News : POLITICO Illinois Playbook: Jesse Sullivan's crucial window

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

POLITICO Illinois Playbook: Jesse Sullivan's crucial window

Jun 21, 2022

Good Tuesday morning, Illinois. It's one week until the primaries and 13 days to July 4th. Expect fireworks for both.

TOP TALKER

Jesse Sullivan, on the campaign trail, is seeing a surge of interest in his GOP governor campaign a week before June 28 primary.

Jesse Sullivan, on the campaign trail, is seeing a surge of interest in his GOP governor campaign a week before June 28 primary. | Screen grab via WCIA

There's a dramatic wrinkle in the Republican governor's race.

Jesse Sullivan, the venture capitalist who's come in third in most polls behind Darren Bailey and Richard Irvin, is seeing a surge in endorsements — including from a lawmaker who has outright switched from Irvin's campaign to Sullivan.

The thinking is that Republicans who don't see a path for Irvin also don't see Bailey being able to defeat Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker in the general election. So they're working their way down the list.

State Rep. Ryan Spain, who had been an Irvin supporter, is now on board with Sullivan. The lawmaker is hosting an event tonight for Sullivan in Peoria.

"We're really seeing a surge" in support, state Sen. Neil Anderson, who's supported Sullivan from Day 1, told Playbook.

Other Sullivan backers who haven't endorsed until now are state Rep. Norine Hammond, state Rep. Chris Bos, former state Sen. Michael Connelly, Naperville City Councilmember Kevin Coyne and state Rep. Tony McCombie.

Cue Rick Springfield: McCombie knows or has met most all of the GOP candidates for governor. She'd endorse Paul Schimpf if she thought he could make it over the finish line, but polls show otherwise. So she voted last week for Sullivan. "I trust Jesse and believe what he says. I believe Jesse is the only one who's completely honest. I think he's the one who's not going to lie."

McCombie acknowledges Sullivan lacks the political experience that Bailey, a state senator, and Irvin, Aurora's mayor, have, "but this being Illinois, I think that's OK."

Some big questions: Does Sullivan, who also sits far right on the political spectrum, have enough time to surpass frontrunners Bailey and Irvin among primary voters? Or, does the surge in his support only take away from Bailey and give Irvin a boost? We'll see in a week.

— MORE BROADLY…. The Republican governor primary could "determine the GOP's future and whether the state party's gradual move to the right in recent years will accelerate," reports Tribune's Rick Pearson in this deep dive about the future of the Illinois GOP.

Good quote: "I don't like [Trump's] mean tweets, but I like his gas prices," said Roger Claar , the former mayor of Bolingbrook who hosted a 2016 Trump fundraiser on why Illinois Republicans are leaning into Trump.

— Column: Here's some free campaign advice for Richard Irvin: Duck, writes Tribune's Laura Washington

THE BUZZ

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker addressees the New Hampshire Democratic Convention on Saturday, June 18, 2022.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker addressees the New Hampshire Democratic Convention on Saturday, June 18, 2022. | POLITICO's Lisa Kashinsky

Gov. JB Pritzker drew standing ovations at the New Hampshire Democratic Convention over the weekend, further fueling speculation that he might make a run for president.

Along with takedowns of the Republican Party and calls to support reproductive rights , Pritzker offered just the right amount of self-deprecating humor.

"My friends thought I was crazy to run for governor. … Who would vote for me? I'm a Ukrainian-American, Jewish, Democratic, billionaire, businessman. That's not exactly the archetype the party was looking for to run for governor." The line drew extensive applause and Pritzker was visibly moved as he waited for the delegates to return to their seats.

About governing during the pandemic: On March 23, 2020, Pritzker contacted then-President Donald Trump to request needed ventilators and PPE. This required swallowing his pride, Pritzker said, since he had previously called Trump "a racist, homophobic, xenophobic, misogynistic president."

