Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

* UPDATED x1 * Rate the new Pritzker campaign ad

Posted in:

Illinois
YouTube
Updated Posts

* This 60-second spot is running everywhere…

…Adding… Script…

You keep your word in Decatur.

Pay your bills in Bloomington.

Save for your kids’ future in Homewood.

And the same is true in Peoria, Joliet and all over Illinois.

Our government should act that way too.

But for years in Illinois, they left bills unpaid, ruined our credit, and racked up over a billion dollars in interest penalties.

As Governor, I was determined to help fix the financial mess.

Now, Illinois is keeping its promises by passing real balanced budgets.

We’re cutting costs, paying bills on time and paying down our debt––saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

And our credit rating has been upgraded for the first time in twenty years.

We’re on the right track, and I’ll work every single day to keep it that way.

Because you deserve nothing less than a state that works as hard as you do.

*** UPDATE *** ILGOP…

As crime and COVID-19 surge across Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker’s focus is on politics, launching a new political ad that laughably tries to convince Illinois families “we’re on the right track.”

The new ad conveniently ignores three years of Pritzker/Madigan corruption and policies that are driving people out of Illinois in droves including:

• Claiming credit for paying bills while ignoring the massive federal bailout that rescued the state from years of Democratic mismanagement.
• Signing a disastrous crime bill that puts criminals onto the streets while tying the hands of law enforcement.
• Attempting to pass the largest tax hike in Illinois history, while committing to do it again.
• Breaking promises and partnering with Mike Madigan to keep insiders in control of Springfield.

“Not even a week into 2022, and JB Pritzker is already attempting to rewrite history hoping voters forget he signed a disastrous crime bill that lets criminals onto our streets, pushed for the largest tax hike in Illinois history and partnered with Mike Madigan to keep Springfield insiders in power,” said ILGOP Spokesperson Joe Hackler.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 8:54 am

Comments

Very good. To the point and shows just how much he has accomplished. 10/10 It is safe to say the seat is pretty much a safe JB seat. No one will be able to beat him.

Comment by NostaligicClient Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 8:57 am
Real simple he has ZERO CHANCE when he & Emanuel refused to extend unemployment was 99 weeks in 2008 without pandemic and REFUSED to put a real MORATORIUM ON ALL RESIDENTIAL FORECLOSURES he showed he is owned by the lenders/servicer me COMPLETELY REFUSED TO PROTECT ILLINOIS FAMILIES HE WANTS TO VOTE FOR HIM never happening again

Comment by Approveman Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 8:59 am
It kind of has the mood of a negative ad. But, I guess when anyone talks about Illinois’ finances, I understand. It’s a solid ‘B’. I’m entertained by him standing beside a store named, “Quinn’s Jewelry.”

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:02 am
Good enough, and as I always say, being on the air at all is more important that specifically what you say.

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:04 am
B+. One accomplishment that even Rs can (or should) support. Should have added a Cairo or Carbondale to the list, though.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:08 am
As ads go I have to say that’s an A. Downstate might appreciate the name dropping.

Comment by What's the point? Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:27 am
Nicely done. And opening with a 60-second spot is a nice reminder to challengers that he’s dealing with an unlimited budget.

Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:31 am
The ad leads me to believe that Pritzker won’t be actively seeking a volunteer to replace himself on the ballot like his predecessor. It reminds us that he’s done a solid job. When you consider the track record of his predecessors, both Ds and Rs, and navigating through Covid, it makes it even more remarkable. He’ll be tough to beat. As ratings go I’d give it a B+. He could have said more, but definitely said enough.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:36 am
I’ll vote for him.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:37 am
I give it a B+ but I like JB and think he’s done a great job under tough circumstances. It’s calm, factual and talks about the progress the State has made. Hits good notes about fiscal responsibility and getting things done.

Comment by froganon Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:47 am
What, no Chicago in the ad? What are Chicagoans, chopped liver? Kidding aside, hopefully Pritzker paid attention to Democrats’ abysmal performance in rural Virginia in the recent gubernatorial election. He needs to reduce the massive gap.

Rated A. Solid ad based on our fiscal improvement. Griffin returning to fund a candidate makes him extremely relevant, as Pritzker is fixing his/Rauner’s massive and purposeful financial and human damage.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:57 am
I’ll vote again for him. JB doesn’t need the job, and he is altruistic enough to work on improving the state for the good of its citizens all over the state. Ad is a solid A.

