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Are the Democrats unified?

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Illinois

* Public Radio…

“There’s a basic rule in Illinois politics: The political party that remains united wins the election,” said Speaker of the Illinois House and chairman of the state Democratic Party Michael Madigan.

“Look around the room. We are different, but we are Democrats. And if we stay together, we will win the general election — every Democrat’s going to be elected,” he said.

And with a quick “thank you very much,” Madigan was gone… Madigan left the event after his brief remarks and was not mentioned again.

* AP…

Rauner campaign spokesman Will Allison responded, “Republicans are united to defeat J.B, Pritzker’s agenda of higher taxes and more corruption. It’s Pritzker and the Democrats who are divided since none of them have the courage to mention Mike Madigan’s name.”

Well, the Dems are most definitely united in their silence. /s

* Meanwhile, from the Sun-Times…

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown insisted the speaker is “not hiding,” saying Madigan has slipped out after his speech “for a number of years.”

“He just has to utilize his time. He had some other meetings in Springfield. He has to focus on fundraising. He did his part to get the crowd going. He’s not hiding from anything,” Brown said.

Brown called attention to Madigan’s exit “another desperate effort by Republicans to generate some attention for something other than the deaths of veterans at the Quincy Veterans Home.”

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:13 am

Comments

“Republicans are united”

Anybody confirm that with Jeanne Ives?

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:28 am
Democrats are pretty dang unified if you look at elections since November 9, 2016. Lots of heated and contested primaries that have had no negative effect on subsequent general elections.

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:31 am
Raunerites are united. A constituency? Looks like its hovering around 30%

Polling says it’s so.

To Dems being united,

The more Dems focus on Rauner’s failures in the now, and then, October 1st-ish, bring in the national mood to bring the stragglers home… it should be easy to unite against a failing governor, candidate Rauner proved that in 2014.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:32 am
Looks like Yes, for now, from where I’m sitting. Amazing what two years of Trump can do.

Comment by walker Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:36 am
As is often the case in politics, the IL Dem’s are themselves not truly unified, rather they are united against something . The IL Dem’s have Rauner as their nemesis and they should be thankful for that rallying point.

Comment by Texas Red Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:39 am
Madigan not hiding? His remarks took about the same amount of time as it does to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Comment by Soapbox Derby Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:49 am
==rather they are united against something==

That *is* unified in politics.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:50 am
MJM works the levers and his minions do the work. He is too important to mix with the working man.

Comment by Nieva Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:51 am
…remains United wins the general election.

In this case, maybe winning is losing. You get to be in charge of the largest tax increase ever.

Comment by BlueDogDem Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:51 am
Compared to the GOP, the Dems are united.

The Uihlein/Ives/Proft faction of the GOP appear to look forward to Rauner’s defeat so they can really go after the alleged “moderates” among GOP GA members in the 2020 primaries.

Who’s going to bankroll those guys with Rauner gone?

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:01 am
For Brown to say Madigan isn’t hiding, and to give an example of previous times the Speaker hid, is pretty hilarious.

Comment by Just Me Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:05 am
Other than phony groups with “independent” in their name, Democrats are unified and proud of it. There’s no Pritzker-Biss-Kennedy hangover like people were predicting.

Comment by Anon Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:07 am
Every Democrat is going to be elected?

Interesting how the Speaker ignores the 55 percent of Democratic primary voters who voted for an anti-Madigan candidate.

The Democrats can pretend to be united but their base has moved so far to the left they will never be able to keep their coalition together.

There will be too many demands for increasing spending in a state that is already in a budget crisis

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:10 am
I’ve worked in Illinois politics for about 25 years. I don’t think there’s been a point in that time when Illinois Dems have been more united and Republicans more divided. Both have Bruce Rauner to thank.

Comment by Roman Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:15 am
MJM sure schedules a lot of meetings instead of sticking around to talk with reporters for 15 minutes.

Bernie ask him any tough questions on his way out the door?

Just Me is dead on.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:25 am
==Every Democrat is going to be elected?==

It’s a political rally genius. What would you expect to be said?

==Interesting how the Speaker ignores the 55 percent of Democratic primary voters who voted for an anti-Madigan candidate.==

What is your point? What about the 48% of primary voters who didn’t vote for Rauner?

I’ll be so glad when this election is over and you can turn off your propaganda machine.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:46 am
===Every Democrat is going to be elected?===

Bill Brady vowed to pick up 8 seats. Political hyperbole.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:48 am
“the Speaker ignores the 55 percent of Democratic primary voters who voted for an anti-Madigan candidate.”

Lucky Pierre ignores the 48 percent of Republican primary voters who voted for an anti-Rauner candidate.

“The Democrats can pretend to be united but their base has moved so far to the left they will never be able to keep their coalition together.”

The Republicans are already suffering from the ideological schism that Lucky Pierre forecasts for the Democrats. (see narrow primary win above)

Are the Democrats unified? Compared to what?

Compared to the GOP after three and a half years of Rauner and a bloody primary? Probably.

Compared to the Dems in 2014? Definitely.

But Democratic unity alone ain’t gonna win the race.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:49 am
–The Democrats can pretend to be united but their base has moved so far to the left they will never be able to keep their coalition together.–

Let’s put a pin in that one and revisit on a Wednesday in November, comrade.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 12:05 pm
One of the many reasons I can’t wait for Election Day is that the lease will run out on the LuckyBot 8000 and it will go back on a shelf at Noonan’s Grand Rentals.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 12:07 pm
It’s a political rally?

Democrats think they can win by just making vague promises to low information voters who they think can be hoodwinked into believing class warfare will magically fund the spending wish list their progressive base demands.

No mention of the lip service they used to pay to a balanced approach of cuts and revenues to fix the budget crisiis.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 12:26 pm
What’s interesting about the most recent Victory Research poll is that, for all his spending, for all the energy on the Dem side and all the energy that’s vs. Rauner, Pritzker is at only 42%.

I wonder if this means: 1) people are fed up with Rauner; 2) people are also leery of Pritzker; 3) Pritzker will win, but down ballot GOP might do better than expected - as a check on Pritzker (and Madigan). Could be good news for Harold and GOP General Assembly candidates in competitive races.

Comment by DarkHorse Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 2:29 pm