‘DNC’ you next year, Chicago!

Presented by bp: Shia Kapos' must-read rundown of political news in the Land of Lincoln

Apr 12, 2023 View in browser   By Marissa Martinez Presented by Happy Wednesday! This is Marissa Martinez, state policy and national politics reporter, taking over for Shia Kapos this week. Did you know Harold Washington was elected Chicago's mayor on this day 40 years ago? TOP TALKERS PARTY TIME: Well, Tuesday’s Playbook was pretty timely. Chicago’s set to host the Democratic National Convention next year. Thousands of people and the eventual Democratic presidential nominee, will descend on the Windy City August 19-22, 2024. It’ll be the first in-person one in years, too — Milwaukee’s scheduled convention mainly went online in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. Tuesday's Democratic National Committee announcement follows several months of speculation and debate around holding the convention in Chicago over New York City and Atlanta. The Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet broke the story Tuesday morning. The DNC will hold a press conference today in Chicago: Gov. JB Pritzker, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) will attend to discuss more details. The governor, alongside other Democratic leaders like Lightfoot and Duckworth, has been instrumental in securing the convention since the process started more than two years ago, even offering to help cover the costs to ensure the expensive event remains debt-free. “You know that Chicago is your kind of town,” Pritzker told President Joe Biden during the DNC call, which came before the president left for Ireland, according to the Sun-Times. “We’re going to throw a huge party, and it’s going to be a real big celebration of all of your successes.” Behind the scenes: Read more about how this all came to be from our very own Shia Kapos, Christopher Cadelago and Sally Goldenberg. The pull: The city was chosen after the DNC’s Technical Advisory Group gave Chicago top grades in factors like hotel capacity, transportation and other logistics. After all, the United Center is the largest arena in the country, and the McCormick Center is the largest convention center. Even though Atlanta is located in one of the most politically important Southern states that helped garner a Biden presidency and Democratic Senate, Chicago still stands out for its near-even split among Black, Latino and white residents. And while Georgia is a right-to-work, Republican-led state, Chicago’s a union town — one of Biden’s personal priorities. And, of course, there’s the Blue Wall nature of Illinois, neighbor to Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota, who have had plenty of Democratic victories of their own. Top Dems from surrounding states have sent letters and held meetings to push Chicago — and with it, the Midwest — to victory. Follow the money: Those organizing Chicago’s bid expect the price tag to hit anywhere from $80 million to $100 million. Simultaneously, the event is expected to bring in major business in the city’s tourism and business sectors, boost union workers here — and maybe Pritzker and Johnson’s relationship, too. History of conventions: The DNC has come to Chicago 11 times before, with the first being in 1864, the most recent in 1996, and the most infamous in 1968, which was marked by police brutality and civil unrest over the Vietnam War. The city holds the record for hosting conventions with 25 total since 1832. GOP pushback: Some Republicans have disparaged the idea of a Chicago host even before the announcement, claiming crime and homicide rates will negatively affect the city’s ability to hold the convention. “What's the bigger concern: sirens drowning out nominating speeches or what items attendees must leave at home to make room for their bulletproof vest in their suitcase?" Will Reinert, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement. Crime rates have decreased in Chicago, though they remain higher than pre-pandemic levels, and the city does not have the highest murder rate per capita. Republicans will hold their 2024 convention in Milwaukee. Some key quotes from the DNC’s official statement:  — Lightfoot:  “The DNC will create once-in-a-generation opportunities for job creation and business growth here in our city, and I’m proud that we got it done for the people of Chicago.” — Duckworth: “The Midwest is key to a victory in 2024, and there is no city better positioned to reach those voters than Chicago.” — Johnson: "Chicago is a world-class city that looks like America and demonstrates the values of the Democratic Party. We are unmatched when it comes to hosting events of this scale.” A message from bp: bp employees in Illinois are keeping energy moving to keep America moving, too. Our team provides fuel for O’Hare flights, helps people power their cars, trades energy to keep the lights on and more. See more ways bp is investing in Illinois.   