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* Reform for Illinois…
Last weekend started with a bang, with Governor JB Pritzker putting a jaw-dropping $90 million of his own money into his reelection campaign account on Friday night. The news was followed by Aurora mayor Richard Irvin announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor. Irvin is backed by multibillionaire Ken Griffin, who has reportedly pledged up to $300 million to ensure Pritzker doesn’t get reelected.
But those weren’t the only big money stories this week. Quarterly campaign finance reports were due on Tuesday for the last three months of 2021. We took a look at some key races and committees as the primary season heats up.
Lots more at the link.
* DGA…
It’s been almost a week since Richard Irvin entered the Illinois GOP primary for governor, but he still hasn’t made himself available for interviews. With the clock ticking, one has to assume Irvin is spending his time scrambling to learn what he and his backer Ken Griffin stand for and how to walk back his years of supporting Democratic leadership.
After his “anticlimactic” campaign announcement, Irvin was slammed by a DGA video and his Republican opponents for his past support of Gov. JB Pritzker.
Now that he’s running a Bruce Rauner reboot campaign with the likely backing of Ken Griffin, Irvin is dodging questions about where he really stands.
With opponents nipping at his heels, Irvin won’t be able to stay quiet for long. As the crowded GOP primary gets nastier and more divisive, Irvin will have to answer tough questions like why he’s running against — in his own words — a “great leader” in Gov. Pritzker.
“Richard Irvin is hiding in a back room studying Ken Griffin’s talking points so he doesn’t embarrass his big donor when he opens his mouth,” said DGA Senior Communications Advisor Christina Amestoy. “Irvin can dodge questions all he wants, but Illinois families won’t trade the progress under Gov. JB Pritzker for a repeat of the disastrous Bruce Rauner administration.”
* DPI…
Tomorrow, Jan. 22, marks the 49th anniversary of the decision in Roe v. Wade––the landmark Supreme Court case that affirmed abortion as a constitutional right for all. For nearly half a century, anti-choice extremists have chipped away at reproductive freedoms in an attempt to restrict access to necessary health care. Here in Illinois, Gov. Pritzker’s administration has enshrined Roe v. Wade into state law, but the fight for reproductive freedom is not over.
The anti-choice extremists running for governor are a danger to women across our state and, if elected, would waste no time undoing the tremendous progress we have made in Illinois. Jesse Sullivan said he supports a near total ban on abortion. Richard Irvin called Planned Parenthood “bad for Aurora” and compared it to a “strip club or asbestos company,” while his running mate Avery Bourne called legislation enshrining Roe v Wade protections into law “extremist.” Darren Bailey proudly trumpets his extreme view on choice and claims, “Abortion is not healthcare!”
We cannot allow anti-choice extremist Republicans to drag our state back decades, especially as states like Texas and Mississippi install draconian bans on reproductive freedom. As the anniversary of Roe v. Wade approaches, every statewide Republican candidate must come clean on their radical plans to roll back the clock on women’s healthcare.
* Press release…
In [yesterday’s] hearing of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis titled “A View from the States: Governors Respond to the Omicron Variant,” Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi questioned Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts on his hyperbolic rhetoric against pandemic health measures including vaccine and mask mandates. During his question line, Congressman Krishnamoorthi confronted the Governor on the reckless hyperbole of his claim on Twitter that “President Biden has forgotten we live in America - he thinks we live in the Soviet Union,” as well as the hypocrisy of his opposition to employer vaccine and mask mandates even as the Chicago Cubs baseball team, of which he is a co-owner, has established an employee mask mandate and requires masks in all their facilities.
“As we discussed in today’s hearing, hyperbolic rhetoric and attacks on public health measures, such as those Governor Ricketts has used against commonsense policies like vaccine mandates and masking only detract from our ability to end the pandemic,” said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “Comparing federal efforts to counter COVID-19 to the Soviet Union is the type of politicized rhetoric that leads to confusion and mistrust among the public. It has real, dangerous consequences as we enter our second year of this pandemic.”
* Video…
* Press release…
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth’s (D-IL) reelection campaign announced after a fourth quarter haul of more than $1.5 million that it raised almost $7.6 million last year, with more than 152,000 individual contributions averaging under $40 each. Of those contributions, 97% were $100 or less. The campaign, which ended the year with $6.4 million cash on hand, issued the following statement regarding this announcement:
“We’re energized by how many Illinoisans are eager to keep Senator Duckworth’s unique and powerful voice in the United States Senate and look forward to a successful campaign that enables Tammy to continue executing her mission of advocating for working families, new parents, small businesses, servicemembers and Veterans as our Senator for years to come. As we continue building out our robust campaign over the coming months, we’re thrilled that these numbers will help ensure we can reach Illinoisans in every corner of our state—and we are already hard at work making sure we do.”
Every Republican press release I’ve received since yesterday is already posted.
* Related…
* Tracy shifts Senate bid to reconfigured, expanded 50th District
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 2:36 pm
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=== With opponents nipping at his heels, Irvin won’t be able to stay quiet for long. As the crowded GOP primary gets nastier and more divisive, Irvin will have to answer tough questions like why he’s running against — in his own words — a “great leader” in Gov. Pritzker.===
At a time of their choosing they will come out and talk.
The announced candidate in his primary with the largest monetary stake… can’t even find a running mate… Irvin will have all the necessary resources, at a time they feel necessary, to overwhelmingly define his issues and thoughts, especially over his primary opponents, and while it would be quite traditional and “usual” to be out and about, yapping about this and that, to everyone, anyone… the dynamics force no pressure upon Irvin.
