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It’s just way too early to be predicting this

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Illinois

The GOP romance is already on the skids. Republicans who thought Pritzker was a centrist say he’s just catering to his left-leaning base. “We’re two weeks in and there’s zero indication” of him hugging the middle, said one GOP lawmaker. “So what” that he had dinner with Republican leaders Jim Durkin and Bill Brady? Pritzker then went and signed an executive order to ensure HB40 was being properly enforced. The measure allows taxpayer funding of some abortions. Republicans saw it as “a slap in the face.”

Pritzker ran with the full support of pro-choice groups like Personal PAC and his EO last week was designed to make sure insurance companies were following the law, enacted with the signature of a Republican governor, no less.

I gotta figure stuff like that has been long baked-in to just about everyone’s expectations of Pritzker, or at least it should’ve been to anyone paying attention.

Two weeks ago, the honeymoon was supposedly over because of a single partisan press release from the Illinois Republican Party, a partisan entity. And now it’s over again because the governor is doing stuff he overtly promised to do during the campaign?

Weird.

* Usually, people who say things like “slap in the face” aren’t the ones who are gonna be negotiating the big stuff anyway. If we hear Leaders Brady and/or Durkin talk like that then we know we’ve got problems.

In other words, if the Republican leaders ever decide to boycott the capital bill talks, then the troubles are real. Would they do such a thing over a liberal executive order designed to enforce existing state laws? Some hardline rank-and-filers surely would, but I kinda doubt they’ll be voting for any compromises anyway.

And this is not to say that everybody is going to get along swell all day, every day. Democrats are Democrats and Republicans are Republicans. Disagreements are natural, expected and even healthy. Pritzker is not going to become a Republican and Bill Brady isn’t going to become a Democrat. The object is to work together, not be like each other.

What I don’t expect to see is a quick return to the past four years, when just about everything was politicized to the Nth Degree and deals with the governor were next to impossible.

Besides, the spring session hasn’t even started yet. Let it play out for a bit and we’ll see what kind of governor he turns out to be.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:49 am

Comments

Did any Republican think Pritzker would be LESS pro-choice than Rauner?

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:52 am
Patience is virtue. I would hope that Republican leaders would not try and blow anything up even if they could. Complain when you want and try and work together where you can. Republicans are in a super minority, things were horrid when you had the Governorship and bad with Quinn and Blago,lets see if we can have some semblance of normality before you go running off half cocked.

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:53 am
Amen. Call me when that “one GOP lawmaker” wants to put their name to that gripe, and it turns out to be someone who has some actual influence or impact on anything. Until then, it’s just the same old same old.

Comment by South of Sherman Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:53 am
**“We’re two weeks in and there’s zero indication” of him hugging the middle, said one GOP lawmaker. “So what” that he had dinner with Republican leaders Jim Durkin and Bill Brady? **

Since when does McSweeney not talk on the record?

Comment by SaulGoodman Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:58 am
“Let it play out for a bit and we’ll see what kind of governor he turns out to be.” Advice AFSCME could take as well after the extension request last week. We are exactly two weeks into his administration. Everyone just take a breath.

Comment by Fixer Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 10:58 am
Great grab and post, Rich… perfect to the moment.

To - 47th Ward - and that snark… genius.

For me, and to the Post,

The Rauner/Raunerism fatigue is most real to this Trumped up worry about Pritzker 13 days and counting into his term.

The Raunerism way might be the biggest factor in getting things done as all sides, Republican and Democratic leaders would like better governing done and less fighting for fighting’s sake.. on an unpassable agenda.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:00 am
=== “We’re two weeks in and there’s zero indication” of him hugging the middle …” ===

Have we seen many politicians “hugging the middle?”

They play to their base and them that brought them.

If the GOP partisan quoted really cared (which I doubt), he/she would have better understood the significance of the outreach efforts. The GOP in it’s super-minority status can’t expect to have major policy success. We’re talking about working around the edges.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:00 am
Yeah, a real slap in the face for a newly inaugurated Democratic governor to order the enforcement of a law his Republican predecessor signed. Too bad, because I’m sure ILGOP was really itching to find ways to cooperate with the governor and his legislative supermajority.

