Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Kennedy says voters will “fully inform” themselves on their own

Posted in:

Illinois

Kennedy basically said he’s not dropping out because he expects to win. That his polling shows when people are “fully informed,” they choose Kennedy far above his opponents.

Here’s what I said at the time in response…

This is a big state with some very expensive media markets. $700K just isn’t enough to inform anyone about anything.

Unless and until he can raise the money to go up on TV with an effective ad campaign that can burn in his message, that poll of his means zero.

* Yesterday at Crain’s…

Kennedy rejected a widespread feeling in political circles that he has run a poor campaign and now may be stuck in third place. “I’m up against a machine that has had a stranglehold on our state government and economy,” he said, asserting that his campaign’s internal polls show him beating Pritzker when voters are fully informed of the views of both.

* Tribune today…

Hampered by lackluster fundraising and spending much of what he has been able to raise, governor hopeful Chris Kennedy on Thursday offered a hopeful take on how he’ll be able to get his campaign message out.

“The Democratic primary voter shouldn’t be treated like somebody that we need to teach. They’re quite capable of learning on their own,” Kennedy said at a news conference outside the Loop headquarters of the Chicago Public Schools called to discuss education funding.

“They have multiple news sources. They read multiple newspapers. They watch television. They go to community events. They talk to their friends. They consult blogs and websites,” the Kenilworth developer said. “That group, when they’re ready to inform themselves about the election, will be fully informed and on our side.”

Asked when voters would be fully informed, Kennedy said only that “people decide over different periods” leading up to the March 20 primary election.

*Sigh*

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 4:52 pm

Comments

Does this guy even want to win?

Comment by Ihatepolitics Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 4:56 pm
Is he just trying to play spoiler? It seems like he is trying to pull people who would vote for him on name alone.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 4:59 pm
Camelot is broke a lot.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 4:59 pm
At the end of Act IV, Kennedy, Rauner, and Drury will all enter the stage singing “Blame Madigan” in unison.

Comment by Back to the Mountains Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:00 pm
===Kennedy rejected a widespread feeling in political circles that he has run a poor campaign and now may be stuck in third place. “I’m up against a machine that has had a stranglehold on our state government and economy,” he said, asserting that his campaign’s internal polls show him beating Pritzker when voters are fully informed of the views of both.===

This is the excuse… when Kennedy comes in 3rd.

The Kennedy name alone isn’t worth 39%… What will be needed to win in this race.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:02 pm
1. Kennedy name.
2. Announce candidacy.
3. ?
4. Victory.

Comment by Keyrock Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:06 pm
I’m not sure that the Trib’s description of him as a “Kenilworth developer” will be helpful.

And “capable of learning on their own”? Sure, but someone has to put the info out there, and that’s the job of the campaign. If the campaign doesn’t get the message out to those “multipke news sources”, the voter won’t hear it.

Comment by JoanP Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:11 pm
I think Kennedy would do well in the general. He’s like Pritzker but without the baggage.

Comment by Red fish blue fish Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:11 pm
It’s not too late for Kennedy to make a large ad buy. He just needs to write a check first.

Comment by Northern Lights Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:18 pm
The candidate who wins downstate wins this primary. This race feels a lot like 2002 all over again — they battle it out in Cook and the collars and the campaign that was smart enough to put together a strong paid media and field infrastructure downstate wins.

Comment by the key Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:18 pm
Unless he invests his own resources into this campaign, he’s staying in it for stubbornness and/or awaiting something bad to come out about Biss. I wonder if the Biss team could secretly dangle an important Commission Chair position above his head…

Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:40 pm
The Key nailed it.

Comment by Annon3 Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:44 pm
If only he had a Bill Daley to do fund raising

Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:47 pm
Even though Pritzker and Biss have their problems, Kennedy is the only one that actually concerns me a little (not a ton) in the general election. His lack of discipline and apparent residence in an alternate universe is extremely troubling.

Comment by LXB Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 5:51 pm
Keyrock, for #3 it’s usually [a miracle occurs]

Comment by a drop in Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 6:02 pm
No point in dropping out now. Pritzker is taking a beating, and now he’s really going to start pounding Biss.

Might as well stick around, see if lightning strikes.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 6:03 pm
Wasn’t the fact that he was a rich guy who could dump a lot of money into the race supposed to be part of his appeal?

Now he’s out of money?

So, basically we have “wealthy real estate investor with well known name and with no government experience.”

I just don’t see that as a winning C.V. among Democrats in 2018.

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 6:31 pm
to the Key’s point- you can only invest in downstate media and field if you have enough saturation in chicago already- otherwise, the numbers make it completely inefficient to do so, even at the lower CPPs- so blago did it in 2002 because he had the most money- and pritzker is doing it in 2018 because he has the most money- it’s not a strategic choice, it’s a strategic luxury

Comment by MushroomEater Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 6:32 pm
If he worked to raise (or self-fund to the tune of) about $10 or 12 million, he might be leading right now thanks to JB’s troubles.

Comment by Roman Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 6:47 pm
“Kennedy … expects to win.”

Hope spring eternal. But he’s not ready for prime time.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 6:55 pm
=== … his polling shows when people are “fully informed,” they choose Kennedy … ===

Kennedy’s problem is that folks are fully informed and they don’t choose Kennedy. This is Illinois not Massachusetts. We don’t anoint Kennedys for political office. CK has demonstrated that there is no there there.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 6:58 pm
All I can say is that this Dem Gov. primary race is turning out to be a whole lot more entertaining than I thought it would be.

Comment by Responsa Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 7:19 pm
Waiting for Illinois voters to get “fully informed” is like waiting for Rauner to tell the truth.

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Thursday, Feb 8, 18 @ 7:52 pm
It should have been much easier for Kennedy to raise money, than it was for Biss. Kennedy didn’t put in the work.

Comment by walker Friday, Feb 9, 18 @ 7:35 am
He does have a point. Most voter education stems from social media these days.

Comment by Thomas Zane Stepp Friday, Feb 9, 18 @ 7:53 am
“Waiting for Illinois voters to get “fully informed” is like waiting for Rauner to tell the truth.” or Illinois Legislators to pass a truly balanced budget, but hell why let the fact that it is in the Constitution bother either party.

Comment by Stand Tall Friday, Feb 9, 18 @ 9:20 am
=== He does have a point. ===

No he doesn’t. It’s what you say when you’re failing. Social media is important, but I’ve not seen a massive Kennedy movement on my social media sites. And, I spend way too much time on social media.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Feb 9, 18 @ 9:24 am
Now just waiting for him to say the only poll that matters is on election day.

Comment by Anonish Friday, Feb 9, 18 @ 12:15 pm