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* Treasurer Mike Frerichs endorsed Sen. Kwame Raoul yesterday and they went to Urbana to talk about it…
Also Tuesday, Raoul said that House Speaker Michael Madigan should step down as head of the Democratic Party of Illinois as a way to “refresh” the party leadership.
But Frerichs declined to take a similar position.
“Today I’m here to talk about supporting Sen. Kwame Raoul and how he reflects the new generation here,” Frerichs said.
Raoul, however, was eager to address the issue, equating Madigan’s 20 years as head of the state Democratic Party with the long political history of Pat Quinn, his chief opponent for attorney general. […]
“I think it’s a healthy thing for us to refresh leadership whether it’s the Democratic Party or Republican Party,” Raoul said. “I’m running against somebody who has run for office every cycle since (Democrat Michael) Dukakis was running for president (in 1988). There’s something wrong with that, and I think we’re in a relay race. I think advocating for people and fighting for good policy is a relay race. And in a relay race you pass the baton.”
* Former Gov. Pat Quinn also repeated his call yesterday for Madigan to step aside…
This morning Quinn, a Democrat who wants to succeed Madigan’s daughter Lisa as Illinois Attorney General, told “The Big John and Ramblin’ Ray Show” that Madigan should step down as party chairman.
“Well, I don’t think he should be the chairman of the Democratic Party”, said Quinn. ” As a matter of fact I think the voters in the primary ought to have a chance to vote for the chairman of the Democratic Party. I believe it term limits. I’ve been passing petitions for that over the years. I think reasonable term limits are needed for everybody and that includes running for Governor and Attorney General.”
* Back to Raoul, Sharon Fairley called on him to return campaign contributions from Senate President John Cullerton…
Fairley took issue with Cullerton’s financial support for state Sen. Ira Silverstein, who was cleared of sexual harassment allegations by the legislative inspector general but was found to have behaved in conduct “unbecoming of a legislator.”
“If elected, Senator Raoul would be indebted to one of the most powerful politicians in Illinois on Day One of his administration,” Fairley said in a statement. Fairley helped establish the city’s new Civilian Office of Police Accountability, an agency created in response to the scandal surrounding the shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald by a white police officer.
A Raoul campaign spokesman dismissed the attack, noting Fairley has put more than $420,000 into the contest.
“We’re not going to take campaign finance advice from someone who has donated nearly a half-million dollars to her own campaign,” said spokesman Ron Holmes.
* Related…
* Ald Sawyer: Look at term limit for Speaker Madigan: After getting a question at the City Club asking why Democrats don’t stand up to Madigan, Sawyer said “People have a concern about 40 years or 80 years combined in the same thing to be a problem. We need occasional breadth of leadership. I don’t have a personal problem with Speaker Madigan. I just follow my own tune. I vote based on my own conscience and I support people based on how I work and not necessarily on someone telling me I have to do that.”
* Frerichs Endorses Kwame Raoul in Attorney General Race
* Jim Dey: In like Quinn? That’s the fear of younger generation: If Quinn gets in, the Democrats’ geezer generation will further cement itself in control, leaving a younger generation of party politicos angry, frustrated and, most importantly, powerless.
* VIDEO: Attorney General Candidate (D) Kwame Raoul
* PJ Star Endorsement: Sharon Fairley for attorney general, Democrats
* PJ Star Endorsement: Erika Harold for attorney general, GOP
* Meet the 8 Democrats hoping to replace Lisa Madigan as attorney general
* Fairley brings history of fighting for justice to AG race
* Grasso says he is GOP’s best AG candidate: And he does not support the legalization of marijuana, saying it would require “heavy bureaucracy.” “We can’t afford it at this time,” he said. “If we’re going to talk about drugs, let’s solve the heroin and opioid problem first. We have way too many problems to take care of first.”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 7, 18 @ 11:25 am
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So if a candidate self funds, her opponent should be able to take money from any donors her wants, no matter how questionable the source.
-Kwame Raoul, basically
Comment by ruce brauner Wednesday, Mar 7, 18 @ 11:56 am
Fascinating to see how Kwame Raoul is turning on the Speaker very late in the game.
The polling must be telling his association with the establishment is toxic- even in a Democratic primary.
JB’s refusal is also telling as he is inextricably linked to the most unpopular politician in Illinois.
He certainly does not look like a Governor who can stand up to Madigan and be in charge.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Mar 7, 18 @ 12:41 pm
If Raoul really thinks it’s time to pass the baton, does he want Cullerton to retire, too? Or are some veterans exempt from baton passing?
Comment by anon2 Wednesday, Mar 7, 18 @ 1:10 pm
=== If Quinn gets in, the Democrats’ geezer generation will further cement itself, leaving a younger generation of party politicos angry, frustrated and, most importantly, powerless. ===
Don’t the State Treasurer and the State Controller have any power? They aren’t members of the geezer generation. On the other hand, if voters are being told to vote against Quinn because of his age, that sounds like ageism.
Comment by anon2 Wednesday, Mar 7, 18 @ 1:15 pm
“Geezers” represent a disproportionately high proportion of primary voters. We might take exception to being told we’re disqualified for office because of age and experience.
Comment by anon2 Wednesday, Mar 7, 18 @ 1:35 pm
Not another tax and spend Democrat. I wonder who the union Democrat Pawns are going to put in office now.
Comment by Max Wednesday, Mar 7, 18 @ 9:37 pm