Calling Trump : After asking for ventilators and PPE and if he could invoke the Defense Production Act, Pritzker said, "I promised I'd say nice things about him on Twitter if he sent me ventilators and PPE."

A few hours later, Peter Navarro called to say "everything would arrive soon," Pritzker said, referring to the former Trump trade adviser who pleaded not guilty to contempt of Congress charges on Friday after failing to appear before the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

But "soon" meant "Trump time" and ultimately nothing appeared until after President Joe Biden took office, Pritzker said.

Another story goes to the heart of criticisms of Pritzker's decision-making during the pandemic.

There was a point in March of 2020 when chief of staff Anne Caprara went to the whiteboard in Pritzker's office and drew two bubbles: "More people die" and "Less people die."

"That was the simplest and most effective decision tree for everything we did during the worst months of Covid," Pritzker said. "We looked at that board and asked ourselves, would the choice we were making right then lead to more or fewer people dying. Because in the end, nothing else mattered."

Full story of Pritzker's New Hampshire visit, h/t to POLITICO's Lisa Kashinsky, who was in the room.

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

WHERE'S JB

No official public events.

WHERE'S LORI

No official public events.

Where's Toni

At Kids Above All on Cottage Grove Avenue to announce the first awards of the Cook County Gun Violence Prevention and Reduction grants program totaling over $14 million.

TAKING NAMES

— Luis Gutierrez launches nationwide effort to increase number of naturalized citizens: "Former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez is launching a new effort called Our Nation's Future with the goal of helping 1 million permanent residents become naturalized citizens within four years," by Sun-Times' Elvia Malagón.

— Rep. Robin Kelly was the keynote at the Indiana Democratic Party Convention over the weekend. Some takeaways from her speech: "We need strong parties that organize in every part of every state. But we know that simply electing Democrats isn't the end of the story. It's what our elected Democrats do in office and how we share that message that makes the difference." ... and this: "Until the Trump spell on the GOP is broken, I have a hard time seeing bipartisan action on the biggest issues facing our country. The recent progress on gun violence is a glimmer of hope, but it is surely not enough."

— State Rep. Maurice West, a Democrat from Rockford, has been named chairperson of the state's Legislative Ethics Commission.

— Former Gov. Pat Quinn talks about 'Portrait of a Soldier,' the traveling exhibit that pays tribute to fallen heroes , via WGN interview with Steve Dale with Iridian Fierro.

— Tim Tomasik will be sworn in this week as president of the Chicago Bar Association. Tomasik is a founding member of Tomasik Kotin Kasserman LLC.

— The American Council of Engineering Companies has named new members to serve on its executive committee: HR Green Inc.'s P.J. Fitzpatrick, EFK's Linda Moen, V3 Companies' Lou Gallucci, 21M Group's Orhan Ulger, Hanson Professional Services' Jeffrey Ball, and Peralte-Clark LLC's John Clark.

BUSINESS OF POLITICS

— Lightfoot chooses 24th Ward replacement for Michael Scott Jr.; all signs point to Scott's sister, Monique: "Sources said Lightfoot met Thursday with three finalists: Monique Scott, the former alderman's sister; Trina Mangrum, chief of staff to Ald. Jason Ervin (28th); and former Chicago Bulls player Wallace 'Mickey' Johnson," by Sun-Times' Fran Spielman.

— In DC, Pritzker, Lightfoot pitch DNC on Chicago bid to host 2024 Democratic convention : "Top DNC officials also met on Friday with representatives from New York, Houston and Atlanta, the other cities bidding for the convention," by Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet.

CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP

— Good overview: Ken Griffin's money expected to again play role in Illinois Supreme Court elections: "Griffin has funneled $6.25 million to an independent expenditure committee that two years ago spent millions in a successful effort to unseat a Democratic high court justice by linking him unfavorably to former House Speaker Michael Madigan," by Tribune's Emily Hoerne.

