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* I do not think I have ever seen this from a governor before. Your thoughts?…
Today, on the first day of early voting, Governor JB Pritzker announced his endorsements across several Chicago City Council races.
“With early voting beginning today, I am pleased to offer my strong endorsement of these local leaders,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am confident in their abilities to guide their communities with tenacity and deliver for their constituents. I look forward to working with each and every one of these leaders to continue improving the lives of working families across Chicago.”
Chicago City Council Endorsements
3rd Ward - Pat Dowell
4th Ward - Lamont Robinson
6th Ward - William E. Hall
8th Ward - Michelle A. Harris
9th Ward - Anthony A. Beale
11th Ward - Nicole Lee
16th Ward - Stephanie D. Coleman
21st Ward - Ronnie L. Mosley
22nd Ward - Michael D. Rodriguez
24th Ward - Monique L. Scott
27th Ward - Walter Burnett, Jr
28th Ward - Jason C. Ervin
29th Ward - Chris Taliaferro
33rd Ward - Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez
34th Ward - Bill Conway
35th Ward - Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
37th Ward - Emma M. Mitts
39th Ward - Samantha Nugent
44th Ward - Bennett R. Lawson
46th Ward - Kim Walz
49th Ward - Maria Hadden
50th Ward - Debra Silverstein
* Politico…
“Conversations are ongoing,” according to a person familiar with the governor’s political endeavors. “He’s endorsing a diverse slate of candidates who share his Democratic values and who he can partner with at the local level.”
With that in mind. Missing from the endorsement list are right-leaning aldermanic incumbents, including Raymond Lopez (15th), Nick Sposato (38th) and Anthony Napolitano (41st). And Ald. Derrick Curtis didn’t make it on the list either. Those recent headlines about accidental shootings didn’t do him any favors.
*** UPDATE *** CBS News interviewed the governor a couple of days ago, and he said he wasn’t getting involved in the first round of the mayor’s race…
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker tells @edokeefe he’s not getting involved in the Chicago mayoral race.
“What's most important to me is that whoever the mayor is… that there's somebody who was willing to work with the governor of the state because there's so much we can get done…” pic.twitter.com/np59rTtkGR
— aaron navarro (@aaronlarnavarro) January 24, 2023
…Adding… Greg Hinz…
It’s unclear if Pritzker will follow up his City Council endorsements with campaign cash, but the governor has not been shy in past cycles about throwing his billions to candidates he supports.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for Pritzker said no contributions “as of today” and “conversations are still ongoing” with other potential City Council Candidates.
Kim Walz trumpeted her endorsement this afternoon.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 8:51 am
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It’s a head scratcher. Why get involved with endorsements in Alderperson races?
Mayor? Sure
Citywide? I guess?
While it is quite true that ONE city ward has a population the same or greater than many downstate counties, this is 1/50th of the 3rd largest city in America, and unless we’re all talking about a race where a specific opponent is truly terrible (like with the GOP and a candidate for congress that was a national socialist) it’s a weird way to “reward”?
Send a check, send bodies to walk…
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:04 am
CRR isn’t necessarily surprising, but a little interesting.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:06 am
“CRR isn’t necessarily surprising, but a little interesting.”
He is running unopposed, so that simplifies things. I find Rodriguez Sanchez more interesting.
I can’t help but read this list and try to see if it tells me anything about where Pritzker is on the mayoral race. There’s a mix of Lightfoot loyalists and Lightfoot enemies. I could see him holding off until the runoff to weigh in.
Comment by Montrose Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:09 am
the same Bill Conway who ran and lost against Kim Foxx for Cook County State’s Attorney? interesting.
Comment by Up and Down Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:09 am
Gardiner also not endorsed (45th).
Comment by Big Dipper Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:10 am
Are you really surprised? I’m mean he has basically bought the governor’s office and state offices having spent over $350 million. Now onto buying alderman spots. Expect to see him start endorsing Mayors and buying them. He has no problem buying people to push his radical agenda!
