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Illinois

* Here’s a quick roundup to start your day…

* WAND | Sen. John Curran selected as new Illinois Senate Republican leader: Outgoing leader, Senator Dan McConchie released a statement wishing Curran the best. In his own statement, Curran said that the caucus stands ready, “with our focus directed toward the future, on developing solutions that will address the critical issues facing our state.”

* CBS Chicago | Rep. Tony McCombie elected new Illinois House Republican leader: McCombie was elected to the Illinois state House in 2016, representing a Western Illinois district. She previously served as the mayor of the Mississippi River town of Savanna, where the Illinois General Assembly said she was known for balanced budgets and her solid administrative background.

* Tribune | Mazzochi [partially] prevails in suit against DuPage Clerk Kaczmarek over 45th District mail ballots: In an order entered Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 15) in Wheaton, Judge James Orel of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting Kaczmarek “from using any signature on a Vote by Mail application in connection with validating signatures on the Vote by Mail ballot.”

* WBEZ | Republican challenger concedes to Illinois Democrat accused of domestic violence: Democrat Michael Hastings could claim a narrow reelection win in a state Senate race in the south suburbs after officials reported updated vote totals Tuesday, overcoming accusations of domestic violence to edge Republican challenger Patrick Sheehan. In a statement, Sheehan said he had conceded the race. The concession came hours after Will County officials released the results of their tabulation of hundreds of ballots from the Nov. 8 election.

* Jim Nowlan | Here’s my advice for making the Illinois Republican Party relevant again: What to do? Contrary to the adage of late U.S. House Speaker Tip O’Neill that all politics is local, American politics today have largely been nationalized by social media, Trump and the decline of local and state party organizations. Yet each state has its own issues, and Illinois is struggling with population loss, as well as job growth that has been slower than nationwide. Thus, the Illinois Republican Party needs to have a constructive, appealing program in place as the Trump phenomenon fades away.

* Illinois Newsroom | State Rep. Chris Miller reflects on January 6, analyzes midterm elections in IPM interview:“Well, I think the first thing that we have to, you know, (do is) admit that our projections, and our predictions were off. Actually, by a lot. But, you know, I think…you always have to look for the silver lining in some of these things. And I know that it’s pretty clear that Republicans made inroads in suburban women to Latinos and many other groups. And, you know, and it wasn’t that long ago, where Florida was kind of looked at as a swing state,” Miller said.

* WJBC | Illinois Senators are on the move during Capitol construction: The renovation of the north wing of the state Capitol has pushed out the senators. Tuesday marked not only the start of the 2022 veto session; it was also the first day of a nearly 2 ½ -year stay in the adjacent Howlett Building. A deteriorating auditorium received a massive facelift to function as the temporary Senate chamber.

* SJ-R | Illinois Native Americans to gather at Old State Capitol, demand inclusion: Johnson said the lack of representation on the Illinois State Board of Education’s Inclusive American History Commission, a 22-person group chosen to assist ISBE in revising its curriculum to be more inclusive of all cultures, is telling of how native people are ignored.

* NBC 5 | How a Strange Deal Struck in Springfield a Decade Ago Now Prevents Illinois Communities From Banning Assault Weapons: “I was very disappointed,” former Gov. Pat Quinn said of those days more than nine years ago. “Some of the Democrats who I thought would vote yes on the legislation all of a sudden were saying, ‘People in my district aren’t for it.” Quinn said he was astounded that the proposed statewide ban fell two votes short, despite the presence of Sandy Hook families he had taken to the Capitol to tell their personal stories.

* Tribune | Federal jury finds reputed Wicked Town gang leader, top associate guilty of racketeering and murder: After a seven-week trial, the jury of six men and six women deliberated for about 18 hours over three days before finding Donald Lee, 40, and Torance Benson, 30, guilty on all charges against them. Lee faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison, while Benson is eligible for up to life behind bars.

* WPSD | Illinois voters approve collective bargaining amendment: Unions groups said its approval could signal a new chapter in the struggle over workers’ rights as U.S. union ranks have grown. They view it as a way to ensure that workers will always be able to use their collective clout to secure better pay, hours and working conditions.

* Tribune | Man sold fentanyl and heroin to veterans at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, complaint alleges: Richard Husband was accused of distributing a fentanyl and heroin combination nicknamed “gray death” due to the drugs’ strength and the number of overdoses that have occurred, according to the complaint.

* Tribune | Republican concedes race for Cook County Board, leaving the party with one seat after narrow defeat in Northwest Side, suburban district: Despite their bid to reverse it, local Republicans fell further into “super-duper” minority status in Cook County government Monday as the sole GOP candidate still in the running to serve on the County Board admitted defeat. His loss flips a seat that had been red for a quarter century to blue, and leaves the head of the Cook County GOP as the sole Republican on the board.

* Politico | Unbowed by midterms fiasco, Trump tries for president again: It is an extraordinary — although long anticipated — move for Trump, one certain to reshape his party’s trajectory, raise complicated legal questions and alter the presidency for the man who defeated him, Joe Biden. He explicitly discussed his campaign as an effort to restore the presidency he had.