— Crypto billionaire's PAC spends nearly $1M in Illinois Dem congressional primaries : "A PAC bankrolled by billionaire Samuel Bankman-Fried poured $500,065 into television ads to elect Jonathan Jackson to Congress from the 1st District," by Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet.

— Rivals blast Jonathan Jackson for not filing personal finance disclosure , by Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet.

— David Moore is out with a new ad poking at his secretary of state opponents on ethics issues. Moore, who bills himself aas "the ethical candidate," says he'ell appoint integrity officers and audit-review committees "to protect tax dollars."

— IL-06 primary: Casten continues to lead among Dems in fundraising, by Daily Herald's Russell Lissau.

— IL-08 primary: Incumbent Dem Krishnamoorthi faces challenge, while 5 candidates vie for GOP nomination, by Tribune's Robert McCoppin.

— Another take on IL-15: Trump's endorsement could be a big factor in the bitter primary fight between Mary Miller and Rodney Davis, by WBEZ's Alex Degman.

— Gun Violence Prevention Political Action Committee is endorsing Congressman Danny Davis in the Democratic primary for the IL-07 seat. G-PAC calls "a reliable and fearless leader in the fight to protect children and families from gun violence."

— Bernie Sanders' latest Chicago visit tries to boost progressive agenda and congressional candidates, by Tribune's Shanzeh Ahmad and John Byrne.

— Tribune endorsements for state House races: Thumbs up for L. Jimenez, Peters, Rabbitt, Stoneback, LaPointe, Rashid.

— After Pritzker endorsement, Edly-Allen surges past Yingling in campaign money, by Daily Herald's Doug T. Graham

— Longtime educator faces challenge from the right in 27th District Senate GOP primary, by Daily Herald's Christopher Placek.

— State Sen. Sue Rezin endorses Kendall County Board Chairman Scott Gryder in his bid for the GOP nomination to challenge Lauren Underwood for IL-14.

— Nicholas Kantas, who married into powerhouse lobbyist family, runs for judge with help from lobbyists: "Also among those who've helped his campaign in the contested June 28 Democratic primary: a lawyer who was a campaign fundraiser for ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan," by Sun-Times' Robert Herguth.

— Gov. JB Pritzker will be in the 47th Ward today knocking on doors with 13th District House candidate Eileen Dordek.

THE STATEWIDES

— Republican state Rep. Tim Butler is calling for immediate hearings into the revelations from a recent audit of the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). The audit revealed IDES lost nearly $2 billion of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program funding to fraud.

— Cities with the most expensive homes in Illinois, via Nexstar Media Wire

— Film about abuse victims who wind up in prison hits close to home for Illinois inmates , by Tribune's Annie Sweeney

— We've got a lot of snakes in Illinois, but this one won't hurt you, via WTTW's Patty Wetli

CHICAGO

— Chicago parents on government assistance face red tape when searching for baby formula: "Politicians have taken steps to alleviate baby formula shortages, but obstacles persist, especially for those who rely on government assistance," by WBEZ's Araceli Gomez-Aldana.

— New name, new look for DuSable Museum: "It's changing to a punchier name as part of its Juneteenth celebration: The DuSable Black History Museum & Education Center," by Steve Johnson for Crain's.

— Blue Cross association moving HQ to Aon Center, shrinking space: "The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is leasing about 95,000 square feet in the skyscraper overlooking Millennium Park, less than half the space it leases in a nearby office building," by Crain's Alby Gallun.

— Casino developer makes $40M 'down payment' as promised, making a dent in city's pension bills, by Tribune's Gregory Pratt.

— 'I was flabbergasted': Despite supportive community, Aldi closes its Auburn Gresham store, by CBS 2's Steven Graves

COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS

— A Cook County politician's home got 'special attention' from suburban police: The irony is, County Republican chairman Sean Morrison "has criticized the use of bodyguard details by top Democrats," by WBEZ's Dan Mihalopoulos.

— Cook County approves funding of Northwest suburban road projects, via Daily Herald.

