THE ILLINOIZE: Davis "serious" about run for Governor...Latest twist in Pritzker/Lightfoot saga...Bar owner denies responsibility for COVID outbreak...COVID-19 case numbers climb
April 6, 2021
Good morning.
We hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend. We were able to attend an outdoor service Sunday and it was…almost normal?
The legislature still has limited activity this week. There are some redistricting committee virtual hearings, but little seems to be coming from them to this point.
But expect things to get feisty when both sides return to Springfield next week. More on that Friday.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
REP. RODNEY DAVIS “SERIOUS” ABOUT POTENTIAL RUN FOR GOVERNOR
With three Republican candidates officially “in” the race for Governor next year, we’re told many top party officials are concerned the party needs to find, and potentially, anoint a candidate who is tested in competitive elections and can raise gigantic heaps of cash.
Enter Rodney Davis.
New this morning, we’re told the downstate Congressman is “serious” about pulling the trigger on a run against Governor JB Pritzker next year.
Davis represents a marginally Republican district that includes some deep red Trumpamaniac areas and some Democratic or moderate areas like Champaign-Urbana and Madison County in the Metro East.
There is speculation Democrats, who control the redistricting process, could try to draw Davis into an unwinnable Democrat leaning district or pair him with a fellow Republican like Congressman Darin LaHood (R-Dunlap) or Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro). If he’s presented with a favorable or competitive district, sources say Davis would likely want to run for re-election to the House.
(Disclosure: As you likely know, I was Davis’ Communications Director in his first run for Congress in 2012.)
He does have some drawbacks statewide, though. He’s never run for office north of I-74, and appealing to voters in the suburbs and city of Chicago is vastly different than appealing to voters in DuPage, Lake, and suburban Cook Counties. And the Trump TV ads write themselves.
He’s not rich. JB Pritzker dropped $35 million into his campaign last month, probably found in his couch cushions, while Davis has raised $16 million total since 2012. But, he may get billionaire Ken Griffin to bite.
Davis is easily the most battle-tested Republican in Illinois, winning expensive, heated, targeted races in 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2020.
Here’s our story new on the site this morning.
WHAT’S GOING ON BETWEEN PRITZKER AND LIGHTFOOT?
Depending on who you ask, Governor JB Pritzker gave a big “middle finger” to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot after signing two pro-labor measures that could cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars. Other Democrats we talk to, though, say it could just simply be a “difference in priorities.”
Yesterday, Pritzker signed a bill giving pension boosts to older Chicago firefighters and removing a cap on how many “cost of living adjustments” or COLA’s they can receive over time.
Republicans who criticized the bill say it will cost city taxpayers over $850 million over time. Lightfoot opposed the bill.
Friday, without little fanfare, Pritzker signed a bill giving the Chicago Teachers Union more power in bargaining. Lightfoot opposed that bill, too, as she’s been fighting with CTU since…well…forever, it seems.
It’s hard to say what it actually means, but there’s little doubt there’s an ice flow in the middle of the relationship between Pritzker and Lightfoot right now.
Here’s our story from the website.
DOWNSTATE BAR OWNER DENIES CDC REPORT ON COVID OUTBREAK
An investigation from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention released yesterday pointed to a bar “opening event” in rural Illinois that was responsible for a COVID-19 outbreak in February that sickened 46 people.
We’ve since learned the outbreak is being pointed at a bar called “The Embarras” in tiny Villa Grove in Douglas County. The Embarras River (pronounced em-BRAW) runs through that community.
The owner of the bar says the Illinois Department of Public Health and the CDC got it wrong, and that they did everything right to keep people safe and healthy.
Per the CDC: The event had occurred indoors, with no outside air flow. Six employees staffed the bar. Although the total number of bar patrons who attended the event is unknown, the bar accommodates approximately 100 persons. On February 12, through routine testing and contact tracing, local health department staff members identified a cluster of cases linked to the bar event, including a case in an asymptomatic attendee who received a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis the day before the event.
But owner Ryan Garrett says they followed opening rules strictly.
“I can assure you that our bar was not responsible for a Covid outbreak. No one that owns or works at this bar transmitted Covid to anyone,” Garrett wrote in an e-mail to The Illinoize Monday night. “We opened our doors for the first time since purchasing the business in August 2020, on February 5, 2021. We opened within the guidelines set forth in the phase 4 revitalization order. We had approximately 30-40 people in our bar, which consists of 2 large rooms that were allowed to occupy 50 people per room under the guideline. Clear signage that encouraged social distancing, mask wearing, and occupancy limits were posted on all entrances. Disposable masks and hand sanitizer were readily available to the patrons.”
Read more about the report and the owner’s rebuttal here.
COVID INFECTIONS CONTINUE TO RISE
In just three weeks, the state’s seven-day rolling positivity rate has risen from 2.5% on March 11 to 4.5% yesterday. While it may not be a “surge,” as it has been identified in some states, clearly the increasing rate is concerning to state officials.
Speaking in Champaign yesterday, Governor JB Pritzker compared beating the surge as a race to get as many people vaccinated as possible.
“We’ve seen this before. We’ve had two [surges], we’re now seeing a rise in cases here, but these things come in waves,” Pritzker said. “I am hopeful that with the rising number of vaccinations, we’re averaging over 100,000 a day, the increasing number of people who are fully vaccinated at the same time that we’re dealing with this surge, I’m hoping we can sort of overcome the surge for the very first time.”
You can read our story and see our COVID-19 data for the month of March here.
By the way, about 18.7% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated.
STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS CHIEF VICTIM OF EXTORTION ATTEMPT
It appears Illinois State Board of Elections Director Steve Sandvoss has been the victim of an attempted online extortion.
Sandvoss, who has been with ISBE since 1988, was promoted to Executive Director in 2014.
ISBE announced Monday Sandvoss had reported the attempted extortion to the Illinois State Police, which is investigating. The agency said Sandvoss was placed on administrative leave out of “an abundance of caution.”
MEA CULPA
Last week, I said Sen. Terri Bryant celebrated a birthday March 31. Turns out, the Google Machine pulled the wrong date and fed me the bad info. Her actual birthday is September 20. We regret the error.
ACTUAL BIRTHDAYS
Former State Rep. Renee Kosel celebrated a birthday Saturday.
CONGRATULATIONS IN ORDER
Congratulations to my old friend Kevin Johnson (KJ as he’s known to, well, everyone) for being named Interim President and CEO of the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association. He replaces Jean Payne, who retired March 31. KJ is a farm kid from Vermilion County who was the ag staffer for former Congressman Tim Johnson (no relation) for many years.
Congratulations to former Senate Republican queen Abby Walsh and longtime aide to Rep. John Shimkus Deb Detmers Fansler for joining GOP fundraising outfit The Newberg Group. Owner Suzy Brown got a steal with these two GOP professionals.
SYMPATHIES
Our condolences go out to the family of former Bloomington Mayor Rich Buchanan, who passed away Tuesday. He had Alzheimer's, but the best outlook: "I'm in a battle with Alzheimer's, there is no cure, I'm going to lose this battle, but I have already won the war."
BEFORE WE GO…
Today is the “consolidated” election, electing mayors, township officials, school boards, and voting on referenda.
The Chicago Tribune did a rundown suburban races. Keep an eye on Orland Park, Lyons, Waukegan, and Evergreen Park, where Rep. Kelly Burke hopes to become Mayor and State Rep.
Some notable mayoral races downstate are in Bloomington, Normal, Kankakee, Alton, and Mattoon, among others.
Send me your tips, thoughts, comments, illustrious praise, and frustrations. E-mail me anytime at patrick@theillinoize.com.
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Have a great week.