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No state in the nation needs a revolution more than Illinois.
When you declare war on a political party, you can be sure its leaders will respond at a nuclear level.
The Kennedy campaign must organize a voter revolt.
Will voters even show up? As Kennedy noted, 500,000 people voted in Illinois’ last Democratic gubernatorial primary, out of 12.8 million statewide.
“The winner only needed 2 percent of the people in the state to win. That makes our government incredibly susceptible to a small number of people controlling the outcome of every election.”
Those people don’t plan to give that up.
Will beaten-down, cynical voters respond to reform in the age of Bruce Rauner and Donald J. Trump?
Or is the time for “Yes, We Can” long gone?
* Speaking of “Yes, We Can,” Dolores Huerta coined the phrase “sí se puede.” From the Kennedy campaign…
Dolores Huerta is a civil rights and labor icon. In 1988, when César Shavez held a 36-day fast to highlight the harmful impact of pesticides on farmworkers, he was joined by Chris’s mother, Ethel Kennedy, and her children, including Chris. Chris fasted in solidarity with César for three days. We all stood behind César because we loved him and we believed in his fight for justice. Now, Dolores is fully behind Chris’s gubernatorial run.
* Kennedy did a fundraising e-mail about that Washington column…
It’s no secret that Illinois government is broken.
The reality is there are many people among us who think our state government is currently a model for dysfunction and that there’s nothing we can do to change it.
It does not have to be this way. We can all join together to change our government and fix our broken system
If we are complacent with the political system we have today, then we are complicit in losing our democratic values.
Just like my dad said, “we are all part of the great tradition, that great legacy of change, and improvement in America.”
* Moving on and speaking of fundraisers, this Erika Harold pitch was sent by “Erika’s iPad” the other day…
We’re quickly approaching the end of the month, which means we have to file another finance report showing the growth of our operation. So, whatever you contribute today will help us on the road and will show the strength of our team.
Would you consider chipping in to get us to our October deadline?
There is no end-of-October deadline for filing campaign finance reports with the Illinois State Board of Elections. In fact, the last deadline for filing major reports occurred Monday — four days before the latest email was sent — when candidates had to report contributions and expenses from July 1 to Sept. 30. […]
Harold, seeking the post Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan is leaving after four terms, has reported raising $153,755. That figure includes $41,850 in assistance from the Illinois Republican Party with some of the help paying for “fundraising consulting,” which typically includes email cash solicitations.
But as far as the end of October being an important deadline?
Trick or treat.
* And from the Biss campaign…
Today, Daniel Biss announced the endorsement of State Representative Ann Williams.
“I’m proud to endorse Daniel Biss for governor of Illinois,” said Ann Williams. “During our time in the legislature, Daniel has been a leader and engaged partner in so many critical fights: protecting our environment, advocating for equality for the LGBTQ community, and securing the economic and reproductive rights of women. I’ve also seen Daniel’s dedication as we’ve tackled the many consumer protection issues that pose serious challenges in our rapidly changing 21st century economy.
“When consumer protection laws fall behind new technologies, it’s working and middle class families who pay the price. That’s why, rather than trusting corporations to exercise good judgment in handling ever-increasing amounts of data, Daniel and I have passed legislation to protect Illinois families from the devastating effects of data breaches, identity theft, and reckless banking practices.
“This is why we need a leader like Daniel—someone with a track record of identifying the problems of tomorrow and galvanizing people to tackle them today. His foresight and dedication, grounded in a personal understanding of the barriers and threats facing middle class families today, have made him an effective legislator and grassroots organizer and will make him an excellent governor.”
“It’s an honor to receive Ann Williams’ endorsement,” said Daniel Biss. “Ann has earned a reputation for always looking one step ahead, whether she’s enacting consumer protection legislation amidst an ever-changing landscape of technology, organizing legislators to fight for a renewable energy and pollution-free future, or introducing proposals to replace last-minute, crisis-driven budgets with long-term fiscal responsibility.
“With a discerning eye and commitment to justice that transcends the political spotlight, Ann has also been an unwavering advocate for the rights of women and LGBTQ Illinoisans, uprooting discriminatory policies of the past and paving the path towards an equitable future. It’s been a pleasure learning from and working with Ann in the legislature, and I look forward to continuing to organize around our progressive values when I’m governor.”
Williams contributed $1,000 to Biss last month.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 1:25 pm
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This is rich talk coming from the Daley candidate.
Comment by Moderate Condor Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 1:29 pm
If Kennedy can’t raise a lot of cash in a very short time, it is fair to say the “revolution” will not be televised.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 1:31 pm
“Revolution … declare war … nuclear level … revolt”.
