THE ILLINOIZE: Special session day...Maps are done...maybe?...Energy isn't...Sullivan announcing next week...Johnson will run after all...
August 31, 2021
Good morning.
It’s our one year anniversary today. Last September 1, I sent out a newsletter to a large list of people I had met, worked with, come across, or just had in a database somewhere to start this little journey called “The Illinoize.”
We had some people skeptical. We had some people who didn’t trust us. But we’re just trying to tell the truth. Our subscriber based model is growing everyday and our engagement to these newsletters is higher than ever. Thank you.
Here’s to year two.
Also, today is the LAST DAY for our subscription special. If you join the ranks of paid subscribers today, you’ll get $10 off the first year (down to $65). Paid subscribers got two exclusive e-mails from me yesterday. One was right after maps had been released and, a few hours later, I sent my first observations on the new maps.
Subscribers get stuff first. Be in the know and join us today.
One more quick thing. It’s unlikely any politicians or sources are taking calls on Labor Day next Monday (except to tell me to get a life,) so we won’t plan to publish a Free for All Monday or a newsletter Tuesday. Of course, if something gigantic happens, we’ll be back in your inboxes ASAP.
Let’s get to it!
THERE’S AN ENERGY BILL…BUT IS IT SUNK ALREADY?
Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Frankfort) filed a 980-page energy bill yesterday, potentially 24 hours before a Senate vote.
The Senate appears poised to pass a long-discussed energy bill as early as Tuesday, but the legislation may already be dead.
Unions and nuclear advocates are supportive of the bill, but environmental groups continue to proceed with reservations or downright opposition.
The real difference, as it has been throughout the process, is how long coal-fired power plants around the state, specifically the Prairie State Energy plant in southern Illinois, will be allowed to operate.
Environmental groups have been backed by Governor JB Pritzker throughout the process, and they say coal is getting a pass in the legislation.
“This bill would allow coal plants to pollute in perpetuity,” said J.C. Kibbey, a clean energy advocate with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “It would allow Prairie State to burn coal forever and continue killing one person every five days forever. Continuing to burn coal forever is not consistent with a livable climate. It is not consistent with environmental justice. It is certainly not nation leading on climate change.”
But others, like Pat Devaney of the Illinois AFL-CIO say the legislature is running out of time to save nuclear plants in Byron and near Morris.
“The urgency of the nuclear component of this bill is real, and, without action over the next couple of days, now, we will lose [two nuclear] facilities and the thousands of good paying jobs they provide,” said Pat Devaney, who negotiated the bill on behalf of the AFL-CIO. “[If the plants aren’t saved,] we’ll see financial devastation to entire regions of our state and a major setback for Illinois in meeting its clean energy goals.”
The bill may already be sunk. We’re told Governor JB Pritzker is still opposed and it may not even get called in the House.
REPUBLICANS, ADVOCACY GROUPS LAMBAST NEW DEM MAPS
House and Senate Democrats released a new version of legislative maps Monday after census data showed numerous districts had an unacceptable amount of population disparity, or deviation.
The changes in the map are likely due to stem the tide of a lawsuit from Republicans and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) to invalidate the plan. Democrats passed their second version of a redistricting plan in May before census data was released.
Democrats held multiple hearings with limited public input over the weekend all before the latest version of the maps were released.
At a hearing Monday evening, just a few hours after the third plan was released, Republicans and advocacy groups complained about the way Democrats came about the latest version of a redistricting plan.
“There are simply no words to describe the sham for which this process is,” said Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington, the top Republican on the Senate Redistricting committee. “The most shameful part about it is that many of my good friends who sit across the aisle know it. There’s not a person involved in this process who doesn’t see it for what it is.”
WHO’S IN, WHO’S OUT?
Subscribers got the first look at this yesterday, but here’s the latest on the map introduced yesterday:
Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora) had a population thousands below the necessary levels in her new district after census results were released moves to the new 50th House District. The district includes most of Aurora and runs north to about the Batavia city limit.
Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia) loses any of Aurora and North Aurora that she had in the May version of the map. She gets the east side of Batavia, West Chicago, Fermilab, some of Elgin and South Elgin, and most of Bartlett. Though it looks like she’ll avoid a member vs. member race against Rep. Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett), who is in the southern part of Bartlett and in the new 47th. Hirschauer’s new district will go from Elgin to Country Lakes Park on the northern edge of Naperville.
Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) moves from the current 84th to the 49th back to the 84th. The district includes Fox Valley Mall to the north and follows Route 34 into Oswego. I don’t have a partisan breakdown on this one, but eye test makes me think it may be a tougher fight than in previous years if Republicans get a good candidate.
Senate Democrats are still trying to push indicted Sen. Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) out, leaving him drawn into a potential primary with Sen. Suzy Glowiak-Hilton (D-Western Springs).
A potential member vs. member showdown remains in the latest map. Rep. Deb Conroy (D-Elmhurst) and Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) remain in the new 46th together.
Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) and Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) have been moved in to the 102nd District together. Miller had been placed in the new 101st, that district now has Hoopeston, Mahomet, Tuscola, and Mattoon-Charleston with no incumbent.
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savana) and Rep. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) are no longer drawn together. McCombie gets the new 89th district, which includes Galena, Byron, and Oregon, running all the way east into DeKalb County. Chesney would be drawn in with former Rep. John Cabello, who had been considering a run in a new district without an incumbent.
In potentially working around Cabello, Dems also stuck it to Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford), who has been drawn into a potential primary with Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock).
It also appears most Republican member vs. member primaries continue to exist. Rep. Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) and Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) remain drawn together in the new 51st. Rep. Amy Grant (R-Wheaton) & Rep. Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett) remain together in the new 42nd.
It also looks like Rep. Randy Frese (R-Paloma) and Rep. CD Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) remain drawn together in the new 99th. Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) & Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield) remain drawn together in the new 108th. Murphy’s family and Bourne’s family are very close, so I’m still not sure we see a primary there.
Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) and Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) are still drawn together in the new 107th, but Caulkins has indicated he plans to move into the new 88th, which runs from the north and west sides of Decatur north to almost Bloomington.
Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) and Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) remain drawn into the new 55th District, though Bailey, as you know, is running for Governor.
SULLIVAN NEXT WEEK
We told you a couple of weeks ago that Menard County resident and venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan was considering a run for Governor.
I got calls from a couple of county GOP chairmen yesterday that they had heard from Sullivan and he is planning an announcement for next week.
Sullivan was at Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair festivities earlier this month, hobnobbing with party insiders, most of whom haven’t met the political newcomer. I’ve heard that Sullivan has told people he plans to spend $10-15 million of his own money on the race, which may be enough to win a primary, but would be a drop in the bucket compared to the resources available to billionaire incumbent JB Pritzker.
Sullivan did not return my message last night.
JOHNSON’S FLIP FLOP ON RUNNING
Appointed Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) announced in a Facebook post that she would seek a full term in the Senate in 2022. She replaced Terry Link, who resigned following an indictment and his role in a bribery scheme. Johnson was picked as a placeholder for the seat, pledging not to run for a full term in 2022.
But, with politics comes flip flops. I’ve heard rumors for months that Johnson was gearing up for a potential run and that she was the possible reason Latinos weren’t given a majority district in the Waukegan area.
I’ve been reaching out to Johnson for the last couple of months and she’s been telling me she didn’t have any new information for me and would talk to me “soon.”
Yeah, she didn’t return our message yesterday.
Interestingly, Mettawa Mayor Casey Urlacher, who was pardoned by President Trump last year, has said he was running against Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). But Urlacher has been drawn into Johnson’s 30th district, so it will be interesting to see his next move.
HAPPY BIRTHDAYS
Tomorrow: Former First Lady Brenda Edgar, Fmr. Rep. Barbara Giolitto, my old friend and DLA Piper Partner Joe Roselius, The Illinoize (1!)
Thursday: Fmr. Rep. Flora Ciarlo, Fmr. Rep. Andrea Moore
Sunday: Former State Comptroller Leslie Munger
Monday: Congressman Danny Davis, aka “The Voice of God” is 80, Rep. Keith Sommer (75!)
ONE MORE THING…
Thanks for your support this first year. Let me know what you’re hearing. You can reach me at patrick@theillinoize.com.
We hope you’ll follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and keep our website in your favorites. We’ll be updating each of these throughout the day.
Have a great week.