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:57 am
Right tone for the times. Directed at the entire state, not just some partisan base. B+

Comment by walker Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:04 am
Who is the target audience for this?

Comment by SwSider Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:09 am
SwSider, maybe us? Dunno.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:11 am
I’d give it an A but he’s preaching to the choir with me. If I had his money I’d be on a beach somewhere. That he wants to do this instead, impresses me.

Comment by Rachel Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:12 am
D.

If you walk the streets of Decatur or Peoria, does it really feel like we’re on the right track?

To me, this seems like an ad for insiders who follow the budget and the backlog of bills (basically everyone on the blog).

Where’s the small business that was owed gobs and had to lay people off under Rauner but is now fully staffed because the state turned around its finances and is paying vendors on time?

Where’s the school district that not so long ago was broadcasting on billboards how much the state owed it and the terrible cuts it had to make, only to have Team JB turn things around and now the school’s finances are better than ever?

With all due respect, this one just doesn’t resonate with me.

Comment by Nefarious Veneer Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:17 am
As a Republican, I can say he is my front runner. I have not seen a fiscally responsible Republican for a long time and none of the candidates are showing that they are. And saying you are “conservative” no longer means anything.

Comment by Lurker Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:19 am
I hope everyone realizes that Illinois received $13.5 billion in 2021 when the American Rescue Act passed in March of 2021.

Comment by Seaver41 Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:21 am
With my caveats about the limits of specifics stated, the specifics of this commercial are actually interesting. State finances? That’s a Republican issue. But Pritzker can tell and is telling a story of success on that issue. Meanwhile, the actual Republicans are squabbling over insufficient loyalty to Trump (Sullivan excepted).

Insofar as those messaging things matter, that’s clever.

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:21 am
And I should have added, doing all that during Covid is a noteworthy accomplishment.

The add gets an A fir the Quinn awning too.

Comment by Lurker Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:21 am
==I hope everyone realizes that Illinois received $13.5 billion in 2021 when the American Rescue Act passed in March of 2021. ==

I’m not sure what the upshot of this is, even if that money had been used to pay off state debts (it wasn’t) and even if we believe the Pritzker Administration did nothing to lobby for this money (possible, but seems unlikely). “This Democrat didn’t fix the state budget, this other Democrat did so…vote for a Republican”?

That the haves should kick in a little more money to help the have-nots has long been a staple of Democratic thinking.

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:31 am
===Illinois received $13.5 billion in 2021===

Was Illinois the only state to receive money?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:33 am
https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/fact-sheet-the-american-rescue-plan-will-deliver-immediate-economic-relief-to-families

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/politics/2021/03/04/how-much-money-each-state-would-receive-if-joe-biden-covid-stimulus-bill-passes/6892464002/

Comment by Seaver41 Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:40 am
===What, no Chicago in the ad?===

[Sarcasm font intermittently on]

If Jesse White has to run an Upstate and Downstate version of his ads (Upstate mentions he played in the Chicago Cubs minor leagues, Downstate mentions he played ‘ … for a professional baseball organization … . ‘), why are we surprised other Illinois politicians would do so?

Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:55 am
=Illinois received $13.5 billion in 2021=

Texas and Florida got more. So what?

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:03 am
It’s a good piece of what needs to be a multiprong attack. The traditional GOP candidate line is that they are good for business and fiscally responsible, so this ad interrupts that line and squares the reality. The covid stuff is going to be it’s own advertising track, and some of those spots were already made, but maybe they are taking a wait and see view on how to pitch his efforts, in light of Omicron.

The pandemic and everything about it is the subject that seems to activate the most um, passionate parts of the GOP base, so they are probably trying to be more careful on that; to get the credit where it is due, without angering the crossover voters or simply activating more of the GOP base.

Comment by Give Us Barabbas Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:04 am
Jeez Louise, ILGOP is *still* going all “Because Madigan”.

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:25 am
===*still* going all “Because Madigan”===

They think it works. I dunno. We’ll see.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:26 am
Hi JS…you do realize that the Illinois state budget in 2021 was $42.9 billion, right? $13.5 billion from Washington compliments of taxpayers who fund Washington is 31.4% of the Illinois budget. I’m not diminishing JB–but I think this additional information completes the picture. What does JB do when the $13.5 billion isn’t there?