Comment by What Else Can I Buy Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:16 am
===I find Rodriguez Sanchez more interesting.===
Same here.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:16 am
If Pritzker has a specific vision for Chicago government, he should lay it out in more detail. If these are ad hoc decisions based on political horse-trading, he should be doing less of that.
Comment by vern Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:19 am
Agree with OW. Send bodies or a check.
Comment by Jerry Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:21 am
Get local to go national. JB has presidential aspirations and with Chicago a contender for the 2024 Dem Convention, it makes sense to secure max local support. A Chicago convention with him in the spotlight backed by unified local and state support would be a huge boost to his national appeal.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:27 am
Take two…was so excitedly perplexed I used banned punctuation.
I am agog (insert banned punctuation). Why endorse in multiple uncontested races like Dowell, Burnett, Ervin, Ramirez Rosa, or Bennett Lawson?
Some of the others make obvious sense for political horse trading but so interesting a (not particularly needed) move on some of them.
Comment by ChicagoBars Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:45 am
One missing endorsement that surprises me is 43rd ward. There are several people running and the incumbent, Timothy Knudsen, was appointed into the position last year. That typically results in a competitive race. Knudsen looks to be very close to State Rep. Croke (He worked for her husband’s law firm.) I always think of Croke as being tight with Pritzker. I have to wonder if another candidate or two has ties to Pritzker.
I also doe see Brendan Riley, 42nd Ward, on the list of endorsements.
Comment by City Guy Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:46 am
good that Pritzker stayed out of some races. maybe there’s hope that in those races change can happen and he does not want to turn up the right wing in public. maybe he can do things in private. the Fox News/Trump loving guys need to go. And hoping Conway makes it into the City Council. He is a bright guy.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:49 am
== I’m mean he has basically bought the governor’s office and state offices having spent over $350 million.==
Another victim heard from.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:51 am
Citizens United is only a threat to Democracy if the billionaires are funding Republican candidates
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:54 am
Smart ,might as well own the city council in case his mayoral choice does not win
Comment by Bump Cola Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:55 am
=== I’m mean he has basically bought the governor’s office and state offices having spent over $350 million. Now onto buying alderman spots. Expect to see him start endorsing Mayors and buying them.===
How darling, ignoring that voters voted, and rejected… Bailey, DeVore, et al.
“I mean”, if you want to be a victim to, say, democracy…
Governors have endorsed big city mayors in their state, it’s a head scratcher to the 1/50th of the Chicago city council level, but not “buying” an alderperson…
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 9:59 am
=== are funding Republican candidates===
- LP -
You are on record here, time and again, supporting Bailey policies at every turn, you’d think you would appreciate Pritzker educating GOP voters on policies you wholeheartedly agreed with Bailey.
It was 56+% of the voters that made Bailey the nominee.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 10:01 am
The Governor has not been shy about exerting his political influence at all levels. I think it’s important to remember that in a post-Madigan world, there remains a long list of folks trying to fill that power vacuum.
Ald. Matt Martin would have also been an easy endorsement because he’s unopposed…but then again he’s currently in an ethics battle with the Mayor.
Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 10:02 am
===A Chicago convention with him in the spotlight backed by unified local and state support would be a huge boost to his national appeal.===
lol, exactly which Dems will be against Chicago hosting the convection and be against this or any governor trying to secure such an event?
You think way too small
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 10:03 am
Hey, where’s my ward?
Comment by JoanP Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 10:18 am
The one that jumps out to me is the absence of Andre Vasquez in the 40th.
Comment by ZC Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 10:18 am
What’s also notably missing is Ward 23 - Silvana Tabares v. Eddie Guillen. I think Silvana has represented and worked that district hard. Why didn’t JBP endorse her?
