeh hire makes me think he may be aiming for something else.
* Related…
* Sneed exclusive: Pritzker goes on gubernatorial ‘listening tour’
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 9:19 am
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Comment by OkComputer Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 9:26 am
The LIFT-Pritzker connection is very interesting. Interesting that Pritzker doesn’t “need” the money, but if Pritzker can tie up money that his opponents can’t get *cough* Kennedy *cough*…
The marker put out by Rauner is $50 million… for those keeping score at home.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 9:29 am
and now we enter the season of team competition. with whom do you line up in the primary? consultants making money, trying to draw notice. this early stuff may or may not give us the best alternative to Rauner. and that is worrying. because Dems need to find the alternative that will win. The DC situation….land of alternative facts…..demands that we control our state for good. think on that hard Dems. find the candidate who can reach out across the state and create excitement for new leadership. because we need it.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 9:36 am
Sacks, Steans, Hynes? Good to see J.B. Is reaching out beyond a narrow cadre of one percenters and their handlers.
Comment by Roman Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 9:43 am
This is a showdown between J.B. and Bruce period. Anyone else trying to run is just a pretender.
Comment by Rocky Rosi Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 9:49 am
@Rocky Rosi
I wouldn’t be so quick to leap to that conclusion. All that money will serve J.B. well in the General Election, but is the average Democratic mid-term primary voter gonna be all that excited about the “we’ll-beat-your-billionaire-with-our-billionaire” meme?
Comment by Telly Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 10:02 am
This election does not have to be between two billionaires. But it might. Not opposed to Pritzker, so I’m listening to what he has to say.
I do wonder what the Rahm effect will have on the communities that don’t care much for him, a constituency the Dems are going to need to come out to vote. Rauner is going to pull out ALL the cards, so be ready.
Comment by Meh Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 10:16 am
Labor outreach for HRC seems fitting for JB.
Comment by Come on Man! Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 10:20 am
I get that we are now in an endless campaign cycle and the need to craft message early is a necessity but is this it? Will there be more contenders coming out of the woodwork?
Comment by DuPage Bard Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 10:37 am
So Rahm is running for Governor through J.B
Comment by jono Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 10:40 am
Pritzker is the one Dem who can beat Rauner and that’s all that matters because Rauner has to go. The Dems need big $ and the Dems who have the money seem to know this, which is smart. I’m guessing that other Dem donors, especially labor, are tired of throwing millions at Rauner’s attacks on Dems up and down the ticket as Dems are losing that battle slowly but surely. Four more years of Rauner and his money will further weaken Dems and hurt constituencies Dems are supposed to protect. So if someone like Pritzker wants to invest his money to take Rauner down and protect the Dems then more power to him. Dems need to be realistic. Nothing against Chris Kennedy or Pawar, but neither can raise the money needed to beat Rauner and protect the rest of the slate.
Comment by Shytown Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 10:43 am
==but is the average Democratic mid-term primary voter gonna be all that excited about the “we’ll-beat-your-billionaire-with-our-billionaire” meme?==
Pritzker will almost certainly try to craft an alternative message to that.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 10:54 am
The fact that Pritzker is making Downstate rounds so early shows he’s putting some real thought and effort into it.
Staffing up is easy for him, with his dough. Honing his retail politics chops is real work and probably more important, especially Downstate.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 10:55 am
==I do wonder what the Rahm effect will have on the communities that don’t care much for him==
No one’s going to vote against Pritzker because he and Rahm share an advisor/fundraiser. 90% of the state will never even know that fact.
They may find other reasons to vote against Pritzker.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 11:22 am
There’s a really bad hire here…
Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 11:54 am
== Pritzker will almost certainly try to craft an alternative message to that ==
No doubt, and he’ll certainly have the cash to pull it off. But it’s gonna be a heavier lift than some think.
The main rational behind JB’s candidacy — neutralize Rauner’s financial advantage — makes a ton of sense to political professionals and capfax readers, but it’s not very inspiring to rank-and-file progressives or African-American voters. And those two groups dominate Dem primaries.
Comment by Telly Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 12:35 pm
In regards to McLean County - Trump won that county 46% to Hillary’s 45% and in 2014 Rauner won by 62.7%, Lisa Madigan received 45.2% and Durbin 37.6%. Tom Cross WON 61.4% to Frerichs’s 34%.
If JB is serious, he needs to pay attention to those other downstate dem performing counties.
Comment by Sigh Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 12:55 pm
==But it’s gonna be a heavier lift than some think.==
Yup.
==And those two groups dominate Dem primaries.==
Which is why he’ll either craft a different message, or, y’know. Lose.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 1:39 pm
==In regards to McLean County - Trump won that county 46% to Hillary’s 45% and in 2014 Rauner won by 62.7%, Lisa Madigan received 45.2% and Durbin 37.6%. Tom Cross WON 61.4% to Frerichs’s 34%.==
Looks like Exhibit A in The Difference Between POTUS years and Midterms to me.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 1:41 pm
== Which is why he’ll either craft a different message, or, y’know. Lose. ==
Yep. Not sure that the fellow yacht club members mentioned in the POLITICO leak are the best folks to draft that message, but it’s early. I think his circle will expand.
Comment by Roman Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 2:36 pm
==Yep. Not sure that the fellow yacht club members mentioned in the POLITICO leak are the best folks to draft that message, but it’s early. I think his circle will expand.==
I mean, part of it is, we’re in the invisible primary stage right now and that’s the message he’s sending to Politico, which caters to a crowd similar to CapFax.
But pretty soon he’ll have to talk to a different audience. We’ll see how he does.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 3:09 pm
The Kwame piece is interesting. == may be angling for something else ==
Something other than mayor?
Comment by Question Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 3:25 pm
It will be great to see how JB defends that horria ble Dem governing record of the past 12 years.
Comment by scott aster Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 4:02 pm
==It will be great to see how JB defends that horria ble Dem governing record of the past 12 years==
Bruce Rauner’s Governor now, Chief.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 5:06 pm
==Bruce Rauner’s Governor now, Chief==
Rich should end the comments here on that note…
Comment by Shytown Monday, Jan 23, 17 @ 6:02 pm