POLITICO Illinois Playbook: Irvin officially jumps into gov race

Shia Kapos' must-read rundown of political news in the Land of Lincoln

Jan 18, 2022 View in browser   By Shia Kapos Happy Tuesday, Illinois. Lots of news dropped over the long weekend about who's in, who might be in, who's got the name and the juice. TOP TALKER Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin joins the Republican race for governor with running mate Avery Bourne, a state rep, on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. | Irvin Bourne campaign photo Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin made it official yesterday, launching his bid for governor on a Republican ticket that will likely be supported by billionaire Ken Griffin. It's also backed by political strategists Mike Zolnierowicz and Lance Trover, familiar names in former Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration. Eleni Demertzis, who has served as deputy chief of staff and spokeswoman for House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, will direct campaign communications. Durkin is also endorsing Irvin, as is former Congressman John Shimkus, and former state Comptroller Leslie Munger. Here's the full list of supporters. Should Irvin win the GOP primary, he would be the first African American candidate to top an Illinois ballot. In his announcement video, Irvin highlighted his roots as a great grandson of a freed slave, and he gave a tough-on-crime message: ""I went to college on the GI bill, then law school, to become a hands-on prosecutor, going on police raids, taking back one corner or apartment complex at a time, putting gang-bangers, drug dealers and wife beaters in prison." Griffin issued a statement saying Irvin's story "embodies the American dream and a real commitment to making communities stronger." And he said he's "excited" by Irvin's campaign, though he hasn't (yet) delivered a campaign donation. Here's Griffin's full statement. Griffin did offer his two cents on Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, pointing out the governor was "born into wealth" and accusing him of showing "little urgency" in steering the state. Griffin's looming presence in the GOP race comes as Pritzker cut a $90 million check for his campaign account last week. Watch for the phrase "battle of the billionaires" to be used frequently. Irvin's announcement was anticlimactic given we knew it was coming and was done only online. That allowed him to avoid questions from the media like "Did you vote for Donald Trump?" That will be a talking point in a competitive GOP primary that includes state Sen. Darren Bailey, former state Sen. Paul Schimpf, and businesspeople Gary Rabine and Jesse Sullivan, who has his own wealthy benefactor in billionaire tech entrepreneur Chris Larsen. Irvin holds a nonpartisan job as mayor and has at times aligned himself with Democratic-supported themes, including Black Lives Matter, according to a questionnaire he filled out last year. In yesterday's announcement video he pulled back from that phrase, saying — drumroll please — "all lives matter." Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy vouched for Irvin's GOP cred, saying "Irvin is a Republican. … I urge all Republicans to adopt Ronald Reagan's famous 11th commandment and to focus their fire on Governor JB Pritzker." Irvin's bid is seen as an effort to win over disenchanted Democrats and Black voters. However, he first must win a primary that could be determined by a Republican base that leans farther right than the Aurora mayor. He'll rely on his running mate, state Rep. Avery Bourne, to win over southern Illinois conservatives. That Irvin announced on Martin Luther King Jr. Day drew criticism from some Black leaders. The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus accused him of "co-opting" the day and of "shallow opportunism." And Wallace "Gator" Bradley, who was approached to canvas for Irvin's campaign, said he's "insulted" that the announcement came on a day honoring King, who supported voting rights. "Republicans have not supported the Voting Rights Act," said Bradley, adding he's sticking with Pritzker. — Downstate numbers: History shows the Republican Primary will be decided downstate, according to political consultant Scott Kennedy. "In 2002 about 35 percent of the vote in a statewide Republican primary came from the five traditional collar counties, while about 45 percent of the vote came from the downstate 96 counties. In 2018 only about 29 percent came from the collars while about 52 percent came from downstate," he said in a tweet. Here's a year-by-year breakdown. — Griffin and Uihlein: The billionaires who bankroll