Folks are not likely to even *know* who else in in the GOP Primary in large numbers? How are name IDs going for Rabine, Schimpf?
Now, if the DGA, let’s say… decides to run during football playoff games… :45 second ads of the video of Irvin praising Pritzker, that might smoke some things out.
If the DGA decides to run “positive name ID” ads for Bailey, left-handedly “introducing” Bailey to his “constituency, that might change things, but I can’t speak to that.
The needle being thread by Irvin has an element of the other announced folks fighting and splitting things amongst themselves, Irvin finding the win in the “majoritied-minority” of the splits, then try to bring Trumpkins along while moving further to the center, oh, at the same time.
Why come out until you’re ready, especially against the primary field as “weak” as these folks are to Irvin’s actual strengths?
The DGA playing, or “having fun” early, like in the coming weeks might bring some things out, but…
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 2:58 pm
After all these years, I still enjoy reading breathless press releases from political parties during political seasons.
There has to be some clinic somewhere I can check into for treatment and a cure. Hopefully my insurance will cover it.
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 2:59 pm
Selling out for Griffin is not a good political look, especially if the main campaign issue is violent crime. Bruce and Griffin wrecked violence prevention funding and social services. One can’t be considered a GOP moderate while taking big Griffin bucks.
Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:10 pm
===… putting a jaw-dropping $90 million of his own money into his reelection campaign account on Friday night.===
My sincere best wishes to - Candy Dogood - and hope that the mail house they start becomes the cash cow it could be. If you need help after, reach out, sure, but I hope they will be extremely successful as I cry in my Yuengling.
Ok, to the actual?
Pritzker’s “call” is $90 mil.
Easily can be called by the wealthiest Illinoisan, Ken Griffin.
Each side could (and like will) be at nine-figures, before Valentines Day, enough time to send valentines for 9 months, and piles of cash folks will be tripping and falling into, no *matter* the side.
Not enough popcorn.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:10 pm
I heard Proft say on a downstate radio show today that Bailey would have financing from someone who could go “dollar for dollar” with Ken Griffen. So, there is that.
Comment by The Fellow Edgar Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:20 pm
Footage of the discussion between Irvin and Griffin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUDISiiF_ik
Comment by Publius Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:24 pm
I’m still astounded that someone is so obscenely wealthy that they can spend $300M to prevent someone from being reelected governor. I surely would not have paid that much to prevent the previous guy from getting back in, and he approached incompetent dereliction of duty. You can say you disagree with JB’s policies, and even think his performance is lacking in a few places, but he certainly qualifies as generally competent. What has he done to merit spending that kind of dough on? Keeping you from eating your pizza indoors for a while? Or that small matter of a tax increase for the wealthy, a case that just seems to make itself time and time again.
Comment by Jibba Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:25 pm
===someone who could go “dollar for dollar”===
My hope is it will be Uihlein, after this week that cash would be fun in comparison where other “cash” had gone last year…
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:26 pm
$90 million is jawdropping, but $300 million isn’t?
Comment by West Side the Best Side Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:33 pm
Z gave us Rauner along with his sanctuary cities and HB40. Now he gives us a bonafied democrat. Not sure who the bigger traitor is to the republican party. Z or Griffin for following him into the abyss. Why don’t they both just sign on and help Pritzker?
Comment by Jenny Clark Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:36 pm
===Not sure who the bigger traitor is to the republican party===
Purity to things or dismissive of someone who may agree 80% of the time (Irvin), is the real challenge Irvin could face;
Can Irvin bring the “pure blood” cultists along if Irvin wins.
It’ll be an interesting watch.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:39 pm
Kind of off topic, but I feel sorry for the City of Aurora’s FOIA staff. $90 million buys a lot of FOIA requests.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:49 pm
Oswego, Irvin practically endorsed Pritzker. Purity is not Irvin, and neither is the team running his campaign.
Comment by Jenny Clark Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:49 pm
- Jenny Clark -
I guess you’d be “no” all the way through.
That likely helps Pritzker more…
Good luck.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 3:53 pm
How can anyone who spends this much money on a campaign call themselves fiscal “conservatives”?
Comment by Dotnonymous Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 4:02 pm
I am real tired of purity and that goes for both parties
That is how you get extremism. Work across the aisle there are people on both sides that want to do good. If you cannot see that you don’t belong here n politics or at least don’t believe in government
Comment by DuPage Saint Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 4:21 pm
== Z gave us==
Wins. He gave you campaigns that actually won Statewide. Including, I believe, the defeat of the graduated income tax amendment. Im sure you hated that too. You clearly have no interest in winning a general election. Which, I suppose, is your right.
Comment by fs Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 4:35 pm
I don’t have a problem at all with Ervin praising the governor. We should be able to recognize progress and efforts that help our community regardless of who’s advancing them. In fact I believe he would do more harm by “walking back” his comments. Now he does indicate that he disagrees with much of what Pritzker is doing. I’d like to hear a lot more about that and what his plans for the future are. Pritzker is not, nor should he be immune from criticism. But unfortunately today much of what we hear from the ILGOP is detached from reality. I’m willing to give Irvin a chance to show that he can break that mold.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 4:35 pm
meanwhile schimpf is holding potluck fundraisers.
Comment by Blue Dog Friday, Jan 21, 22 @ 4:35 pm