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* A quick roundup to start your day…

Republican Darren Bailey’s first TV ad of general election campaign focuses on crime

* Darren Bailey’s gubernatorial party nomination signals a rightward shift in Illinois GOP, experts say: Bailey has built his political platform around criticizing Pritzker’s COVID-19 response, making headlines in 2020 for refusing to wear a mask during a legislative session and suing the governor over his stay-at-home order. Chicago crime has also been a focus of Bailey’s gubernatorial campaign. In 2019, he co-sponsored a resolution in the Illinois House to separate Chicago from the rest of the state and has frequently referred to the city as a “hellhole.”

* With Jesse White off statewide ballot for first time in nearly a quarter century, voters faced with fresh choices for Illinois secretary of state: Republican Dan Brady, 61, of Bloomington, is a veteran state legislator who touts his record of bipartisanship and promises to expand staffing to reduce wait times at secretary of state facilities. Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, 46, is attempting a political comeback after losing a 2010 U.S. Senate race following a single term as state treasurer. He says that if elected he will lean heavily on technology to make the office more consumer-friendly.

* Illinois attorney general race: Raoul, DeVore interview with IAPME: A joint interview with candidates for Illinois attorney general, Democratic incumbent Kwame Raoul and Republican Tom DeVore, conducted by the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors Association.

* State Senate 26th District candidates differ on variety of issues: State Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, who serves as the Senate minority leader, said as he talks to voters this election season he hears concerns about inflation more than any other topic. […] Maria Peterson, a North Barrington resident and McConchie’s Democratic challenger in this fall’s election, said as she communicates with people while she campaigns, concerns about gun violence are a frequent topic.

* Former corrections officer running for Illinois’ 72nd House District: A lifelong resident of Rock Island County, Johnson says his life experience has prepared him well for this position. After working for the Illinois Department of Corrections, Johnson says he has firsthand experience advocating for various issues in Springfield. And if elected, he would focus on improving mental health care in Illinois and encouraging young people and families to continue living in the state.

* Martens running for Illinois’ 72nd House District: A Rock Island native and mechanic at Rock Island Electric Motor Repair, Martens says working full-time helps him understand his constituents better than his oponents. And if elected, Martens would focus on voting security and cutting taxes. Martens says if Illinois doesn’t cut spending it will become bankrupt. Because of this, he believes a change of leadership is needed in Illinois.

…Adding… Pritzker campaign…

After months of being propped up by notorious grifter Dan Proft, Darren Bailey is finally up with his first TV ad of the general election and, as expected, it is full of misleading information.

Darren Bailey’s newest ad falsely claims he supports investments in police retention efforts, when his actual voting record shows he voted against millions of dollars for local law enforcement retention grants.

At every opportunity, Bailey voted against bolstering funding to support law enforcement and improve public safety. The governor’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget, which Bailey voted NO on, included the single largest dollar investment to expand cadet classes in Illinois history, $10 million for local law enforcement retention grants, and $8 million for equipment replacements and upgrades at the Illinois State Police.

Additionally, Bailey voted against:

-Providing tens of millions of dollars for police body cameras, retention grants, and mental health screenings
-Strengthening the Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services
-Strengthening safety for first responders on state highways
-Installing hundreds of highway cameras and doubling state police presence on Chicago-area interstates in response to on-road violence
-Building new, state-of-the-art forensics labs to provide law enforcement with the resources to solve crimes
-Pumping $30 million into multi-jurisdictional task forces to catch and crack down on carjackers

Bailey has shown he would rather campaign with January 6 rioters than stand up for Capitol police officers.

“No amount of false advertising can paint a rosy picture of Darren Bailey’s disastrous voting record thwarting public safety,” said JB for Governor Press Secretary Eliza Glezer. “Bailey had his chance to vote for police recruitment and retention efforts and, instead, voted NO.”

posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, Oct 12, 22 @ 8:04 am

Comments

I guess Uihlein was gonna wait for the general to set fire to his $50M.

Comment by MoralMinority Wednesday, Oct 12, 22 @ 8:30 am
First, Isabel, so much really good snippets to chew on, thank you.

To the post…

Let’s look at this a lil deeper to its truth.

===* Darren Bailey’s gubernatorial party nomination signals a rightward shift in Illinois GOP, experts say: Bailey has built his political platform around criticizing Pritzker’s COVID-19 response, making headlines in 2020 for refusing to wear a mask during a legislative session and suing the governor over his stay-at-home order===

For me, this isn’t merely an observation of the obvious, or even a devolution within the ILGOP as the national discussion within that party has become a cult with a cult leader embracing so much of what divides and enabling these thoughts above to be mainstream.

I do not identify with a party so devolved and hurtful to Illinois and the country.

But, a prefacing as I did, the lede is soft sold.

“signals a rightward shift in Illinois GOP”

That’s it. There’s the truth. The harsh truth, the real truth.

I was once told “you never change” here, then being scolded for not embracing such a new party, but the reality is the party HAS shifted, HAS changed, it HAS decided to embrace the awful elements and highlight those willing to publicly embrace and promote them.

Example? Easy. Dan Proft in a crowded primary once got 7%. Even if Proft was given multiple millions, Proft wasn’t going to win (in reality, it probably wasn’t the goal, and the money made after… but I digress). Darren Bailey, the ugly face of a Proft Political Platform… 56%+ in a 6-way race. Mercy, the devolution isn’t Proft to Bailey, but Proft and Bailey… finding the home by tearing down the ILGOP.

I’ve said now multiple times, multiple posts in the comments, made no bones about my feelings. I didn’t need to leave the ILGOP, denounce them, change from them…

“signals a rightward shift in Illinois GOP”

How this new GOP here will find voters, that’s up to whatever happens comes December 2022. What will Durkin do, will McConchie solidify himself, even after a race he faces for his seat… will the McConchie coup hold, will Durkin find a shattered caucus that can’t be steered back to relevance?

“signals a rightward shift in Illinois GOP”

Until the GOP sees what it means to win, the cementing of a rightward shift will stick in that cement any chance to govern going forward.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 12, 22 @ 8:47 am
I can’t help it, but every time Bailey points out he is a farmer, a old movie quote pops into my mind…

“You’ve gotta remember these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land…”

And so on.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Oct 12, 22 @ 9:10 am
Well said, Glezer.

Comment by Close Observer Wednesday, Oct 12, 22 @ 9:27 am
I do agree that Bailey is on the far right of the ILGOP. IMO Pritzker is on the far left of the ILDEM. I guess pick your poison.

Comment by Blue Dog Wednesday, Oct 12, 22 @ 10:25 am
Kinda seeing the timing of Jean Bailey’s $700K donation. I guess that let Darren get the ad buy going while waiting for Uihlein’s $52M check to clear. Not sure if that is $52M more or also includes what he already gave in the primary.

My dad used to drink Schlitz beer back in the 70’s. I wonder how many cases of Schlitz were sold then to cover Uihlein’s donations to Darren now? Or how many cases of packing list envelopes?

With $52M, Darren could buy over 8M 12- packs of Mountain Dep, even paying $5.99 plus tax per each. With that volume I’m sure he could get a substantial discount. Of course, I don’t expect him to spend it all on Mountain Dep.

Comment by MoralMinority Wednesday, Oct 12, 22 @ 11:31 am
**IMO Pritzker is on the far left of the ILDEM**

[Narrator: alas, he is not.]

Comment by JoeMaddon Wednesday, Oct 12, 22 @ 1:10 pm