* Sun-Times | Jewish graves desecrated with swastikas spark anger, tears — and pity for one with ‘this much hate in their heart’: Alan Friedlander said he recognized the family names on some of the defaced headstones. “The point that struck me was that if they knew the person who did this, they would have tried to help them,” he said after checking on his parents’ graves. “There’s a lot of anger, a little bit of worry, but mostly feeling sorry for how dark that person’s heart has to be to do that.”

* Sun-Times | Field Museum employees seeking to unionize ask head of museum for recognition: “We are standing together in one voice saying that we want to form our union,” a museum employee said Tuesday after delivering a letter to the head of the museum.

More to come!

posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 8:01 am

Comments

First blush, quick thought.

With Durkin and McConchie yielding to their caucuses and not only stepping aside but wishing well the new leader(s)…

I can’t think of a time where both leaders were not only dumped, but as of this typing, both leaders are still going to be seated in those caucuses.

Are either pro-choice republicans? Are either proponents of same sex marriage? Are either considered thoughtful to 2A issues where mass shootings are not summarily dismissed?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 8:09 am
And, after McConchie tried to be leader, not only does McConchie get the job, she gets support from unlikely sources.

The leaders of the ILGOP?

(In alphabetical order)

Bost
Curran
LaHood
McConchie
Miller

Those are your ILGOP leaders

Where exactly is change being seen to reflect the voter rejection?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 8:16 am
Wow, Jim Nowlan thinks the ILGOP problems will be solved by offering a “constructive, appealing” program. Then he suggests they sue to reverse the legislative maps. Then he says new, young voices are needed, and he suggests Jim Edgar is the guy to lead them.

With political advice like that, can it be long before the ILGOPs are back in the majority?

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 8:21 am
McCombie won 31-8. Anyone know who the no votes were?

Comment by The Real Downstate Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 8:39 am
Maybe Jim Nowlan should sit out a few plays.

He cost the GOP an ILSC seat…

Heck of a job, Jim.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 8:39 am
newly minted house leader is a young gun

Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 8:41 am
NW suburbs don’t go for a Republican….Podgorski. It’s official….change out there big time.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 8:52 am
Congrats to Maggie Trevor on her election to the Cook County Board of Commissioners! She has come up on the short end of elections a couple of times, and it is great to see her get across the finish line with a win

Comment by Electric Lemonade Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 10:23 am
The house ilgop leadership change is interesting to me. I have listened to McCombie speak (to a friendly room) on a couple of occasions. I was probably one of the few that didn’t agree with many of her policy positions, but she struck me a smart, articulate, and moderate. Unlike so many other rural ilgop legislators, she did not complain about Chicago or spend her time telling us how unfair everything is. I think she is a pragmatist. I am not sure how different that is policy wise from Durkin, but she is very different when it comes to the endless ilgop grievance stance.

Hopefully this is good for Illinois government.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 10:52 am
Maggie Trevor should send a Thank You card to Cook County Chairman/ CC Commissioner Sean Morrison for doing nothing to help a good candidate like Matt Podorski. Under Morrison the Cook GOP has lost every CC Board seat 4 , one BOR, one WRec, State treasurer, State Comptroller and Governor. He didn’t carry Cook for any of them not one. And recently his friend Mike Z gave him $200,000 from a Griffin fund and Morrison didn’t help one other GOP Candidate. How does this guy keep getting a pass from the other 79 CC Committeeman?

Comment by Old time Independent Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 11:28 am
==Thus, the Illinois Republican Party needs to have a constructive, appealing program in place as the Trump phenomenon fades away.==

Hard to argue with that, however you’re not going to be relevant if you think the most serious problems are:

==Illinois is struggling with population loss, as well as job growth that has been slower than nationwide==

Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 11:33 am
@Old Time Independent, maybe the problem with Podgorski, even in a lower than expected D turnout, is that his far right wing policies don’t fly even as he tries to avoid them. Calling the League of Women Voters far left in their politics and refusing their debate is all on Podgorski. Maybe HIS polling was inaccurate on that.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 11:36 am
As far as one can learn on the internet, Jim Nowlan last served in elective office in 1973. He lost his last election running for lieutenant governor in 1972. He won exactly one election in 1968.

So it’s been a good long while since Nowlan has had experience with winning elections. Not sure why anyone pays attention to him.

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 11:53 am
-Amalia- point taken but Morrisons record is a disaster as Chairman he undoubtedly is the worse Chair the CC GOP has ever had. A far far right wing Right to life no exemptions and a election denier just to start. He also verbally threatened every committeeman to support Irvin or suffer the consequences of Griffins money. Porter, Tracey and Morrison need to all resign ASAP

Comment by Old time Independent Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 11:58 am
OTI-so the politics of Morrison match Podgorski. Podgorski just hid them better. Most people in the Chicago area are not of the Eastern Bloc bent. Not talking about abortion means you have something to hide.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 1:04 pm
Why is Jim Nowlin’s’ opinion noteworthy…again?

Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 2:11 pm