IL-Gov. 2018 Megathread

[Gustaf]

More "anti-Israel=antisemitic" nonsense in this thread.

I take it you didn't actually bother to read the discussion.

[Donerail]

If y'all are done? If not please move this elsewhere.

Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Hyde Park) is not seeking re-election. She's been in Springfield for upwards of three decades now, so her departure means a massive shift in Democratic leadership there.

[Kingpoleon]

Err...William Z. Foster was a diehard supporter of Stalin.

The addition that the person was Stalinist further underlines my original point.

Looks like the Stalinists were ahead of the kind moderate liberals on civil rights.

Oh, I don't think you or anyone would benefit if the elections before had always been William Z. Foster against people like John W. Davis, Alfalfa Bill, James Eastland, or others. Furthermore, MLK was always under a great deal of opposition. He never endorsed extremism on most issues, and where it appears he did, that was due to the pushing by J. Edgar Hoover to label him a radical.

[Illiniwek]

So Chris Kennedy picked Ra Joy, father of a victim of gun violence, to be his running mate? I can respect that this ticket is trying to bring about serious change for gun violence, which IS truly a big issue for Illinois. But this does seem to confirm that the party establishment is writing Kennedy off. Its tough to see how a pretty weak Kennedy will be able to overcome the machine.

[Ye We Can]

Drury drops his gubernatorial bid, appears to be in for Attorney General.

https://capitolfax.com/2017/09/19/drury-says-hes-in-the-ag-race/

[_]

Drury drops his gubernatorial bid, appears to be in for Attorney General.

https://capitolfax.com/2017/09/19/drury-says-hes-in-the-ag-race/

A much better choice than running for Governor, hopefully he's able to win the Democratic nomination.

[Ye We Can]

Drury drops his gubernatorial bid, appears to be in for Attorney General.

https://capitolfax.com/2017/09/19/drury-says-hes-in-the-ag-race/

A much better choice than running for Governor, hopefully he's able to win the Democratic nomination.

Meh. As someone in the Capitol Fax comments pointed out, he's still the same guy with no money and no friends. I doubt it.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

[JGibson]

My county, Madison, had a caucus to determine whether to have an endorsement or not.

Results, via Madison County Dems' Facebook:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Hometown guy Bob Daiber came really close to the 50%+1 for endorsement, but the 22 from Biss in East Alton likely kept either Daiber or Pritzker from getting the endorsement.


My observation: I was at the East Alton caucus, and that location had the only place in the county where Biss's votes were counted due to the 20% viability threshold.  I was on Team Biss/Wallace.

[RINO Tom]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

I'll alert the press.

[Alabama_Indy10]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

I'll alert the press.

[GlobeSoc]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

I'll alert the press.

[_]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

I'll alert the press.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

I'll alert the press.

I tried, but they didn't care either.

[Donerail]

Hometown guy Bob Daiber came really close to the 50%+1 for endorsement, but the 22 from Biss in East Alton likely kept either Daiber or Pritzker from getting the endorsement.

My observation: I was at the East Alton caucus, and that location had the only place in the county where Biss's votes were counted due to the 20% viability threshold.  I was on Team Biss/Wallace.

Were Biss voters pushed in any direction? I know CK had his people push supporters to Daiber in order to block a Pritzker endorsement.

[JGibson]

Hometown guy Bob Daiber came really close to the 50%+1 for endorsement, but the 22 from Biss in East Alton likely kept either Daiber or Pritzker from getting the endorsement.

My observation: I was at the East Alton caucus, and that location had the only place in the county where Biss's votes were counted due to the 20% viability threshold.  I was on Team Biss/Wallace.

Were Biss voters pushed in any direction? I know CK had his people push supporters to Daiber in order to block a Pritzker endorsement.

I'd imagine Biss voters either went undecided or to Daiber.

[Kingpoleon]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

I'll alert the press.

Wow! Safe R with Wulfric's endorsement. Rich Rauner/Big Bruce does very well.

[#gravelgang #lessiglad]

Rahm's mayoral challenger Chuy Garcia endorses Kennedy.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chuy-garcia-endorse-chris-kennedy-illinois-governor-448477373.html

[Blair]

Rahm's mayoral challenger Chuy Garcia endorses Kennedy.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chuy-garcia-endorse-chris-kennedy-illinois-governor-448477373.html

Kennedy's campaign has always been based around trying to run against the 'machine' (Irony never dies) ever since they ditched him; but if he can combine that with the running and picking up support from the Progressive left it at least gives him a chance.

Question: Does anyone more clued up with IL politics know what positions they wanted him to run for before? I always see it mentioned they've been trying to get him to run for years.

[#gravelgang #lessiglad]

Rahm's mayoral challenger Chuy Garcia endorses Kennedy.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chuy-garcia-endorse-chris-kennedy-illinois-governor-448477373.html

Kennedy's campaign has always been based around trying to run against the 'machine' (Irony never dies) ever since they ditched him; but if he can combine that with the running and picking up support from the Progressive left it at least gives him a chance.

Question: Does anyone more clued up with IL politics know what positions they wanted him to run for before? I always see it mentioned they've been trying to get him to run for years.

Yeah it's the height of irony for a Kennedy to try to run against the establishment, however it's defined. Strategically, it's seeming like Kennedy and his staff recognizes that his best path to victory is to try to run an outsider campaign, aiming for more progressive voters, assuming that Pawar and Biss collapse. That base plus nostalgia for the Kennedy name and his palatability to the establishment may put him over the top.

Or it could work as well as the Scott Walker 2016 presidential campaign.

As for your question, I'd wager (I'm not plugged in at all, so this is a complete guess) that he was asked to run against Kirk instead of Giannoulis after Burris's colorful time as United States Senator.

[Gass3268]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

Still do?

Rauner Signs Bill Allowing State Health Insurance, Medicaid To Cover Abortions

[KingSweden]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

Still do?

Rauner Signs Bill Allowing State Health Insurance, Medicaid To Cover Abortions

I support this, but man is Rauner taking a gamble with GOP support here. Good for him.

[_]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

Still do?

Rauner Signs Bill Allowing State Health Insurance, Medicaid To Cover Abortions

I support this, but man is Rauner taking a gamble with GOP support here. Good for him.

He's betting that Madigan will get the GOP Base out and this will help him with moderates.  I think it'll work tbh, but I'm obviously biased.

[#gravelgang #lessiglad]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

Still do?

Rauner Signs Bill Allowing State Health Insurance, Medicaid To Cover Abortions

I support this, but man is Rauner taking a gamble with GOP support here. Good for him.

He's betting that Madigan will get the GOP Base out and this will help him with moderates.  I think it'll work tbh, but I'm obviously biased.

This will work for suburbanites who care more about their pocketbook than about culture war issues. Question is, will better numbers among those voters offset any decline among those in Rauner's base who care about the culture war issues. In other words, will this gain him more "I'm socially liberal, but keep my taxes low" DuPage, Lake and Kane voters than he sheds from the single-issue abortion voters he may lose?

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Since Drury is no longer in the race, I have decided to support Rauner's re-election.

Still do?

Rauner Signs Bill Allowing State Health Insurance, Medicaid To Cover Abortions

Yes. It's not like there's even a pro life candidate in the race, and Illinois is not Alabama.