Illinois Republicans: "[T]he two grew up in vastly different circumstances. But as the political fortunes of Illinois Republicans have shifted, and the traditional sources of financial support for the party have diminished, Griffin and Uihlein have taken on outsized importance as the go-to money men for Republicans seeking high level elected positions," by Derrick Blakley for Center for Illinois Politics. THE BUZZ Jonathan Jackson is considering a run for Congress in Illinois' 1st District. | Jonathan Jackson Jonathan Jackson, the son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson. is considering a run for the 1st Congressional District after Rep. Bobby Rush announced this month he won't seek reelection. "I'm thinking about it," he told Playbook, adding it's something he must first discuss with his family, though he acknowledges his father has already given a thumbs-up. "He thought I'd be well-prepared if I chose to do so, and he said he would support me." Jackson would be a frontrunner in the crowded race in part because of his name recognition and because he likely could secure key endorsements. He heads a construction contracting company in Bronzeville. Jackson also has served as national spokesman for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition started by his father. The younger Jackson can thank the Rev. Al Sharpton for the nudge to run. During Sharpton's weekly radio show featuring Jackson talking about the economy, the topic of Rush's exit came up. Jackson said he started heard from numerous friends and supporters urging him to run. It's a career move he can consider now that he and his wife are empty nesters. Marilyn Jackson has already pivoted career-wise. She recently left a position at United Way of Metropolitan Chicago to become CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky., though she'll travel back and forth to Chicago. Jackson's older brother is former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who resigned his 2nd District seat in 2012 amid an ethics investigation. Candidates already in the 2022 race for Rush's seat: Ald. Pat Dowell, who's been endorsed by former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, and nonprofit leader Karin Norington-Reaves, who's backed by Rush. State Sen. Jacqueline Collins and pastor and educator Stephany Rose Spaulding have also announced they're running. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: skapos@politico.com   BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now.     WHERE'S JB No official public events. WHERE'S LORI Near Rainbow Beach at 1 p.m. to announce winners of the Chicago Community Works Challenge. Where's Toni At the Forest Park Community Vaccination Site at 8 a.m. to mark its opening. Covid-19 Update Who is dying of Covid-19 in Cook County? Black Chicagoans and 60-plus suburbanites: "And, across Illinois, the Covid-19 death rate is 22 times higher for the unvaccinated than for fully inoculated residents as breakthrough cases appear to be far less lethal," by WBEZ's Alden Loury and Charmaine Runes. THE JUICE — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's "Lightfoot for Chicago" political campaign is reporting $1.2 million in the bank ahead of a 2023 campaign season after raising $231,000 in the fourth quarter. "For a comparison, Rahm Emanuel had $6.5 million one year before his re-election," tweeted political consultant Frank Calabrese. As a former chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Emanuel also had a big network to tap. — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Democratic Congressman Sean Casten announced he has $1.5 million in the bank after raising more than $700,067 in the fourth quarter of 2021. Casten is running in the newly drawn 6th Congressional District. — Judge Elizabeth Rochford's Illinois Supreme Court campaign is reporting it has raised more than $262,000 in the fourth quarter and ended the year with $215,000 in the bank. Rochford is running for the 2nd District seat on the court. — Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi is reporting nearly $1 million in the bank, according to State Board of Elections filings. — Kari Steele is reporting $128,000 cash on hand in her bid for Cook County assessor, She has also pulled together her campaign team. Chad Hoosier is campaign manager, having previously worked on JB Pritzker's gubernatorial campaign and as deputy to then senior adviser Nikki Budzninski. Snyder Pickerill Media Group leads paid media, ALG Research leads polling, and Stomping Ground Strategies heads communications. Steele is president of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP — Campaign-sponsored poll suggests