| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Presented by CVS Health | TGIF, Illinois. Get out the candles, Chicago celebrates its 186th birthday Saturday.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | 
Jesse White, sitting in his Secretary of State office before retiring, backs Paul Vallas for mayor. | Shia Kapos/POLITICO | Jesse White’s endorsement of Paul Vallas for mayor on Thursday might be the most pivotal so far in the mayor’s race. Courting Black voters: White is the former Illinois secretary of state and for years the most popular Democrat in town. He had endorsed Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the first round. For Vallas, his endorsement clears a path to the Black community, which overwhelmingly supported Lightfoot on Tuesday. Racial dynamics: White’s endorsement provides cover for other Black elected officials to endorse Vallas, who is white, over Brandon Johnson, who is Black, in the highly contested runoff election. Who’s next: Ald. Walter Burnett Jr., a veteran Black alderman who also backed Lightfoot, told Playbook he’ll be endorsing Vallas on Saturday. There will be others, too. Black aldermen who have no loyalty to the Chicago Teachers Union after it ran candidates against them will step up for Vallas over Johnson, who is backed by the CTU. See you in church: White’s endorsement also allows Vallas to connect with Black voters directly. Watch for the former secretary of state to escort Vallas to Black churches in the coming weeks. There’s always a question about whether endorsements matter. White endorsed City Clerk Anna Valencia in her run for secretary of state and that didn’t help. But Valencia’s campaign didn’t feature White in ads to the degree that you can expect Vallas will. To his credit: Johnson has been courting Black women voters for weeks, at least indirectly. When speaking to crowds, he shares that he’s married to a strong Black woman and that means, he says, if he’s elected, a Black woman will still be running City Hall. All the endorsements in the world mean nothing if a candidate can’t get his or her message out. And that’s where money comes in. Vallas loaned $100,000 to his campaign on Thursday, a move that lifts restrictions on campaign contributions — for him and for Johnson. Watch for big donations from individual donors and organizations. The runoff election is 33 days away. RELATED — Chicago’s bitter election is now a nasty runoff: “The five-week battle to win control of the fifth floor of City Hall will perhaps be the city’s most racially polarizing contest since Harold Washington’s victory in 1983,” your Playbook host writes for POLITICO’s homepage. — Johnson questions Vallas’ past comments about critical race theory: “Johnson has gone on the offensive against Vallas in an attempt to define him as an ineffective leader who won’t represent Chicago’s minority community,” writes Tribune’s Alice Yin. — Chicago’s next mayor must have a plan to tackle the city's $34B in pension debt: “The mayoral runoff contenders have starkly different approaches for how to address that shortfall and the rest of the challenges facing its 2.7 million residents,” writes Bloomberg’s Shruti Singh. — Brandon Johnson tells Al Sharpton he wants a police chief who’s “collaborative” and who is “tethered to the community,” via Morning Joe on MSNBC
| | THE BUZZ | | Walgreens confirmed to POLITICO that it won’t dispense abortion pills in several states where they are legal, prompting criticism from Gov. JB Pritzker. Think again: The governor urged the Deerfield-based pharmacy chain to "rethink" its policy, according to a statement, saying, “women across the nation will be denied their right to access healthcare they are legally entitled to because of the awful corporate decision.” Walgreens “confirmed Thursday that it will not dispense abortion pills in several states where they remain legal — acting out of an abundance of caution amid a shifting policy landscape, threats from state officials and pressure from anti-abortion activists,” reports POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein. To the letter: Nearly two dozen Republican state attorneys general wrote to Walgreens in February, threatening legal action if the company began distributing the drugs, which have become the nation’s most popular method for ending a pregnancy. If you are Walgreens CEO Rosalind Brewer, Playbook would like to know if you’ve talked to Gov. JB Pritzker lately. Email skapos@politico.com.
| | A message from CVS Health: CVS Health: from the simplest of needs to more complex care. Learn more. | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | At Streamwood High School at 9 a.m. to highlight teacher hiring and retention initiatives.
| | WHERE'S LORI | | No official public events.
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events. Have a news tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? I’d like to hear from you: skapos@politico.com
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — Gov. JB Pritzker is joining a “national advisory board” of Democratic governors, senators “and other political stars” to travel and speak on behalf of President Joe Biden during his expected reelection campaign. News of the committee is part of the president's “likely reelection bid, which he is expected to announce in April,” according to The Washington Post. — Conventional wisdom: There’s a move to nudge Atlanta out of the running for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, which would leave Chicago and New York City vying to host the event. In a letter sent to DNC Chair Jaime Harrison last week, labor leaders argued that Atlanta doesn’t have enough union hotels to host party delegates and price range needs. (There are just two.) That alone should be disqualifying for the “party of labor” under a president who has “proven himself the most pro-union president in history,” the union heads wrote, according to POLITICO’s New York Playbook. — Vallas, Johnson pledge support for city’s 2024 Democratic convention bid, by Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Founding fathers didn’t own AR-15s or large capacity magazines, Pritzker and Raoul argue in defense of ban: “Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed the brief to answer challenges to the assault weapon ban, arguing the nation’s founding fathers owned guns that could only shoot a single shot before reloading — proving assault weapons weren’t in ‘common use’ at the time,” by Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles. — New bill could end police ticketing in Illinois schools, by Pro Publica’s Jodi S. Cohen and Tribune’s Jennifer Smith Richards — Mendoza pushes for law requiring greater deposits in ‘rainy day’ fund, by Capitol News’ Nika Schoonover — What candidates for Springfield City Council say about redeveloping the Wyndham, by State Journal-Register’s Zach Roth — The best horseshoe in Springfield, by State Journal-Register’s Tiffani Jackson
| | | | A message from CVS Health:   | | | | | IN THE SPOTLIGHT | | | 
Nicole Hill, with state House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, was elected the chamber’s first female chief doorkeeper. | Speaker's Office | DOORS OPEN: The Illinois House has elected Nicole Hill as the chamber’s first female chief doorkeeper. Hill, a Springfield resident selected from among 80 applicants, worked in security in Springfield Public Schools and is currently a certified nursing assistant. As doorkeeper, she'll make sure House Rules and decorum are kept. Hill replaces Lee Crawford, who retired at the conclusion of the last legislative session.
