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* Tribune…
The field to replace retiring Democratic U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez shrank Tuesday as Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa dropped out and backed Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
Garcia adds Ramirez-Rosa’s endorsement to those of Gutierrez and progressive Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders as the commissioner tries to position himself as the front-runner to represent the barbell-shaped district that includes chunks of Chicago’s Northwest and Southwest sides.
Last month, a Democratic polling firm released a survey that showed Garcia with a big early lead in the late-developing contest. Garcia enjoys wide name recognition in the city following his loss in the 2015 mayor’s race. […]
“My campaign, like a modern, effective campaign, conducted an internal benchmark poll,” Ramirez-Rosa said while appearing with Garcia at a Near West Side union hall. “What that benchmark poll showed was that if there were a path forward it would require dividing and splitting the progressive movement. And we need a unified progressive movement if we’re going to take on Donald Trump.”
* On to the Silverstein race…
A challenge to state Sen. Ira Silverstein’s re-election bid will spill into Wednesday, after a hearing officer OK’d testimony from a handwriting expert in a last-ditch effort to keep the Chicago Democrat on the ballot by reviving petitions signatures that had been deemed invalid. […]
A preliminary examination of Silverstein’s petitions raised questions about enough of the signatures to leave him about 45 short of the 1,000 needed to make the ballot.
On Wednesday, Silverstein’s lawyer presented about 130 affidavits attesting to the validity of individual signatures that had been called into question. A hearing officer was convinced by only 26 of them.
Silverstein’s lawyer, longtime election attorney James Nally, called the hearing officer’s high rate of dismissal unusual, and he asked to bring in a handwriting expert. They’re due back for a second hearing Wednesday afternoon.
* One of Silverstein’s opponents just received yet another big endorsement…
The Equality Illinois PAC endorses Ram Villivalam for state senator of Illinois’ 8th Senate district and urges voters to support him in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, March 20.
The Equality Illinois PAC is the statewide political action committee dedicated to advancing justice and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Illinoisans through engagement in the electoral process.
“Ram Villivalam will be a champion for all residents of the 8th district, including LGBTQ residents,” said John Litchfield, chair of the Equality Illinois PAC. “Villivalam’s record of pro-equality leadership speaks for itself. As Outreach Coordinator for U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, he worked with legislative staff to introduce legislation that would protect and expand the rights of LGBTQ people. As Legislative Coordinator at SEIU Healthcare, Villivalam supported LGBTQ-affirming legislation on behalf of the union. We know he will be a champion for the LGBTQ residents of the 8th district.”
“We also recognize the unusual nature of this primary, in which Villivalam is challenging incumbent State Sen. Ira Silverstein. However, as major pro-equality legislation has advanced through the legislative process since 2010, Sen. Silverstein has not been a leader for LGBTQ people,” said Litchfield. “Sen. Silverstein was the only state senator to vote present on civil unions legislation in 2010. He did not vote at all when the marriage equality bill came for Senate votes twice in 2013. Silverstein did not vote to protect LGBTQ youth from harmful, discredited conversion therapy in 2015. And he did not vote to modernize the state’s birth certificate law consistent with modern standards of medical care and to ban the anti-LGBTQ panic defense in 2017.
* On to 2019…
Former Chicago police Superintendent Garry McCarthy has launched a website and scheduled a campaign fundraiser for next month as he continues to take steps toward challenging Mayor Rahm Emanuel next year.
The native New Yorker, who ran the Chicago Police Department for more than four years before Emanuel fired him, said he’s “very close” to making a decision while acknowledging a campaign would need to be a “yearlong event” ahead of the February 2019 election.
In September, an exploratory committee bearing McCarthy’s name was formed, and the former top cop has said the group has worked to convince him to take on Emanuel. The committee is circulating invitations for a Feb. 11 fundraiser that feature a photo of a smiling McCarthy wearing a dark suit, red tie and American flag lapel pin.
* Related…
* IL GOP hands out Rauner funds before March 20th primary
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 12:36 pm
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Rosa dropped out because his internals showed he couldn’t carry his own ward. I’m hearing rumors a few people are gearing up to run against Carlos.
Comment by Chuy Love Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 12:41 pm
I look forward to CR-R claiming the progressive mantle and running against Rahm in 2019.
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 12:42 pm
So Gerry McCarthy still hasn’t announced a decision on whether he’s running for Mayor, but he has started a website and will hold a campaign fundraiser next month?
Comment by Christopher Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 12:47 pm
I wonder if McCarthy’s business partner, Rick Simon, is helping on his alleged mayoral campaign.
Simon has some fat city contracts, despite a rather colorful past.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 12:50 pm
Carlos is not popular. He hates progress.
Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 12:50 pm
Why Gerry is running is a mystery, since he has no chance of beating Rahm’s Machine. Gerry has to also overcome his reputation with Chicago P.D., and it’s officers, who saw Gerry as an outsider who sold them out several times.
Comment by revvedup Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 1:10 pm
I hadn’t realized that Silverstein was so cautious or conservative that he couldn’t even vote for civil unions, much less marriage equality.
Comment by anon2 Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 1:13 pm
== a rather colorful past ==
You can say that again, Word.
Just not sure what McCarthy’s path is. Does nonstop fawning from Mike Sneed translate into that many votes?
Comment by Roman Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 1:16 pm
If you had stock in Carlos Ramirez-Rosa… and didn’t sell after the LG debacle… you are now holding worthless paper.
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa has very little political acumen and very large hubris.
“Exiting” like this, now Carlos Ramirez-Rosa looks like a wanna-be opportunist.
Maybe looks like is too… polite.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 1:18 pm
=you are now holding worthless paper=
=Maybe looks like is too… polite.=
Yes. One of the few times I would agree with you.
Progressives need to find a solid middle ground between the exciting Bernie-ish agitators/internet/twitter stars with their purity tests and the party establishment types.
One could say the same thing about Republicans with the Bannon/Trump/Blaze/Proft types and the Bush family types….
Comment by m Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 1:33 pm
I just don’t get this McCarthy thing at all. What popularity does he think he has and who exactly does he think his base is?
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 1:55 pm
Rumor is CRR is looking for another position to run in the City. Clearly, he’s not interested in creating long lasting change in his ward, just to elevate his image. It’s quite sad.
Comment by Politix Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 2:13 pm
I can’t wait until someone asks McCarthy when he saw the tape.
Comment by James the Intolerant Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 2:22 pm
McCarthy has no chance. No chance he runs.
Comment by DeseDemDose Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 2:25 pm
Man, a lot of knives out there for Alderman Ramirez-Rosa today.
Before too many people jump on him for joining the race, then leaving it fast … that’s the only way anyone COULD join this race, thanks to the last-minute-withdrawal stunt that Rep. Gutierrez pulled. You basically had to rush to get your petitions in, before you could then competently poll the race, and see if anyone had a chance vs. Chuy.
In a normal race you could ask, “Why did Ramirez-Rosa ever get in?” but if you think it was a weird maneuver, in this case, blame Gutierrez, IMHO. I’m reasonably sure if Gutierrez had given the field more of a heads-up, CRR would never have gotten in to start.
Comment by ZC Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 2:28 pm
===Man, a lot of knives out there for Alderman Ramirez-Rosa today.===
His lack of talent and his over-abundance of hubris allows for a fair judging.
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa is out for himself, lacks maturity to seeing the playing field honestly to his ambitions, and really isn’t a team player.
You make decisions and stumble with that as your visible persona, not many bouquets will be thrown.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 2:40 pm
“Silverstein’s lawyer presented about 130 affidavits attesting to the validity of individual signatures that had been called into question. A hearing officer was convinced by only 26 of them.”
Perjury and forgery can both be charged as felonies.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 2:48 pm
C Ramirez-Rosa, the hire as I say not as I hire guy.
At least Silverstein has a good lawyer, Nally, a smart, peach of a guy.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 3:22 pm
** I’m reasonably sure if Gutierrez had given the field more of a heads-up, CRR would never have gotten in to start.**
I’m reasonably sure that the only person that thought Carlos Ramirez-Rosa had a chance of winning the primary was Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. No matter when Guttierez got out of the race.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 4:40 pm
The posters on this site really have it out for Carlos Ramirez Rosa.
I think that as long as Carlos does good to great constituent service, tries to steer clear of unnecessary controversies, and stands with progressive, popular movements and unions, he’ll be re-elected. Carlos should wait a few years (4 or 5 years) before he runs for another office, and in that time he may have more clout and depending on the 2019 City election, more allies.
Comment by Chicagoan C Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 7:18 pm
“I am DeGroot: Bruce Rauner and the party that he controls…”
Comment by Hyperbolic Chamber Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 8:42 pm
==Rumor is CRR is looking for another position to run in the City.==
Sales Manager at Berman Nissan.
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Jan 9, 18 @ 10:23 pm
McCarthy only wants to stick a thumb in the Mayor’s eye for making him the scape goat. I don’t blame him either.
Comment by Not It Wednesday, Jan 10, 18 @ 3:02 am
MrJM - “non genuine” signature rulings at the record exam stage often come from people printing their names on the petition (instead of signing) such that it doesn’t look like the signature on the voter registration. Those are the ones that are generally amenable to rehabilitating with affidavits.
Lawyer Nally has been around the election game for quite a while, and is a pretty square shooter. It would be very surprising if he were (knowingly) pushing forged signatures/affidavits.
Comment by titan Wednesday, Jan 10, 18 @ 8:26 am