Illinois Statewide Mega-Thread: State has first budget in over a year

[Boston Bread]

It's better that the IL dem machine got complacent this year than in 2010, when redistricting was up. Hopefully they learn to start kicking out corrupt people like Quinn. Shameful that they let him continue to the general without a serious primary challenge.

[RINO Tom]

Nice to see the suburbs come out in such huge support for Rauner.  According to exit polls, Rauner won college graduates by 10% (and almost 60% of White college graduates), the wealthiest voters by 28% and he won 57% of the suburban vote (including 60% of the collar counties vote).  That's a result Republicans should more routinely shoot for by downplaying social issues.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It's better that the IL den machine got complacent this year than in 2010, when redistricting was up. Hopefully they learn to start kicking out corrupt people like Quinn. Shameful that they let him continue to the general without a serious primary challenge.

Agreed that we need more real primary challenges to take down bad Democrats. We'd better take down Cuomo next time so that he doesn't drag down the whole party again.

[muon2]

It's better that the IL dem machine got complacent this year than in 2010, when redistricting was up. Hopefully they learn to start kicking out corrupt people like Quinn. Shameful that they let him continue to the general without a serious primary challenge.

Actually the Dem machine did quite well in legislative races. They held every GA House seat and only lost one Senate seat. That includes holds in a number of districts where Rauner was racking up double-digit wins. Some might accuse the machine of concentrating too much on the legislative races and leaving the statewides to fend for themselves. But, by holding the House seats it insured that the Dems would be veto-proof in case of a Rauner win.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Frerichs has pulled ahead of Cross

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2014-11-18/frerichs-takes-lead-treasurer-race.html

[Kushahontas]

Frerichs has pulled ahead of Cross

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2014-11-18/frerichs-takes-lead-treasurer-race.html

Wonderful news! The Democratic State Treasurer Snatching of Victory from the Jaws of Defeat is building!

[Mr. Illini]

Mike Frerichs is the next state treasurer

http://politics.suntimes.com/article/springfield/tom-cross-concedes-treasurers-race-giving-frerichs-win/wed-11192014-1206pm

Interesting that he ran ahead of Quinn by the sufficient margin. I knew he would to some degree because he is more popular downstate, but I am surprised he was able to do so enough to win.

Anyway, good for him. He's from Champaign and everything I've ever seen out of him was 100% class.

[Maxwell]

This is disappointing, but I suppose it's expected. Frerichs is now a rising star probably.

[henster]

Frerichs runs against Rauner in 2018 bank on it.

[Person Man]

As crazy as it sounds...Obama 2018?

[President Johnson]

As crazy as it sounds...Obama 2018?

Barack Obama? I also thought about this, but I think it's unlikely. Perhaps Michelle Obama after she declined to run for the Senate in 2016.

[Mr. Illini]

Frerichs runs against Rauner in 2018 bank on it.

Agreed, and I am excited about it. Frerichs is perfect for the Dems in that one.

[Miles]

Statewide Averages by County:



Statewide PVIs by County:

[Mr. Illini]

Statewide Averages by County:



Statewide PVIs by County:

Good work. We're starting to see Lake County emerge as separate from the rest of the collars politically, something we expected but mostly theorized about until we could get a race that could really demonstrate it like Durbin's.

[Miles]

^ Thanks. I'm by no means an authority on IL politics, but seems that Democrats should be seeing some red flags around East St. Louis, and and Little Egypt in general.

[Miles]

Here's the turnout change from 2010-2014: (red= more votes, blue= less)
 


Turnout was down about 2.7%. Most of the counties in the south that swung hardest against Quinn actually cast less votes. Looks like what killed Quinn was the collar counties; turnout stayed pretty close to 2010, but they all swung 5-10% against him.

[Mr. Illini]

^ Thanks. I'm by no means an authority on IL politics, but seems that Democrats should be seeing some red flags around East St. Louis, and and Little Egypt in general.

Absolutely. Madison County is noticeable, as it was formerly a mostly-Democratic swing county. It appears to now only be going Democrat in Dem landslides, and it is a pretty well-populated county as well.

[Maxwell]

Gallatin County pretty quickly became a GOP stronghold, even after being the only county to vote for Dawn Netsch over Jim Edgar in 1994 (and that includes Cook County going for Edgar).

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Good news for Brucey: Florida judge rules Rauner's GTCR is not responsible for the mismanagement of a nursing home in that state.

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(It's in the middle of the article)


http://abc7chicago.com/politics/rauner-says-ill-budget-problems-worse-than-expected/439356/

[Flake]

RIP possible impeachment. Also, when did Rauner move from Florida to Illinois?

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

RIP possible impeachment. Also, when did Rauner move from Florida to Illinois?

No, see: GTCR had invested funds into a Florida retirement home, and then it was revealed that there was serious fraud and abuse of elderly there. I think like 2 people died from mistreatment.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Rauner-says-agencies-will-be-asking-for-760-5961327.php

Bad news for Brucey: He accuses Quinn of accounting practices that shorted many state agencies by $760 million for 2015, as well as putting expenses for 2015 under 2014 expenses (or something like that). The Department of Corrections ($90 million shortfall) and the Department of Human Services ($130 million shortfall) is warning of serious cuts and shutdowns if funding doesn't come through. The Legislature has passed supplemental budgets in the past, such as a $2 billion one in 2013 and a $975 million one this past year. Neither Rauner nor Quinn have requested a supplemental budget.


Transition news: To deal with the problems, Rauner...

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http://www.forbes.com/sites/rexsinquefield/2014/12/12/bruce-rauner-steering-illinois-off-the-road-to-ruin/2/

Other minor headlines:
 - Rauner says he wants an actual farmer to head the state Dept. of Agriculture.

 - The soon-to-be First Lady of Illinois, Diana Rauner, is facing calls to step down from her role as President of her non-profit Ounce of Prevention (focuses on early childhood education programs), as the organization had recieved $14.2 million in state funds out of its budget of $50 million. Some fear that anyone who wants to get close to Governor Rauner will donate to the charity to gain audience.

- Brucey opposes calls for a special election in 2016 to fill the remainder of Topinka's term as Comptroller, preferring that he appoint someone to fill it from 2015 - 2019. Quinn has said his team will announce a decision on whether to appoint someone immediately or wait until Rauner is inaugurated on the 12th after Topinka's funeral services are held.

- Brucey met Obama with a bunch of other newly elected Governors back on the 5th.
 
- Rauner named two people to his incoming adminstration: Jason Barclay as general counsel and Kathy Lydon to lead his Washington office.

- Brucey also praised Obama's immigration action on November 21st.

- The Rauners have committed some of their own money to fixing the crumbling Governor's Mansion, and will probably rent in Springfield during the repairs.
 
- One of Quinn's last appointments for the Illinois Finance Authority, executive president Chris Meister, has said that if Rauner asks him to do so, he will resign, saying that Rauner deserves to have his own team with him.

[Aliens]

- Brucey opposes calls for a special election in 2016 to fill the remainder of Topinka's term as Comptroller, preferring that he appoint someone to fill it from 2015 - 2019.

I'm not surprised that Rauner opposes it, but having a special election in 2016 would be a better idea than letting an appointee fill in until 2019.  

[publicunofficial]

Quinn has appointed his former Budget Director, Jerome Stermer, as Topinka's replacement.


Stermer will resign when Rauner takes office.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

AG Lisa Madigan, who perhaps is positioning herself for higher office, desperately want her to run for senate, instead of gov, announced that a Special Election should be the Legislature final act on Jan 8th for that comptroller office in 2016, while Quinn is in office. Which I hope will propel her to her decision to run for Senate.