Journalists need to find better ways to describe politics. It’s lazy, trite, and potentially harmful to write up politics like it’s a literal battlefield. One crass metaphor I’d let go, but she makes it sound like she’s wearing a flak jacket on the front lines.
People internalize stuff like this.
Comment by PJ Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 1:34 pm
This makes total sense…
Revolutions need funding to exist.
Movements are about people overcoming challenges like money.
So, this makes complete sense to me.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 1:38 pm
When they get back in session this week theu need yo do a cspitol budget for the re-approps. Thats money other than GRF that is gathered anf spent annually for capitol improvement purposes. Its non-bonded. The money is already in the fund. Its not controversial. And it pays for stewardship of wildlife areas. The cleanup and cleanout of highly combustible invasive species. Seen any Sonoma Valley fires on tv? Wr need a capitol budget that has the reappr
AND it pays for land stewardship. I.e. cleanup and vleanout of highly combustible wildlife areas
Comment by Team Warwick Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 1:43 pm
lol Cesar Shavez….
Comment by anon Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 1:48 pm
Speaking of broken,
His name is “Chavez” not “Shavez.”
Typical fail.
Comment by Thomas Paine Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 1:52 pm
Not to rain on Harold’s parade, but first there’s “check your brakes”, now this fake October deadline. Is her campaign ready for prime time? Seems like unforced errors.
Comment by DarkHorse Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 2:04 pm
If Kennedy talks like this, he may get elected. Pritzker is super status quo. Hard to pull the lever on him, when I know our state has deep problems.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 2:11 pm
Nothing says “fighting the Democratic establishment” like a Kennedy hiring a Daley to raise money for him.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 2:32 pm
The voters arrived to participate in Kennedys revolutionrevolution, but Kennedy was late, and was unprepared, so they went home.
Kennedy, because lazy men deserve to get votes too…..
Comment by Ghost Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 3:11 pm
===Nothing says “fighting the Democratic establishment” like a Kennedy hiring a Daley to raise money for him===
This from Arsenal x 1000. So Pritzker is supposed to be the “status quo” candidate, but team Kennedy/Daley is the vanguard of the revolution? Pawar, now I could believe it coming from him. Maybe even Biss. But a Kennedy with a Daley running the show?
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 3:21 pm
Will voters show up for the primary?
Not if they have to publicly declare a party and know that it may be used against them later if their choice of candidate is not liked by the powers that be. I love how IL taxpayers have to support part of the political patronage game in IL. If parties want to keep track of who votes for X, Y, and Z, let the parties pay for the primary themselves.
Comment by Nobody Sent Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 3:23 pm
===Not if they have to publicly declare a party and know that it may be used against them later if their choice of candidate is not liked by the powers that be===
… and yet hundreds of thousands will vote, declaring a party.
Hmm.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 3:25 pm
==Not if they have to publicly declare a party==
What, exactly, is the alternative? If you want to vote in the Democratic Primary, you’ll need to at least tell someone that.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 3:26 pm
Kennedy’s strategy has a math problem. He’s trying to win the Democratic nomination for Governor by running against Mike Madigan and to a lesser extent Joe Berrios, and frankly not much else. Some recent non-public polling (as they say subscribers know more) had Mike Madigan above water on fav/unfav with Democratic primary voters and his unfav numbers were well below 50%.
Maybe not all Democratic primary voters are open to a Pritzker candidacy but most of his messaging has been about running against Bruce Rauner, something just about all Democratic primary voters want to see so his pool of potential votes is something approaching 100% of the universe. Conversely Kennedy’s anti-Madigan message has a much smaller pool of potential voters, he needs to run the table with those and hope that a really large number of voters aren’t willing to vote for Pritzker for some reason. Mathematically Kennedy’s strategy doens’t make a ton of sense, his anti-establishment message can be an element of his overall campaign strategy but it needs to be paired with something else that is much stronger and has much broader appeal within the party.
Comment by The Captain Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 3:44 pm
Dolores Huerta is wonderful. A true pioneer.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 3:45 pm
If anyone doubts that JB is not going to be more of the same- look at two endorsements - the SpeKer and AfSCME. The last thing Illinois can afford is a Governor Pritzker
Comment by Sue Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 4:11 pm
=== look at two endorsements - the SpeKer and AfSCME===
AFSCME hasn’t endorsed.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 4:12 pm
I legitimately have no decisive opinion on this primary now that my client dropped out. I said this to a friend earlier today:
If I had to take a position I’d say that we’ve had a lot of exciting Democrats, and clever ones. It hasn’t worked out very well. And while no one can accuse me of being a fan of the Speaker or Mayor, they certainly are…”pretty good.” JB strikes me as exactly that. Maybe it’s time to just be pretty good instead of clever or
Comment by Will Caskey Monday, Oct 23, 17 @ 6:35 pm