THE BUZZ — The NFL says it spent $125M to boost Black-owned businesses. Where did the money go? Chicago-based Ariel Investments “received $70 million of the NFL’s pension fund to manage. While Ariel is headed by Black co-CEOs, it’s far from a small business and hardly needs a boost from the league to make networking connections. The firm has $16 billion under management and one of its co-CEOs, Mellody Hobson, is part-owner of the Denver Broncos,” by Forbes' Yabari Young. — Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin co-led a bicameral group of House and fellow Senate Democrats in filing an amicus brief in support of the Biden administration’s appeal of a ruling that suspends Food and Drug Administration approval of mifepristone. More about the case here. — Ron’s headed to town: U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) will welcome Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a keynote speaker during a Lincoln Day dinner with the Peoria and Tazewell County Republican Central Committees on May 12. “Governor Ron DeSantis is one of the preeminent conservative voices in our country, fighting back against the radical left. I … look forward to hearing him share his Florida Blueprint with Central Illinois conservatives,” LaHood said in a statement.   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.     THE LOCAL ANGLE — What the DNC 2024 could mean for Chicago: WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel and Tessa Weinberg break down the finances and politics — Chicago selected site of 2024 Democratic National Convention, by Rick Pearson — How Chicago won the Democratic National Convention, by Crain’s Greg Hinz, with insight on the background work. WHERE'S JB At the DNC press conference at the Shedd Aquarium at 2 p.m. WHERE'S LORI At the DNC press conference at the Shedd Aquarium at 2 p.m. Where's Toni Joining elected officials and industry leaders for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency event at Malcolm X College at 9 a.m.   A message from bp:   SPOTLIGHT POLITICO has launched an ambitious project documenting the thoughts of 50 mayors across the country, including the Democratic mayor of Peoria, Rita Ali. Read her perspective and others on crime here and see the rest of the mayors’ biggest challenges here. 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 or mmartinez@politico.com.  Transitions — Meagan Thompson has joined U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly’s team as a senior health policy adviser. She had been a senior legislative assistant for U.S. Rep. Sean Casten.   GO INSIDE THE 2023 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is proud to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage, insider nuggets and unparalleled insights from the 2023 Global Conference, which will convene leaders in health, finance, politics, philanthropy and entertainment from April 30-May 3. This year’s theme, Advancing a Thriving World, will challenge and inspire attendees to lean into building an optimistic coalition capable of tackling the issues and inequities we collectively face. Don’t miss a thing — subscribe today for a front row seat.     2023 MUNICIPAL RACES — Knudsen locks up full term in 43rd Ward as challenger Comer concedes a week after runoff, by the Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout DAY IN COURT — First undercover recordings by Ald. Daniel Solis made public in corruption case, by Tribune’s Jason Meisner — Longtime Madigan precinct captain Ed Moody takes stand in ‘ComEd Four’ bribery trial, by Tribune’s Jason Meisner and Ray Long — Former Outcome Health execs found guilty on most fraud charges, by Tribune’s Lisa Schencker — Longtime precinct captain says he was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by ComEd to do political work for Michael Madigan, by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel and Tina Sfondeles CHICAGO — Administrative charges filed with police board against Chicago officer in fatal shooting of Adam Toledo, by Tribune’s Sam Charles —  Walmart shuttering 4 Chicago locations, including a big South Side site, by Crain’s Ally Marotti — New Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee warns against raising interest rates too aggressively, by Tribune’s Robert Channick TAKING NAMES — Emanuel: Gay, heterosexual marriages are the same, by Asahi Shimbun’s Kazuki Uechi — Citadel's Ken Griffin Gives $300M to Harvard University, by Bloomberg’s Amanda L. Gordon   A message from bp: The US is home to bp's largest workforce in the world, a team delivering the energy the world needs today, while increasing our investments in lower carbon alternatives for our future. See more ways bp is investing in America.   THE NATIONAL TAKE — Republicans facing a reckoning later this week, by POLITICO's Adam Wren Natalie Allison and Meridith McGraw — How Tennessee became the poster state for political meltdown, by POLITICO's Jonathan Martin — Bragg sues House Republicans over ‘campaign of harassment’ amid Trump probe, by POLITICO's Josh Gerstein, Kyle Cheney and Jordain Carney — Over 66,000 people couldn’t get an abortion in their home state after Dobbs, via FiveThirtyEight —  Why Biden’s return to Ireland, his ancestral homeland, may not be a storybook trip, by POLITICO’s Adam Cancryn HAPPY BIRTHDAY Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García, Ald. Roderick Sawyer, MWRD Commissioner Eira Corral Sepúlveda, attorney and political consultant Brendan Shiller, Los Angeles policy analyst and Northwestern grad Nick Campbell, Gibsons Restaurant Group’s Stephen Lombardo, author Scott Turow and JPMorgan Chase’s Marko John Supronyuk. -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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