HIGHER-ED

University of Chicago faces calls for reparations over ties to slavery; school says charges are misplaced: "The university says it was a prior iteration of the school that benefited from slavery, not its current incarnation — but that hasn't quieted calls for UChicago to acknowledge history and make amends," by WTTW's Nick Blumberg.

DAY IN COURT

Heather Mack's daughter will temporarily live with foster mom from Indonesia in Forest Park: "The bitter custody battle over Estelle 'Stella' Schaefer is the latest controversy in an 8-year saga that began in August 2014, when the body of 62-year-old Sheila von Wiese-Mack was discovered inside a suitcase placed in a taxi outside a luxury resort," by Tribune's Angie Leventis Lourgos.

Reader Digest

We asked if you're influenced more by direct mail or TV/digital ads: Ed Mazur: "I am less influenced by TV/digital ads. So tired of being inundated by them that when watching the boob tube and they are broadcast I reach for the remote and go to another channel. Literature via mail can be quickly scanned and then deposited in the circular file." … Dan Kleinman : "I have evidence that says direct mail is the champ in political persuasion and you can see rate of return based on your outreach— real results, but TV ads can are harder to directly pin down, even if effective. Don't count on anything you can't count." … Mary Pantle: "As a voter, I do my own research and ignore the noise. As a campaign worker, I'll always prefer mail over TV/digital. I appreciate the creativity that went into it much more than the 30-second ad." ... Springfield's Jo Johnson says neither: "Direct Mail goes in the garbage and I ignore the TV/Digital ads. I'm lucky enough to know most candidates or know someone who knows the candidate so I make my choices based on what I know about the person and their policy agenda."

How has social media impacted your political views? Email skapos@politico.com

DELEGATION

Kinzinger, family receive death threat for his participation in Jan. 6 committee: "I've never seen or had anything like that. It was sent from the local area. I don't worry, but now that I have a wife and kids it's a little different. There are people that — there's violence in the future, I'm going to tell you. And until we get a grip on telling people the truth, we can't expect any differently," he said on ABC.

THE NATIONAL TAKE

— Pence in Chicago accuses Biden of 'squandering' gains, by your Playbook host

…Pence didn't talk to the Chicago crowd about Jan. 6, but he addressed it with Fox news, saying: "I am not going to allow the Democrats to use that tragic day to distract attention from their failed agenda or to demean the intentions of 74 million Americans who rallied behind our cause."

…Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker tweeted a response, calling Pence "a dangerous, homophobic extremist."

— What a Roberts compromise on abortion could look like, by POLITICO's Josh Gerstein

— Environmental movement embraces a broad array of progressive causes while its own agenda hangs in the balance, by POLITICO's Zack Colman

IN MEMORIAM

— John 'Moon' Mullin, former Chicago Tribune reporter who for decades covered the Bears, dies at 74, by Tribune's Dan Wiederer

— Nice Tribute: The last statesman: My 44 years with John Porter, by Scott Holleran in Classic Chicago

TRANSITIONS

Sean Anderson is now VP of APS & Associates, focusing on communications and public affairs consulting. Anderson most recently was a spokesman for the Illinois House Speaker's Office.

TRIVIA

FRIDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Sharon Rosenblum for correctly answering that James M. Ragen, the co-founder of the infamous Canaryville Athletics Club, died in Michael Reese Hospital in August 1946, seven weeks after he was hit with a shotgun volley while waiting in his car at a light at State and Pershing. Detectives believed the murder was the work of the outfit, which was trying to horn in on Ragen's horse racing wire-service business. An autopsy found mercury in his body, which investigators attributed to a blood transfusion rather than an attempt to finish the job.

TODAY's QUESTION: Who is the noted former Chicago sports figure whose father was assassinated by the Islamic Jihad? Email skapos@politico.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Acacia Consulting Group's Morgan Harris, Shinola Corporate Business' Mike Faulman, public-policy pro Chris Kane, gallery owner Monique Meloche, and PR pro Kathleen Sarpy.

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