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Madigan sets state party chairman vote

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Illinois

* DPI late yesterday afternoon…

Democratic Party of Illinois Chairman Michael J. Madigan announced today that the party would be holding an organizational meeting for the State Central Committee on Monday, April 23 in Springfield.

“Voters in the March primary elected new members of the State Central Committee, and now it is our job to choose party officials and begin planning to elect Democrats up and down the ballot in November,” Chairman Madigan said.

The meeting will take place on Monday, April 23 at 1 p.m. in the Gallery Room on the first floor of the State House Inn, located at 101 East Adams Street in Springfield. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

The Democratic State Central Committee is composed of 36 members, one man and one woman elected from each congressional district. Each member will have a weighted vote that is equal to the number of Democratic ballots cast in their congressional district in the March 20, 2018 primary election.

* Sun-Times…

Despite months of criticism over his handling of sexual harassment allegations in his political organization, powerful Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan appears poised to hold onto his seat as chairman of the state Democratic Party.

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said he “doesn’t do predictions,” but noted he wasn’t aware of any opponents throwing their names in the ring as the 36 state central committeemen and committeewomen prepare to vote for the party chair on April 23. […]

The only one breaking ranks with Madigan is newly elected progressive committeeman Peter Janko, who said Democrats in his McHenry-area district were “almost universal” in their desire to oust Madigan. […]

Madigan has led the party since 1998, and if elected to a sixth term on April 23, he would become the longest-tenured Democratic party chairman in state history.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 10:30 am

Comments

“Members of the public are welcome to attend.” Heh.
I wonder if Donald Trump will call Madigan after the vote to congratulate him on the election victory.

Comment by Against the Tide Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 10:45 am
–Madigan has led the party since 1998,–

And just 20 years later, the state party launched a website.

We’re going to hear more from this kid, and I don’t mean a postcard.

I’m guessing Durbin and Duckworth’s endorsements provided all the cover he needed to scotch any possible challenge. The smart play would have been to try to ease him out and bring in a fresh face.

Awfully greedy of Madigan to hold onto this title, given that he hasn’t done anything with it up to now.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 10:48 am
“I wonder if Donald Trump will call Madigan after the vote to congratulate him on the election victory.”

I wonder if there will be another phantom election night phone call from Rauner.

Comment by Honeybadger Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 10:52 am
“Awfully greedy of Madigan to hold onto this title, given that he hasn’t done anything with it up to now”…Except win election after election and keeping the state blue while every state around us went red. Jeez.

Comment by Tom Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 11:06 am
===Except win election after election===

Mainly in the House and the Supreme Court. He’s built no farm team at the local level. Did he win Quinn’s 2010 race? Was he responsible for Frerichs’ narrow 2014 win?

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 11:08 am
“keeping the state blue”

I’m sure that both Emil Jones and John Cullerton would love to attest to the tremendous amount of work that DPI put in to retaking and then keeping the Senate in Democratic hands.

Comment by Juice Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 11:13 am
20 more years of promised prosperity. We believe in you Mike.

Comment by Iggy Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 11:16 am
== keeping the Senate in Democratic hands. ==

With larger majorities than in Madigan’s House, by the way.

Comment by Tommy Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 11:25 am
===20 more years of promised prosperity. We believe in you Mike.===

It could happen any day now.

Comment by People Over Parties Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 11:34 am
== Rich Miller - Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 11:08 am:

===Except win election after election===

Mainly in the House and the Supreme Court. He’s built no farm team at the local level. Did he win Quinn’s 2010 race? Was he responsible for Frerichs’ narrow 2014 win?=

No farm team that you know of - doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist. No offense, Rich, but how much time do you spend in the local districts or talking to the local parties about what they do? I believe there is more coordination that you or others realize. Same thing with statewides. I think you underestimate the coordination between statewide and House/Senate races. Statewide are always going to want to portray they went it alone and did the work themselves, but that isn’t always (rarely) the case. It’s not talked about openly for a reason.

Comment by trooth Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 12:09 pm
Oh boy…

===I believe there is more coordination that you or others realize. Same thing with statewides. I think you underestimate the coordination between statewide and House/Senate races. Statewide are always going to want to portray they went it alone and did the work themselves, but that isn’t always (rarely) the case. It’s not talked about openly for a reason.===

It’s talked about “here”, Rich talks about it “here”, commenters talk about it… “here”

What’s also talked about is Madigan’s “once and always” part of that “group”

How do explain when statewides want HDem endorsements and support, and who runs what races.

===Rich, but how much time do you spend in the local districts or talking to the local parties about what they do?===

Maybe Rich isn’t talking to “you”, but if your premise is Rich isn’t “plugged in”…

Oh boy.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 12:21 pm
Well we finally have something Madigan, Pritzker and Rauner
will agree on.
They all want Madigan to win this election.

Comment by Back to the Future Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 12:21 pm
@trooth - beg to differ with you, but as a downstate Democrat, I have a different take on MM.

I do commend him for keeping Illinois a reliably Blue State at the national level. This is not totally surprising, and can be attributed to hard work and persistent and relentless control of those individuals who can prevail in their respective districts and these are largely in areas North of I-80.

Over the past 20 years I have seen a drastic and avoidable decline in the number of downstate Dems in the GA and of elected Dems at the local and county level. This has always been an area of fairly conservative Dems.

Rich is absolutely correct in that there is no “farm team” at the local levels. When there is local support for a viable candidate for an open or contested seat that is considered winnable, all aspects of the campaign, its messaging, its support staff etc. are taken over by the DPI. Campaigns are not run by those who know the territory, but rather by interns who are clueless about local dynamics and only know what they were taught about how to run campaigns. And the results have been obvious.

As long as we are unfortunately dependent on the huge amounts of money needed to run these campaigns I suppose we have to accept the fact that this support will always come with strings attached. And, as always the banker will be able to dictate the terms and conditions of the loan.

Comment by illini Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 12:48 pm
–I’m sure that both Emil Jones and John Cullerton would love to attest to the tremendous amount of work that DPI put in to retaking and then keeping the Senate in Democratic hands.–

I have no doubt Emil Jones would never give any credit to MJM for Jones’ becoming Senate president. But the bothersome little fact is that had MJM not taken back the House and maintained the House majority through 2000, with Gov. Ryan, President Phillip and Speaker Daniels, the Republicans draw the map in 2001.

Comment by John Deere Green Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 1:58 pm
–Except win election after election and keeping the state blue while every state around us went red. Jeez.–

For crying out loud, that’s as ignorant and stupid as those who believe Madigan’s’controlled the government and economy for 30 years.

You think there might be greater forces at work influencing the actions of nearly 13 million people in Illinois other than h-a mailers from Madigan?

Grow up, all of you, if you want to be taken seriously. The world really is kind of complex, no matter how much comfort you find in simple-minded ding-battisms.

Madigan runs a pretty tight ship in the Illinois House. That’s one-half of one-third of government.

The outreach of the Illinois Dem party is non-existent.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 2:31 pm
“Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss”

Comment by Texas Red Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 3:17 pm
I love seeing wordslinger all fired up. He makes as much sense mad as he does calm. At least you made me laugh.

Comment by me Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 4:29 pm