Valencia's backstory gives her a boost: "The pollsters also offered profiles of [Alexi] Giannoulias and [David] Moore that were technically positive on paper, but they definitely weren't written by their campaign managers. The profiles were generally more drab, muted, and far less likely to inspire a positive reaction, according to several experienced political consultants who reviewed the language," by WCIA's Mark Maxwell. — Endorsement: Alexi Giannoulias has secured one from St. Clair County Democrats, a blue county that's surrounded by red. It was one of five Illinois counties where Hillary Clinton, JB Pritzker, and Joe Biden each received more than 50 percent of the General Election vote in their respective races. — The standoff that could say a lot about which way the Dems are headed: "On its face, the race pits the party's progressive wing against the moderates, with the former behind Marie Newman and the latter with Sean Casten. In reality, it's more complicated than that," by Crain's Greg Hinz. — Former Illinois Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti has officially launched her campaign for DuPage County Clerk, according to a statement. THE STATEWIDES One woman's case is shedding light on long-term care in Illinois: "[T]he dismissal of most cases has come as residents and loved ones have increasingly complained about conditions in nursing homes. Complaints rose 29% from 2014 to 2019, the report found, and last year, the state failed to investigate the most serious complaints for three months," by Tribune's Robert McCoppin. REMAP ROAD MAP New maps pit Republicans vs. Republicans and Democrats vs. Democrats: "Almost all of the incumbent vs. incumbent races are taking place in safe seats, meaning the winner is expected to go on and win the general election. The one exception is in Illinois's Sixth Congressional District, where Democratic Reps. Sean Casten and Marie Newman are facing off in the primary in a district where the GOP is expected to be competitive. "Casten says he is the better fit after flipping a Republican-held seat in 2018, because he can appeal to voters across the ideological spectrum. Newman, who won a Democratic primary in 2020 by running to the left, said she can rally voters throughout the district because she has lived in towns throughout the area — even if she currently lives just outside of the new boundaries," via The Wall Street Journal. CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot took part virtually yesterday in a Martin Luther King Day celebration. It was the first appearance since she announced she had tested positive for Covid-19. Lightfoot is scheduled to take part in an in-person event today. In a statement, Lightfoot said, "Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me and sent their well wishes. I am happy to report I am feeling fine, and have completed my required isolation period. I look forward to resuming my regular schedule and will continue to adhere to the relevant public health guidelines." — Plastic utensils no longer part of the deal with take-out or delivery as new law goes into effect in Chicago: "The ordinance, which passed back in September, has been lauded by its supporters as an important first step toward plastic reduction but has been blasted by critics, who called the measure watered-down greenwashing. This latter group was aiming for tighter restrictions that would have banned plastic foam to-go containers, along with the limitations on foodware," by WTTW's Patty Wetli. — City official in botched implosion that covered Little Village in dust gets written reprimand, by Block Club's Madison Savedra. — As opioid overdose deaths hit new record, pressure grows for safe places to inject drugs in Chicago: "The toll from opioids has been increasing since 2015, when there were 647 overdose deaths in Cook County. This past year's total is expected to be more than 2,000 once all tests are back," by Sun-Times' David Struett. — Chicago homicides in 2022: 18 people have been slain. That's 8 fewer than at the same point in 2021, by Tribune's Kori Rumore — Couple who got $105,000 bill from Chicago Public Schools over residency dispute fights back in court, by Tribune's Tracy Swartz — Shock waves, spike in air pressure detected at O'Hare International Airport after volcanic eruption in Tonga, by Tribune's Olivia Olander — Why the Bears win at the bank — even when they lose on the field, by Tribune's John Keilman — Richard Driehaus' Lake Geneva estate sells for $36M, by Crain's Dennis Rodkin.   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.     