Comment by Seaver41 Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:27 am
=== What does JB do when the $13.5 billion isn’t there?===

See: Budget, Pritzker’s first

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:28 am
Re: ILGOP. Primary - We love Trump. General - We hate Madigan. Is that all ya got?

Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:29 am
===is 31.4% of the Illinois budget.===

LOL

Um, no. First, a large chunk of that money went to schools and municipalities, dummy.

Second, this is aid for a period of years, not one.

Either go back to Facebook or start boning up on facts. Last warning.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:29 am
“But for years in Illinois, they left bills unpaid, ruined our credit, and racked up over a billion dollars in interest penalties.”

who is “they”

Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:40 am
C grade.

Plays to the insiders in the political game.

Go ask voters in Decatur, Peoria, Joliet, Bloomington and Homewood what is on their minds and it’s not the Illinois budget. I spent time intentionally asking people over the holiday from various ways of life.

It’s largely crime/safety along with the economy and consumer prices spiking with inflation.

Comment by 4 percent Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:50 am
I previously gave the ad a B+ because I thought it could have gone a bit further in establishing the context in which some of Pritzker’s accomplishments were obtained. But then I saw the GOP response. I know give it an “A”. Because the ad is not only effective on its merits, but it also succeeded in drawing such a poor response from the GOP. Taking Pritzker to task on a “Covid surge” while the GOP continues it push back against any mitigations or mandates underscores how troubled the party is. They would have been better off saying nothing.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:55 am
Our government should act that way too. I wonder if he’s implying that the federal govt should do as well?

Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 12:00 pm
===I hope everyone realizes===

No matter how you balance the budget, if you keep doing that for your entire term(s) then you’ve accomplished something, as opposed to the previous guy who just kept digging. 23 years of this to go.

===Who is “they”===
Rs and Ds together own the problem, even though most Rs feign amnesia these days. I think a person who is effectively dealing with the problem might even get support from moderates of the opposing party, especially when the opposition is a bag of mixed nuts. Game over.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 12:03 pm
==They think it works. I dunno. We’ll see. ==

I would argue it has before (not consistently, but sometimes). But man, voters have such a short memory…

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 12:06 pm
==Plays to the insiders in the political game.==

Nah.

Sure, the statistics are boring (Well, all political ads are boring, but once you account for that…). But the real meat for ordinary voters is “you deserve a government that works as hard as you do”. And out of that, the most important word is the one he repeats the most throughout the ad- “you”.

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 12:10 pm
“who is “they”

Ruiner and his republican’t lapdogs.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 12:18 pm
Time and time again, a Madigan message with money behind it has proven effective for the GOP. Just ask John Bradley, Tom Kilbride, Betsy Londrigan and Erika Harold + Leslie Munger who way overperformed the top of the ticket on that message track. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

Comment by Hahaha Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 12:25 pm
=== Erika Harold + Leslie Munger ===

Both lost.

Kilbride won so well… they changed the map, lol… and that’s winning? “Ha, ha, ha”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 12:30 pm
=a Madigan message with money behind it has proven effective for the GOP.=

Unless that translates to a vote for Darren Bailey from someone who might otherwise vote for Pritzker, I can’t see it mattering. And your definition of “proven effective” seems a bit warped considering that the GOP currently holds no statewide offices while the Democrats enjoy majorities in the House and Senate.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 12:46 pm
=== Unless that translates to a vote for Darren Bailey===

Candidates matter. Nominees too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 12:57 pm
This is a great ad. Hits the GOP suburbs that voted with Pritzker but could go back to the GOP dead solid perfect. Reminds voters that he’s fiscally responsible, not because of the Federal bailout but because he and his team are doing the right thing. The credit upgrade is a really big deal.

And to the commenter who think the budget is being balanced because of the ARPA money, umm, no. That’s not actually how this works. First off, more than half the money went directly to municipalities and schools. Second, it’s spent over far more than one year. If you think we just plopped the ARPA money into the budget as a line item, you really know nothing about how budgets work.

Comment by New Day Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 1:33 pm
==Time and time again, a Madigan message with money behind it has proven effective for the GOP.==

The thing is, tho, every time it was tried, Madigan was in office.

Plus, I mean, every Dem over the last 15 years has been hit with the “Because Madigan” message, and an awful lot of them won…

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 1:42 pm
He had me at, “racked up over a billion dollars in interest.”

