THE ILLINOIZE: Republicans stumble all over themselves to get in the glow of DeSantis...Meet Rep. Wayne Rosenthal...Remembering the king of the State Fair corn dog

February 21, 2023

Good morning, Illinois.

Thanks so much for the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois for having me as the guest speaker at their legislative breakfast during their annual convention yesterday. Maybe at some point I’ll put my slides on YouTube with commentary on where we are and how we got here in Illinois politics. (If that’s something you’d be interested in watching, let me know.)

The House and Senate return to Springfield today at noon. There’s a bunch of committee work scheduled, but expect the rubber to really hit the road here in a couple of weeks. Governor Pritzker is back on the road selling his budget plan with a 10:00am stop in Peoria and a 1:30pm event in Macomb.

We’re offering a one week free trial for our paid memberships. You’ll get our exclusive subscriber-only newsletters, breaking news alerts, and a lot of the other fun stuff we put out.

There’s no obligation after your week, but if you like what you see, a monthly subscription is only $9.99 and a full year is $99. A deal in today’s inflationary environment. Click below to join us.

Let’s get to it.

REPUBLICANS BASK IN THE GLOW OF GOP FLAVOR OF THE DAY

Florida’s Republican Governor, a likely 2024 candidate for president and less charismatic Trump cosplayer, brought his show to the suburbs yesterday to speak to police and take shots at Gov. JB Pritzker in the process.

More from the Chicago Tribune:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, exploring a 2024 bid for the White House, came to west suburban Elmhurst on Monday as part of a tour attacking Democrats for enacting “woke” policies that encourage crime and weaken law enforcement as he recruited police officers to move to the Sunshine State.

“As they are defunding police and attacking police in these other jurisdictions, the state of Florida has shown them that we got your back and we support what you’re doing,” DeSantis told about 200 people in a half-hour speech promoted by the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police at a Knights of Columbus hall.

While taking jabs at major cities headed by Democrats, DeSantis promoted laws Florida has passed that support law enforcement, including signing bonuses for new officers and those who transfer from other states, as well as scholarships for family members. His appearance followed visits earlier in the day to New York City and suburban Philadelphia.

While DeSantis made mention of Illinois’ high taxes, COVID-19 restrictions, critical race theory and school choice, most of his talk centered on the event’s theme of “Back the Blue.” He touted bringing in the National Guard and prosecuting protesters during the demonstration in response to the murder of George Floyd. He also recounted stories of speaking with new Floridians, saying they had moved from Democratic-run cities because of what they contended was a broken law enforcement system.

“As you see massive increases in crime in places like Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Florida has a 50-year low in our crime rate,” DeSantis said.

“You’re not going to have a good economy if the streets aren’t safe, you’re not going to have good education if people don’t feel safe.” DeSantis said. “None of it works unless you have the foundation of public safety.”

It was interesting to see how many Republican politicians, many of whom stumbled over themselves to get in the glow of Donald Trump in the last six years, were now desperate to get in the view of the latest shiny GOP object. Including this guy and this guy.

As Trump and DeSantis barrel toward a potential primary, it may be downright comical to watch Republican politicians twist in the wind to curry favor with whoever is ahead in the polls that week. It shows just how unserious many of them are about winning and how many of them are just excited for the grift of the week.

Of course, Chicago media, in their breathlessness, gave every jamoke across the street with a sign credibility. Including this lady:

10 people with signs does not make a protest.

MEET THE (SORTA) FRESHMEN: REP. WAYNE ROSENTHAL (R-MORRISONVILLE)

We probably won’t be able to get to everyone, but with so many new members this spring, we thought we should take some time to introduce you to some of the new (or, in this case, returning) faces in Springfield.

Wayne Rosenthal has been here before.

Rosenthal, 72, spent four years representing a district south of Springfield from 2011 until he was chosen by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2015 to lead the Department of Natural Resources.

Out of the political game for a few years and with redrawn maps, Rosenthal jumped back in the fray in 2022, winning election to the new 108th District, which encompasses much of his home area in Christian, Montgomery, and Macoupin Counties, much of the west and northern portions of Sangamon County, and extending north to Menard County.

I spoke to him last week as I filled in on WMAY Radio in Springfield.

“It seems like I haven’t left, but it’s been eight years since I was there,” Rosenthal said. “It’s all rural, I’ve got a lot of friends there, and a lot of experience to offer.”

A retired Brigadier General with the Illinois Air National Guard, Rosenthal says he’s approaching his newest stint in the General Assembly with an eye on constituent service.

“You have to go in with the approach that you’re not going to change the world [in Springfield],” he said. “I had a lot of friends and former constituents who were still calling and asking for help, and I can offer that. I had a lot of contacts and we have a great office to help them navigate the bureaucracy, whatever it is.”

Rosenthal says many Illinoisans are struggling.

“The cost of living has gone up. Inflation, gas, fuel, food, everything has gone up, even though, in a lot of cases, people’s wages haven’t gone up,” Rosenthal said. “If you talk to any employers out there, it’s hard to find people that are willing or qualified to go to work.”

But Rosenthal, in a super minority in the House, knows it will take hard work to get things done. But he’s been here before and believes he can navigate the political landmines.

BOB VOSE

If you’ve spent any time at the State Fair, you know a Vose corn dog. From the SJ-R:

Bob Vose, the Korndog King and a longtime Springfield Ward 5 alderman, died Monday.

Vose turned 94 in January. He was living at The Villas in Sherman at the time of his passing.

Vose, a U.S. Army veteran, served on the Springfield City Council representing the northend ward from 1987 to 1999.

"Springfield has truly lost a legend," the Vose family posted on the Vose Korndogs Facebook page.

Vose opened the concession stand at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in 1966, though he started selling ice on the fairgrounds in the late 1940s. Vose's is now a fourth-generation business.

Some folks will tell you Vose is the gold standard, others are on team Cozy Dog. Who am I to discriminate against cornbread encased weiners?

We actually spoke to his granddaughter, Kelsie, for a story about vendor concerns over mask mandates for the 2021 State Fair. The whole family is a delight.

Our prayers are with them.