THE ILLINOIZE: One week out...On the trail with Gov. Pritzker...Gabbard stumps for Bailey...
November 1, 2022
Rabbit, rabbit.
Good morning, Illinois.
Baby Ditka hopes you had a great Halloween:
(the mustache made it about 1.2 seconds)
We’re just one week away from Election Day. As of yesterday, almost 700,000 ballots have already been cast between mail-in and early voters. That’s about 15% of the total vote in the race for governor four years ago. That’s part of the reason the rhetoric is ramping up because you have fewer and fewer undecideds with each passing day. So, just take a breath as the ads get more over the top over the next week.
Governor JB Pritzker will canvas with Democrats in southwest suburban Bellwood this afternoon. The Bailey campaign has not released a public schedule.
My pal Jim Leach at WMAY is down with the COVID bug, so I’m pinch hitting on Springfield radio the rest of the week from 4-6pm. Join me on the radio or listen online at www.wmay.com.
We’ll also have another of our weekly Livestream and podcast shows tomorrow at noon. We’re scheduled to talk to GOP Senate candidate Kathy Salvi and Chicago Tribune reporter Dan Petrella. Go subscribe to our YouTube channel to get the updates.
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Let’s get to it.
PRITZKER WARNS OF “EXTREMIST” GOP CANDIDATES
Stumping at a diner in northwest suburban Des Plaines Monday afternoon, Governor JB Pritzker seemed to mention the name “Donald Trump” in every sentence he said the name “Darren Bailey.” But, Pritzker also seemed to acknowledge the fact the race with the conservative southern Illinois Senator is tightening.
“This is gonna be a fight. This is not gonna be easy,” Pritzker said. “You’ve seen the trends all over the United States. There are places where Democrats are fighting for their lives. We’ve gotta fight like hell right here in Illinois.”
Joined by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Schaumburg), Sen. Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines), and Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg), Pritzker repeated his case that Bailey and former President Donald Trump were one in the same.
“I’m running for re-election because, frankly, everything we care about is under siege,” Pritzker said in a short speech after working the room, shaking hands, and taking multiple pictures. “It is the most challenging year we’ve seen in many years. In part because of Donald Trump and Darren Bailey.”
Citing Bailey’s abortion position and his support for the former president, Pritzker took direct aim at his Republican opponent.
“Darren Bailey is a Trump extremist,” Pritzker said. “We cannot let him anywhere near the governor’s office.”
The billionaire governor cited numerous accomplishments in his first term, including credit upgrades, minimum wage increases, and protecting abortion access.
Pritzker did not take questions after the event.
GABBARD STUMPS FOR BAILEY
Former Democratic Hawaii congresswoman and presidential candidate, Tulsi Gabbard, who publicly left the party in recent weeks, stumped for Republican gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) in the suburbs Monday.
Speaking in suburban Glen Ellyn on Halloween night, Gabbard said it makes sense for a former Democrat to support a Republican.
“It only doesn’t make sense if you’re focused on the wrong things,” said Gabbard, the 41-year-old former Army Lt. Colonel who served four terms in the House. “Don’t limit yourselves to only speaking to people who agree with you. We’re not just fighting for half the country, we’re not just fighting for half of Illinois. If we’re not willing to fight for those who disagree with us, then we’re no better than the other guys.”
In a roughly 10-minute stump speech, Bailey repeated many of his often-used themes, including rising crime in the city of Chicago.
“We’re living a nightmare,” Bailey said, citing crime statistics. “We have a mess on our hands and we have the opportunity of a lifetime to restore this state for our children and our grandchildren. They deserve it.”
Bailey once again called for repeal of the so-called SAFE-T Act, which, in part, eliminates Illinois’ cash bail system on January 1.
“Illinois is lost. JB Pritzker is lost. We’ve hired two back to back billionaire governors who have failed us, because we’ve put all of our trust in a person,” Bailey said. “The future and salvation of Illinois is with anyone who wants to stand beside me and fix this.”
Bailey has been dramatically outspent by billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker, but his campaign insists the race is closer in their polling than most public polls. A WGN-TV poll last week showed Bailey trailing Pritzker by 9 percentage points.
CASH BASH
Gov. JB Pritzker has dipped into a trust to give $500,000 each to the campaigns of Illinois Supreme Court candidates Mary K. O’Brien and Elizabeth Rochford.
The Illinois AFL-CIO gave another $100,000 to the campaign in favor of Amendment 1, the Worker’s Rights Amendment.
Senate Democrats have pumped another $1 million in to the campaign of Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex). We’ve been hearing this race has gotten “uncomfortably close” for Democrats, even though Republican Philip Nagel has spent hardly any money in the race. Joyce is airing ads on Chicago broadcast TV.
Senate Dems have also provided Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) with another $140,000. She’s running broadcast TV in her race against former Rep. Dennis Reboletti.
Senate Republicans have dumped $386,000 into the campaign of Metro East candidate Erica Conway Harriss. She faces appointed Sen. Kris Tharp (D-Wood River) and is up on St. Louis broadcast TV.
Conservative group Americans for Prosperity is jumping into numerous House races with direct mail.
The Uihlein-funded People Who Play By the Rules PAC has spent millions hammering Gov. JB Pritzker this fall, but is also jumping into legislative races. By the way, NPR is reporting about the fake newspapers the PAC has been pushing out.
What are you hearing out there? Drop me a note at patrick@theillinoize.com.
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