Could be described as “wasteful spending,” something the Republicans are always fixated on.

As a taxpayer, I resent paying interest on unpaid bills. Does little for the State’s economy.

Comment by Sir Reel Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 1:47 pm
==Time and time again, a Madigan message with money behind it has proven effective for the GOP.==

Unless the Governor says in a future ad, “I took out Madigan.”

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 2:00 pm
=But for years in Illinois, they left bills unpaid, ruined our credit, and racked up over a billion dollars in interest penalties.=

There’s a whole bunch of people implicitly captured in this description and many of them are Democrats. So maybe a Pritzker/Madigan message works but JB also seems to be effectively distinguishing his record from our past whether that’s Rauner or Madigan. And if the ILGOP is saying were supposed to accept Darren Bailey as a better alternative to the ghost of Madigan past, I’m not sure that’s going to be seen as a better alternative.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 2:48 pm
A decent ad in general, but do you really think voters are concerned with the state budget now? Polls show it’s the economy, cost of goods, and crime. Maybe that will change by Election Day. Credit to the Gov on the budget (and the fed monies), though.

Comment by Really Now Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 2:51 pm
==A decent ad in general, but do you really think voters are concerned with the state budget now? Polls show it’s the economy==

Voters don’t separate government budgets from the broader economy, or even their own finances, very cleanly. Remember the woman asking Bush Sr. how “the deficit” had personally affected him? Or all the people in 2009-2010 who thought the gov’t should pursue austerity bc they were in their households?

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 3:03 pm
=LOL

Um, no. First, a large chunk of that money went to schools and municipalities, dummy.=

Additionally, the money doesn’t have to be spent until the end of 2023.

So there is that.

===Time and time again, a Madigan message with money behind it has proven effective for the GOP.===

Yep, you nailed it. The ILGOP winning message = No statewide electeds, super minority (micro minority) in both houses.

In bizarro world this is winning I guess.

The Pritzker ad is an “A”. Smooth, concise, true.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 3:06 pm
The JB spot was a masterpiece.
The Hack better hone the message before Griffie hits the exit switch on him

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 3:19 pm
The ad gets an A+. Now we await the response from Ken G.
I would lead with the a toilet ad.

Comment by Ad Man Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 3:42 pm
Bringing up Mike Madigan in 2022?

I shouldn’t be surprised but lol

Comment by Nick Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 3:57 pm
According to 2illinois.gov, Illinois received $25 billion in recovery act funds payable to state, county municipal governments over 2 years.
That had to help our budget

Comment by Rajeev Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 5:33 pm
A.
Solidify your case one issue at a time.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 7:15 pm
= That had to help our budget=

And on the other side of the ledger we have liabilities that wouldn’t exist but for Covid. So to suggest that the state or Governor somehow had it easy as a result of a once in a lifetime pandemic is just pure silliness. They’re “recovery act funds” for a reason and they weren’t distributed just to Illinois.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 7:22 pm
I voted for Pritzker in 2018 and I’m voting for him again this year. I’ve seen the commercial at least 3 times and there isn’t anything in it that’s not factual.

The only thing the Republicans literally have to run on is Pritzker’s orders about requiring masks, social distancing, and shutting the state down for longer than 30 days, which will not win them the governor’s mansion. Illinois, for all intents and purposes, is better than we were 4 years ago. Gov. Pritzker deserves another term.

Comment by Orion Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 7:58 pm
The funds did help Illinois…didn’t they?

Comment by Rajeev Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 9:51 pm
One other thought…didn’t Gov Pritzker support the grad tax that would have brought in $3.5 billion in additional revenue according to the Sun Times?
How did Gov Pritzker manage to save Illinois without the $3.5 billion?

Comment by Rajeev Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 10:08 pm
As an add for Gov JB: B+
Accentuate the positive - Eliminate the negative - Don’t mess with Mr. inbetween!
However: my Homewood neighbors talk among ourselves more about Property Taxes and Crime coming into our neighborhood.
BUT: the Rs don’t have anyone to posit positive solution for those problems

Comment by Joe Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:03 pm
Rajeev is trying really hard to find the dark cloud in all of that silver lining. Not a winning message for the GOP when they traditionally run on wanting to balance the budget.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Jan 4, 22 @ 11:30 pm