Comment by LXB Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:02 am
The sooner and more completely Republicans realize that the culture wars are over and they lost, the sooner they can start to build a fiscally conservative coalition.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:03 am
One anonymous alleged lawmaker isn’t enough of a hook to make a story? Politico will have to change its business model.

Any good reason why a reporter wouldn’t seek more than one source — even some on the record — before making such a pronouncement?

No, there’s not.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:03 am
Capital Bills cover lots of sins to the bases… same as it ever was…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:06 am
Dude’s been governor 2 weeks.
He’s just doing the silly stuff now.
Too soon for anything.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:07 am
You get the gossip columnist sensibilities and regular factual mistakes you pay for with Politico.

Comment by Moe Berg Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:12 am
SaulGoodman, you beat me to it. I applaud you.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:14 am
Dems have no reason to take GOP’ers in IL seriously. Just aren’t worthy competitors. Tha’s how pointless they are. Incompetence off charts.

Comment by Chris P. Bacon Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:16 am
I love McSweeney‘s messages of total opposition to any taxes and his implications that will help bring the IL GOP back. Better to look at the wrong side of a number of social issues as to why they are having difficulties.

More to the post: you GOP folks might just want roads fixed and other such capital improvements. If it were up to me I’d say vote for it or get nothing for your district.

Comment by low level Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:29 am
I dunno, why should anyone care what they say? Seems a weak cry out for relevancy from the irrelevant.

Comment by wondering Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 11:35 am
I place more credence on his bi-partisan appointments to both his transition and his leadership team than I do a couple of predicted actions in the last couple weeks. The facts are he’s not a Republican and we, the people, elected him. If we wanted more of what we had, Rauner would be starting his second term.

Comment by thoughts matter Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:03 pm
In Illinois today I think you can say that HB 40 is a centrist position.

Comment by G'Kar Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:13 pm
ILGOP might want to tone it down a bit. Otherwise this governor may not want to work with them after all.

Comment by Generic Drone Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:13 pm
“… These innocent babies that are created by God are being killed before they ever have a chance,” said Meier. “We have to be active and keep reminding our colleagues in the northern part of the state of the value of all life … Let them see how many people really do care.” Charlie Meier - Breese Jounal

More “She-cow-go” class warfare from my state representative. He and Jason are not going to give the Governor a chance.

Comment by Highland, IL Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:45 pm
Would Republicans feel better if Pritzker first cut deals with them and then protected abortion rights? Because who’d think he wouldn’t do it anyway, sooner or later. Everybody knows Pritzker ran on protecting such rights.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:52 pm
Only shows how clueless the GOP elites are in this state. As if we did not already know.

Pritzker did not run as a centrist as usually thought of. Progressive income tax, strong stand on abortion rights, welcoming to immigrants (illegal aliens was the real message) etc. etc.

These GOP types live in their own fantasy world as the election results have, and will continue to prove.

Comment by Nonbeleiver Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 12:56 pm
===welcoming to immigrants (illegal aliens was the real message) etc. etc.===

I can hear the mouth breathing from Kendall County…

A real factor in Rauner losing was… Rauner.

Rauner himself knew it, as he wanted to replace… himself.

But, please, make it about not “wanting a wall”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 1:02 pm
@Oswego Willy,

Sorry if reality offends you. My comment stands.

You like to attack but you don’t like to be attacked.

Comment by Nonbeleiver Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 1:25 pm
Your racism is not an economic indicator… by any measure.

You may not like being called out for it… but it still stands.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 1:27 pm
There have been lots of executive orders focused on issues that are important to the Democratic base. That is what they are reacting to..

Maybe cook something up that’s a bit more middle of the road?

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 2:12 pm
Has anyone noticed ANYTHING Durkie and NoTaxBill say they are for?

Comment by Annonin' Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 2:31 pm
“”said one GOP lawmaker””. Oh boy, man the battlements!

Comment by walker Monday, Jan 28, 19 @ 3:00 pm
You mean he’s actually doing what he said in the campaign???? Get the republicon fainting couches ready….

Comment by Union Thug Gramma Tuesday, Jan 29, 19 @ 10:40 pm