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Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
A former top aide to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has accepted the role of campaign manager to Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Bill Daley.
Thomas Bowen said in an exclusive interview with Capitol Fax he officially took the reigns of the Daley campaign on Tuesday after meeting with the candidate on multiple occasions in the previous weeks. Bowen, who left the Mayor’s Office in January to accept a partnership at Mac Strategies Group, previously served as deputy campaign manager to Emanuel’s mayoral bid. He has also served as campaign manager to CTA director Forrest Claypoole’s independent campaign against Democrat Joe Berrios for Cook County Assessor, former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias’s bid for a vacant U.S. Senate seat in 2010, and Mike Quigley’s successful attempt to fill Emanuel’s Congressional seat by special election in 2009. He has also held positions within President Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate and White House campaigns.
“Illinois needs a strong leader to solve our state’s chronic problems. Bill Daley is someone who will make the tough decisions we need to get our economy moving, reform our government, and educate our children. I’m thrilled to be joining his campaign,” Bowen said.
Bowen would not immediately say if the move means Emanuel intends to put his weight behind the former Commerce Secretary and his White House Chief of Staff successor in the 2014 Democratic primary. However the Mayor and incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn have been at odds over many issues, primarily the development of a casino in Chicago, which Emanuel has said would raise the city millions of new dollars. All Bowen would say at the time of the interview was that he and Daley have already begun mapping a fundraising strategy that would hopefully involve many people.
More to come as it’s available.
…Adding… Ryan McLaughlin at Mac Strategies said Bowen would be taking a leave of absence to accept the position.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 7:29 am
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The gangs all here. Emanuel and the Bankster Boys are working both sides of the aisle in this race. They have Rauner in the GOP primary and Daley in the Dem.
If you’re happy with the banksters stewardship of the economy in recent years, rest assured, they’ll demonstrate the same unselfish commitment to the common good when they run the state.
Just keep telling yourself: it wasn’t the recklessness and greed of the banksters that tanked the world economy, wiping out your home equity and throwing millions out of work.
It was public employees. And food stamp cheats.
Because you can fool some of the people all of the time.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 7:55 am
Good addition. Tom is smart, experienced and not afraid to ruffle feathers when necessary.
Who is managing Quinn’s campaign?
Comment by Bardo Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 8:37 am
Stakes is High
Comment by Artis Gilmore Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 8:50 am
I’ve voted for Pat Quinn every time he has run for office because I thought he was good, decent, honest man in the cesspool that we call Illinois. However, he has shown a complete lack of management skills since becoming governor. He has had his chance for five years. I’m voting Daley for the primary and if Quinn survives, I’ll be voting for any of the GOPers ahead of Quinn except for Brady. I’m done with nice guys, let’s get something done before the state falls apart.
Comment by Niles Township Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 8:53 am
===Who is managing Quinn’s campaign?===
Pat. Quinn.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 8:53 am
===Who is managing Quinn’s campaign?===
Pat. Quinn. –
And whoever he talked to last at any given moment.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 8:55 am
I’m sure US Senator Alexi Giannoulias gave Tom Bowen a glowing recommendation….
…wait.
Comment by Empty Chair Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 9:39 am
Empty Chair, Bowen managed Alexi’s primary and then managed Claypool’s campaign in the general. He won his part of the race for Alexi.
Comment by J Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 9:42 am
J … it wasn’t Bowen’s idea to leave Alexi after the primary it was Alexi and the rest who saw what a train wreck Bowen had created.
Comment by Spliff Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 9:51 am
J - Do you know if he got a recommendation from Cook County Assessor Forest Claypool?
Comment by Empty Chair Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 10:29 am
Wow, the Dem campaign community is catty this morning …
Comment by ZC Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 10:37 am
Bowen’s appointment makes Daley’s campaign real.
Comment by David Ormsby Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 10:44 am
Yeah, it was a huge disgrace that Tom Bowen’s inept management got Forrest Claypool within 400 votes of Berrios — with Claypool running as an independent against the Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party.
That Bowen guy must be horrible at his job.
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 11:03 am
Soccermom, Berrios beat Claypool by well over 200,000 votes. Granted it was a tough spot, but it wasn’t close.
Comment by Snucka Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 11:10 am
Snucka — those are the numbers I found on the cook county election results website.
Oh duh - my bad. I forgot that the cook county site doesn’t include city numbers. sorry. (not enough coffee this morning…)
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 11:40 am
Bowen did a poor job for Alexi and Forrest. The Quigley race didn’t take much effort because Quigley led from start to finish by roughly the same margin.
His signature win was Bill Foster over Jim Oberweis. He joined numerous campaign managers who’ve had the opportunity to beat Jim Oberweis.
Comment by Rahm'sMiddleFinger Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 11:44 am
Would be a little worried if everyone had nothing but nice to say about any political pro… Would be a sign that a horseman was about to get on his mount and blow a trumpet.
Don’t always agree with the guys Tom works for (I am a Republican) but Tom is a good guy, I think he is a good fit with Daley…
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 11:51 am
Tom Bowen is one of the top campaign operatives in the state. It’s a coup for Daley to get him on board.
It’s funny that when candidates lose, nobody blames the candidate, and when they win, nobody gives the manager much credit. Neither Giannoulias nor Claypool were perfect candidates, they each contributed greatly to their own demise. Trying to pin those losses solely on Bowen is pathetic.
It’s game on now, and Bowen likes to throw punches. Quinn better keep his hands up because this just got real.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 12:44 pm
I think this is a good move by the Daley campaign. I was really wondering if Daley was losing steam. I question: Is it too little too late: and, does this make it more or less likely that the Daley campaign will become a real statewide campaign or just even more Chicago-centric than before?
Comment by Hey There Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 1:42 pm
Who cares if its Claypool, Bowen, blah, blah, blah?
What do they do for anyone? they run for office, they cash checks — so what?
Perhaps it’s time we comfortable progressives try to advance the ball a little bit
If two-terms of Obama is the height of progressive, I’m definitely not happy.
This generation has a rendevous with destiny. Anyone who has a brain in their head can see the the Big Banks are robbing us.
It’s up to us, like Volcker and Greenspan have said, to break them up and save republican democracy.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 5:51 pm
Who was Berrios’ manager at the time? Was he available?
Comment by Original Rambler Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 8:02 pm
Scott Cisek was Berrios’ campaign manager. He is the ED of the Cook County Dem Party. He was Toni Prekwinkle’s campaign manager. Also won a campaign for Gary Forby. Scott is the real deal.
Comment by LittleLebowskiUrbanAchiever Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 8:09 pm
Oh Boy–now THIS move should put William D. over the top for SURE…(Snarky, in case ya didn’t pick up on it)…!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 8:20 pm
Best move for Daley would be bring a top-notch downstate manager on board, since downstate will likely be the decisive region in this tight primary.
Comment by NW Illinois Dem Wednesday, Sep 4, 13 @ 8:50 pm