IN THE SPOTLIGHT — Some members of the Union League Club of Chicago had pushed back at having Nikole Hannah-Jones speak at yesterday's Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. "They called me a discredited activist' 'unworthy of such association with King,'" Hannah-Jones wrote in a Twitter thread . "So, I scrapped my original speech and spent the entire first half of it reading excerpts from a bunch of Dr. King's speeches, but without telling anyone that I was doing so, leading the audience to think King's words were mine. And, whew, chile, it was AMAZING," she wrote. — Rainbow PUSH honors parents of Ahmaud Arbery, Jelani Day during annual Martin Luther King Jr. program: "During Monday's program honoring King, Marcus Arbery told viewers, 'You've got to keep on fighting. Don't give up. Because somebody's going to hear you,'" by Sun-Times' Jon Seidel. — Ali and MLK, not always allies, shared opposition to Vietnam War: 'It cost them both dearly,' by Sun-Times' Frank Main. DAY IN COURT — Lawsuit against Amazon filed in tornado swarm that left 6 dead in Illinois warehouse: "The suit, the first against the company stemming from the disaster, was brought in state court by the Chicago firm, Clifford Law Offices, on behalf of the family of driver Austin McEwen, 26. It alleges that the Amazon knew that conditions were 'highly unsafe as tornado warnings had been issued,' but company officials 'rolled the dice with peoples' lives to put profit over safety,' attorney Jack J. Casciato said," via Reuters. — Cop who bungled homicide case involving Daley's nephew promoted to lieutenant: "Sam Cirone was reprimanded for his role in the investigation which initially cleared then-Mayor Richard M. Daley's nephew in David Koschman's 2004 death. A Sun-Times investigation changed that," by Sun-Times' Katie Anthony. — Hot mic on internet livestream catches Cook County judge: "Can you imagine waking up next to her every day? Oh, my God," Judge William Raines said of attorney Jennifer Bonjean. "... I couldn't have a visual on that if you paid me." Tribune's Megan Crepeau reports. Reader Digest We asked when your work life collided with family life working at home: Daniel Goldwin of Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Chicago echoed for many: "Two words. Covid puppy." What's your trick for keeping warm walking in below-freezing Chicago weather? Email skapos@politico.com THE NATIONAL TAKE — How a GOP majority in Congress might handle Biden in 2023, by POLITICO's Olivia Beavers and Burgess Everett — Trump blows a hole in 2024 presidential debates, by POLITICO's David Siders — A prison town weighs a future without a prison, via The New York Times. TRANSITIONS — Frank Calabrese, a Chicago political consultant who has frequented this newsletter on issues such as judicial elections and redistricting, has started his own firm. Big Shoulders Consulting offers an expertise in petition verification consulting, GIS mapping, political research and strategy, and elections. — Dean Olsen is joining the Illinois Times as senior writer. He has been a veteran statehouse and health care reporter for The State Journal-Register. Glad we'll still be seeing his byline! — Joshua Smyser-De Leon is now manager of government & regulatory Affairs for Comcast. He previously was an account executive at Zeno Group PR firm and served as comms director for Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st). Smyser-De Leon also founded the Paseo Podcast, which highlights stories of the Puerto Rican diaspora. IN MEMORIAM Les Grobstein, Chicago's sports encyclopedia and longtime radio host, dies at age 69 TRIVIA FRIDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to union leader Clem Balanoff and Judge James Shapiro for correctly answering that Mayor Lori Lightfoot cooked for the University of Michigan football team when she was a student in a work-study job to help pay college expenses. "I once asked her if that job gave her any lessons for politics. She laughed and said, 'Never get between a football player and his food!'" journalist Bill Cameron, wrote in submitting the question. TODAY's QUESTION: Who was the former Illinois State Board of Elections employee who served as a state senator? Email skapos@politico.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY Wheeling trustee Joe Vito, election attorney Frank Avila Jr., government affairs exec Joe Fawell, former GOP state rep candidate Eddie Corrigan, AIPAC Midwest's Talia Alter, comms consultant Carolyn Grisko, and TV producer Andrea Dres. And belated birthday greetings to political consultant Alex Sims, who celebrated last week. -30-   Follow us on Twitter Shia Kapos @shiakapos   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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