| | 2023 MUNICIPAL RACES | | — City Council winners and losers: How special interests, unions and super PAC-backed candidates fared in the election: “The progressive Chicago Teachers Union ended up with a better winning percentage than the conservative Fraternal Order of Police, but the police union saw more of its endorsees advance with wins or make it to the runoff,” by Tribune’s John Byrne and A.D. Quig.
| | CHICAGO | | — Search is on for CPD Supt. David Brown’s replacement, but the bench of insider candidates is thin: “The wave of high-level departures under Brown will make it difficult for the new mayor to find an insider who is qualified, battle-tested — and wants the job,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman and Tom Schuba. — Amid layoffs and reshuffling, anxious Chicago tech workers seek solace in pinball, by Steve Hendershot for WBEZ
| | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked which three politicians, alive or not, you’d invite for dinner. Anne Caprara, chief of staff to the governor: “I’d invite my good friend Jehan Gordon-Booth because she’s one of the smartest people I know and would keep the conversation interesting. Penny Severns because I’ve heard so many stories about her from good friends. And Ida B Wells because I’d want her take on modern politics.” Janice Anderson: Gov. James “Big Jim” Thompson, “the Tallman Senator John Curran” and Sen. Pate Phillip Vincent Brandys: Everett Dirksen, Ed Vrdolyak and Donald Rumsfeld Kelly Cassiday, an Illinois state rep: Shirley Chisholm, Ann Richards and Harvey Milk James Castro: Both Mayor Daleys and Fred Roti Alexander Domanskis: Sen. Dick Durbin, President Barack Obama and Rep. Bill Foster Pasquale Gianni: Congressman Frank Annunzio, Ald. Vito Marzullo and Mayor Richard J. Daley Bryce Harris: Mayors William Dever, Richard J. Daley and William “Big Bill” Thompson Kevin Lamm: President Abraham Lincoln, Sen. Paul Simon and Mayor Harold Washington Christopher Lynch: Mayors Carter Harrison Sr. (who led during the Haymarket riot and 1893 World’s Fair), Big Bill Thompson (known for his outsized personality) and Roswell Mason (mayor during the Great Chicago Fire) Ed Mazur: Sen. Everett McKinley Dirksen, Gov. Henry Horner and Gov. Adlai Stevenson Pat McCann: Abe Lincoln, Everett Dirksen and Barack Obama Omari Prince: Barack Obama, Abe Lincoln and Harold Washington Alison Slovin: Gov. JB Pritzker, Sen. Paul Simon and Secretary of State Jesse White Steve Smith: Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama and Adlai Stevenson Bernie Tafoya of WBBM: Abe Lincoln, Barack Obama and Chicago's first mayor, William Ogden Joan Waggoner: Jim Edgar, Paul Simon and Everett Dirksen. Patricia Ann Watson: Gov. Edward Coles, John W.E. Thomas, who was Illinois' first Black legislator, and John Jones, the first African-American to win public office in the state. Josh Witkowski: Jim Thompson, Paul Simon and JB Pritzker What was your favorite political campaign to work on? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — DOJ rejects Trump claim of ‘categorical’ immunity from Jan. 6 lawsuits, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein — House Ethics panel launches investigation into Santos, by POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna and Katherine Tully-McManus — Die-hard Trump fans make it clear: They want DeSantis, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout — Chris Sununu is winning the permanent-Washington primary, by POLITICO’s Michael Schaffer
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Learn more. | | | | | TRANSITIONS | | — Eve Rodriguez Montoya, who heads her own communications firm, launches a bilingual talk radio show today on WRLL 1450 AM. It’s called “Culture, Politics & More” and airs from 1 to 3 p.m.
| | TAKING NAMES | | WGN 9’s Ben Bradley marked his 25th anniversary at the station this week. Congratulations, Ben! Video here
| | TRIVIA | | THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Janice Anderson for correctly answering that Eugene Cernan and Lee Joseph "Bru” Archambault were astronauts who went through the Proviso Township High School District. TODAY’s QUESTION: Who was the Springfield native and Nevada postmaster who was known as the “First Lady of Las Vegas”? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: Hotel & Lodging Association CEO Michael Jacobson, Cook County Assessor chief of staff Scott Smith, Irish Fellowship Club Executive Director Kathy Taylor, photographer Diane Alexander White and caterer Jim Horan. Saturday: Former federal judge James Zagel, former state Rep. Al Riley, former McLean County Board member Shayna Watchinski, state Senate Parliamentarian and Chief Legal counsel Giovanni Randazzo, Chicagoland Chamber CEO Jack Lavin, Prairie Group Consulting CEO Fred Lebed, Dentons law firm partner Ben Weinberg, business development leader Deborah Ziskind, Metropolitan Group Senior Executive VP Kevin T. Kirkpatrick, McDonald’s comms exec Jesse Lewin and retired business analyst Bob Sallinger. Sunday: Ald. Matt Martin, Calamos Investments CEO John Koudounis, former state Rep. Jim Sacia, Vivid Nation Chief Impact Officer Lauren Kidwell, Evanston policy coordinator Alison Leipsiger, lifestyle guru Wendy Pashman and dance therapist Joan Erenberg. -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | 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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