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Pritzker handing out $11 million to candidates, parties, organizations

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Illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker is in the process of donating more than $11 million from his campaign fund to Illinois Democrats up and down the ballot, according to the State Board of Elections and his campaign office. […]

The governor is still talking with Illinois Senate Democrats before a likely donation of $1 million. Pritzker wants to ensure that those resources aren’t used to support senators the governor has urged to resign.

Statewide candidates Kwame Raoul, the incumbent attorney general, and Alexi Giannoulias, the secretary of state candidate, each received $1 million. Raoul faces Republican Tom DeVore, an attorney notorious for filing lawsuits against Pritzker’s Covid-19 mandates. And Giannoulias, a former state treasurer, faces Republican state Rep. Dan Brady.

Supreme donations: The Democrats running in the two highly contested Illinois Supreme Court races — Elizabeth Rochford and Mary Kay O’Brien — each received $500,000.

Courting counties: Pritzker donated $1 million to Cook County Democrats, the bluest county in the state and anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 to other Democratic county organizations across Illinois.

There’s more.

Also, the Senate Democrats have already said they won’t be backing Sen. Michael Hastings’ reelection and Sen. Emil Jones III has no Republican opponent.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:06 am

Comments

===The governor is still talking===

I wish that report had some sourcing, because it seems kind of improbable given what the Senate Dems have already said. I also noticed there was no mention of Frerichs or Mendoza, despite the cash to Raoul and Giannoulias. Is it possible some folks just haven’t filed the A-1s yet?

Comment by vern Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:23 am
Better call Uihlein, and after that polling, keep trying until he answers.

If the goal of the exercise was to get the GOP out of the super-minority status…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:27 am
The Illinois Democratic party today sure has a lot of money from the well to do. It’s not exactly the working class image I imagined.

Comment by Steve Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:32 am
===The Illinois Democratic party today sure has a lot of money===

Pritzker donated money. That’s it.

Keep up.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:34 am
JB…Uihlein…

“Big money goes around the world
Big money underground
Big money got a mighty voice
Big money make no sound
Big money pull a million strings
Big money hold the prize
Big money weave a mighty web
Big money draw the flies”

Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:35 am
==It’s not exactly the working class image I imagined.==

Want to guess which five justices voted for Citizens United?

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:41 am
Maybe I’m missing something, but why is this a story? I know politico leans right, but a politician making donations out of his campaign fund is standard operating procedure, isn’t it?

Comment by Curious citizen Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:41 am
===a lot of money from the well to do.===

Willy’s right that this money is from Pritzker, who definitely is well-to-do. But Illinois Dems also raise a lot of money from labor unions, which are organizations of working class people who pool some of their resources in order to better advocate for their rights both in the workplace and in government. Collective action is a beautiful thing.

Comment by vern Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:42 am
== The Illinois Democratic party today sure has a lot of money from the well to do. It’s not exactly the working class image I imagined. ==

Winding up the old dems are the political elite trope I see.

Comment by We’ll See Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:44 am
I see one to Cook County, and a less recent one to Kendall County.

I don’t see one to Will County.

Will County still has a large contingent of ‘Lipinski Democrats’, and really needs a refresh of their leadership to catch up to modern concerns.

Maybe more will start showing up as the filings are updated, but it’s interesting so far who is at least getting priority and who is not.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:47 am
-Pritzker donated money. That’s it.-

There sure is a lot of inequality in financial support going on .

Comment by Steve Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:50 am
IL Dems enjoy the spigot while it lasts, but don’t get hooked on it. It’ll be gone some day, maybe some day soon.

Comment by ZC Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:51 am
===inequality in financial support going on ===

Explain Uihlein.

- Steve -, gotta say, the more you comment the less thoughtful you sound to things, from immigration to now… inequality to financial support…

Trope is your schtick

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:54 am
===Kendall County.===

The further Right/Trumpy/Cult-like the GOP in Kendall pivots, the more Blue that keeps popping up

Ask Kifowit.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:56 am
=== There sure is a lot of inequality in financial support going on. ===

What in the world are you complaining about? Didn’t get any Pritzker money sent to your campaign fund?

Comment by Hannibal Lecter Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:02 am
== There sure is a lot of inequality in financial support going on. ==

I miss Ken Griffin too. / s

Comment by We’ll See Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:08 am
==Also, the Senate Democrats have already said they won’t be backing Sen. Michael Hastings’ reelection and Sen. Emil Jones III has no Republican opponent.==

Is it too late to get two Greens at least as write-ins against Hastings and Jones?

Comment by AcademicUnionStateEmployee Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:10 am
===But Illinois Dems also raise a lot of money from labor unions, which are organizations of working class people who pool some of their resources in order to better advocate for their rights both in the workplace and in government. Collective action is a beautiful thing.===

Good stuff here.

Post Rauner, Dems and labor, Dems and their collective interests that are fighting against anti-abortion, anti-labor, anti-education, and anti-science… what Rauner did was align so many folks that now understand the “bad” that the Rauner and post-Rauner ILGOP have devolved to as a party.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:14 am
Good luck, - Steve -

:)

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:15 am
–the more Blue that keeps popping up–

I agree. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Grundy County showing up for the same reasons.

I also see Rachel Ventura winning against Eric Mattson as showing the current Democratic leadership in Will County has lost touch with its stated purpose and constituents.

The Will County Coroner(former county supervisor) spreading Halloween urban legends as if they were real things on facebook this week isn’t helping them either.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:15 am
Gonna cost a whole lot more to buy his way into DC, politicians and their political parties love money though so he has a chance.