Comment by Suburban Operative Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 10:19 am
== Citizens United is only a threat to Democracy if the billionaires are funding Republican candidates==
Citizen’s United is a threat either way, but it’s also the law, and while your ideas are so garbage that you need Democrats to play the game on a harder difficulty setting to ever even have a chance, we’re not gonna tie one hand behind our back just to help you out.
I would also think that you guys could ask President Hillary Clinton about the dangers in assuming that the most money always wins, but what the bell, you ignore any inconvenient facts anyway.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 10:36 am
A lot of good questions in this thread of “why didn’t JB endorse Alderman XYZ?” These are the kinds of questions he should expect after making an unexplained list of endorsements.
For the folks saying that this is a way to show national strength or build power, I’m not convinced. The best way to establish a “unified front” would be to not pick fights or get involved. Endorsements are risks, and I don’t think JB has a history of doing his due diligence before taking those risks. Maybe this list makes him more or better friends than it loses, but we won’t entirely know until April. There are good reasons why governors have traditionally stayed out of these races.
Comment by vern Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 11:10 am
** Citizens United is only a threat to Democracy if the billionaires are funding Republican candidates**
Tell me you don’t have any understanding of Citizens United without telling me.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 11:21 am
I’m guessing a lot of these folks asked for an endorsement. Pritzker is popular and helpful on a mailer. Why shouldn’t he endorse when many of these folks endorsed him?
Comment by New Day 2023 Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 11:26 am
It’s unusual but JB really is the top boss of Illinois Democrats now that Mike Madigan is gone. JB has been a top donor to many Illinois Democrats . JB has been a top donor to many Minnesota Democrats in 2022. If JB wanted to run in 2024 or 2028 for president he couldn’t go wrong with this strategy.
Comment by Steve Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 12:09 pm
== The best way to establish a “unified front” would be to not pick fights or get involved.==
I don’t think that’s quite right. The best way to build and demonstrate power is to *win* fights, which naturally means you have to engage in the fights. A boat in the harbor is safe, but that’s not where boats are meant to go.
That being said, I would agree that this isn’t about 2024 or 2028, but rather his other goal of being the undisputed center of Illinois Democrats.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 12:09 pm
=== It’s unusual but JB really is the top boss of Illinois Democrats now that Mike Madigan is gone.===
While true, Pritzker has take the usual position of party leader governors generally enjoy, the local-local street muni election aspect here is an unusual step, by its measure, as I can’t remember such things in the past.
=== If JB wanted to run in 2024 or 2028 for president he couldn’t go wrong with this strategy.===
Al Gore lost Tennessee, his “home state” and a state that had he won coulda changed things.
You believe Pritzker can’t carry Illinois in a future thought?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 12:22 pm
One person controlling the party is bad when it’s Madigan, admirable when it’s Pritzker? I would just like to know how people reconcile that. JB doesn’t have to get involved with these races. He is choosing to. If you were celebrating MJM’s departure because the system should be open to more and not controlled by one man, you shouldn’t be letting JB off the hook.
Comment by Torco Sign Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 12:40 pm
Hey JB,
Why not endorse in my ward (10th)?
Good candidates are on the ballot?
just wondering?
Comment by 10th ward Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 1:55 pm
New Day 2023,
Find your own handle, please.
Comment by New Day Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 2:21 pm
Notably missing from the list of endorsements is 19th Ward Alderman Matt O’Shea, who is running for a fourth term.
Comment by MrGrassroots Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 2:22 pm
The gov’s political team loves playing politics. Why endorse in these races? This is politics. So sure. Seems beneath the office to endorse Aldercreatures, but whatever. Glad he endorsed some of my preferred folks I guess.
Comment by New Day Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 2:23 pm
-You believe Pritzker can’t carry Illinois in a future thought?-
I believe JB can win in Illinois as long as is wants to run for Governor or president.
Comment by Steve Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 2:36 pm
hoping some Gov $ finds the way into races where he has not endorsed. the non endorsements are strategic in some cases where his endorsement would not help. but the money would help. wonder what other organizations can help fund. needed.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 4:59 pm