Comment by Future Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:17 am
Who would have thought that the Illinois Democratic party would have moved beyond the Pareto principle ?

Comment by Steve Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:17 am
=== The further Right/Trumpy/Cult-like the GOP in Kendall pivots, the more Blue that keeps popping up

Ask Kifowit.===

… and in the region, I’d also add Holmes

Look at where Cross had his base, now look at that whole region.

It’s not that Kendall is turning Blue, it’s that Kendall is seemingly turning its back on this new ILGOP and their candidates

One of the fastest growing counties in America not too long ago… now turning Blue quicker than someone holding their breath for a $5 bet.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:19 am
=I don’t see one to Will County.=

They filed an A-1 on the 28th.

Comment by Anon62704 Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:28 am
=====Sen. Emil Jones III has no Republican opponent====

I had to complain on twitter of course to no one in particular that Republicans have left voters with hardly anyone to vote for, at least in the city. At the same time let me get real and recognize that right now hardly anyone would vote for a Republican in the city.

Comment by Levois J Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:29 am
10:32 was me.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:32 am
==Also, the Senate Democrats have already said they won’t be backing Sen. Michael Hastings’ reelection and Sen. Emil Jones III has no Republican opponent.==

If Hastings gets reelected, is there a way that ISBE can refuse to certify his (and Jones’) reelections? If that’s not possible, can the Senate refuse to seat either of them when the 103rd GA begins Jan. 11?

Comment by AcademicUnionStateEmployee Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 10:48 am
= It’s not that Kendall is turning Blue, it’s that Kendall is seemingly turning its back on this new ILGOP and their candidates =

I remember a CapFax comment from a few years ago (I can’t recall who posted it, but it was a frequent commenter) saying that the suburban shift toward the Dems wasn’t because they were becoming pro-blue but they were becoming anti-red. It’s happening in many states, not just in Illinois.

Comment by cover Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 11:18 am
==The Illinois Democratic party today sure has a lot of money from the well to do. It’s not exactly the working class image I imagined.==

And yet, it raised the minimum wage, created a ton of blue collar jobs, and pumped money into public schools.

“If you can’t take their money, drink their booze, and vote against them, you need to stay out of politics.”

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 11:20 am
Once Harmon asks for more from Hastings, he can expect more from Pritzker, presumably.

Comment by Ok Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 11:29 am
Good. Its about time. I remember so many underfunded Dem campaigns back in the day.

Comment by low level Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 11:30 am
“I know politico leans right…”

No they don’t - not even close. And Shia certainly doesn’t. It’s a story when a rich governor writes huge checks to support others in his party. It was for Rauner and it is for Pritzker. It’s also pretty uninteresting.

Comment by New Day Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 11:35 am
==There sure is a lot of inequality in financial support going on==

Thats what Republicans celebrate, no? Financial inequality?

Comment by low level Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 11:43 am
“Who would have thought that the Illinois Democratic party would have moved beyond the Pareto principle ?”

This looks like a fun game, can anybody play?

Who would have thought that the Illinois Republican party would have moved beyond ________?

So many rich possibilities.

– MrJM

Comment by MisterJayEm Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 11:47 am
- The Illinois Democratic party today sure has a lot of money from the well to do. It’s not exactly the working class image I imagined. -

And they’ve raised the minimum wage, tried to increase taxes on the wealthy, and they’re about to outlaw right to work. As a member of the working class it’s pretty easy for me to see who’s looking out for my interests.

Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 12:03 pm
** Want to guess which five justices voted for Citizens United?**

these contributions have nothing to do with Citizens United.

Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 12:08 pm
===“I know politico leans right…”===

In Illinois at least, the opposite is true. Our Politico leans wrong.

Comment by vern Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 12:14 pm
vern

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 12:27 pm
==these contributions have nothing to do with Citizens United.==

So JB is the kettle and Uihlein/Griffin are the pot?

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 12:31 pm
-Who would have thought that the Illinois Republican party would have moved beyond ________? -

Jim Edgar, Kirk Dillard, Jim Thompson, and other big government advocates. I think the future of the party is Scott Gryder. Oswego has a virtual monopoly on talent in Illinois.

Comment by Steve Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 12:36 pm
“Nothing happens in Illinois… until Oswego has her say”

- Town Motto, maybe

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 12:47 pm
==Jim Edgar, Kirk Dillard, Jim Thompson, ==

Don’t forget George Ryan, Bill Cellini, Mike Tristano, and Scott Fawell too.

Comment by AcademicUnionStateEmployee Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 12:48 pm
===Jim Edgar, Kirk Dillard, Jim Thompson===

When the ILGOP mattered, the best didn’t worry about others.

That’s why Proft was “worth” only 7%… and Bailey is worth 56+%

The ILGOP has regressed.

If you don’t believe that, you’re likely the problem in the ILGOP

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 12:51 pm
“Who would have thought that the Illinois Republican party would have moved beyond ________?”

Oooh, I would like to play. What is decency Alex?

Comment by Proud Sucker Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 2:45 pm
I am so pleased that JB can help out, and doesn’t have to raise money…it couldn’t happen to a more deserving IL GOP.

Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 3:42 pm
I would have liked to see a bigger split go to the Supreme Court candidates, but we’ll see how this starts to shake out.

Comment by Anan Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 4:09 pm
Waste of money JB , now that Griffen left you can save the dough. Unless you want to help out the ad booking guys or media. Once amendment 1 passes you can stop spending as they will in thanks

Comment by Early Wynn Thursday, Sep 29, 22 @ 9:26 pm