Illinois News

[Green Line]

A fight is brewing in the Illinois Democratic Party.  JB Pritzker dropped a bomb today by calling for Michael Madigan to step down as head of the state party.  Democrats had a dissapointing Tuesday, with JB's "Fair Tax" constitutional amendment going down in flames after he spent over $50 million of his own money to pass it.  Now he's trying to pin the loss on the stench of Madigan corruption.

Madigan has already signalled he intends to run for Speaker in the next session and is gathering support.  It will be interesting to see what suburban Dems do.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2020/11/5/21551692/pritzker-madigan-election-resign-graduated-income-tax-durbin-democratic-party-chairman

[Green Line]

Thomas Kilbride, a Madigan ally on the Supreme Court, lost his retention election in a Northern Illinois district.  Kim Foxx also had a pathetic showing for a Cook County Dem, but her problems were more self-inflicted.

Dick Durbin also called on Madigan to step down yesterday.

[Green Line]

Finally, other notable happenings...

- I think Democrats finally flipped the DuPage County Board.  They needed a gain of 3 and probably have it, but can't confirm yet.

- Republicans picked up the McHenry County Board Chair, beating incumbent Jack Franks.  Democrats picked up the Kane County Board Chair (open seat).

The parties broke even in suburban State House seats:

- Democrats knocked off Grant Wehrli (Naperville) and Allen Skillicorn (Elgin outskirts).  Democrats also spent a lot of money to defeat GOP rep Brad Stephens (Rosemont/Northwest Chicago) but he won in a landslide.

- Republicans defeated Diane Pappas (Northern DuPage) and Mary Edly-Allen (Southern Lake).  They also also picked up two downstate house districts from Dems.

[Orwell]

Like... We all remember the last time a Governor picked a fight with Madigan right?

[PSOL]

I am with JB Pritzker on this one, even though Madigan will squish him.

[JGibson]

Madigan needs to step down as House Speaker and Democratic Party chair.

In my home county of Madison County, The Democrats lost 3 county board seats (2 of which are in my home city of Granite City), lost all the countywide positions sans the incumbent coroner, and both 3rd Judicial Circuit seats.

Our former strongholds of Granite City and Wood River continue their sharp turn right. Alton, Edwardsville, and Madison/Venice seems to be where the Dems main strength areas are now. Glen Carbon and Collinsville are the swingy areas now.

The turn right in my county may have been driven by backlash against Pritzker (especially his COVID mandates and regarding bars/restaurants in particular) and Madigan.

[Green Line]

Madigan needs to step down as House Speaker and Democratic Party chair.

In my home county of Madison County, The Democrats lost 3 county board seats (2 of which are in my home city of Granite City), lost all the countywide positions sans the incumbent coroner, and both 3rd Judicial Circuit seats.

Our former strongholds of Granite City and Wood River continue their sharp turn right. Alton, Edwardsville, and Madison/Venice seems to be where the Dems main strength areas are now. Glen Carbon and Collinsville are the swingy areas now.

The turn right in my county may have been driven by backlash against Pritzker (especially his COVID mandates and regarding bars/restaurants in particular) and Madigan.

Unfortunately for Democrats in your area, the IL Dems are increasily dominated by Chicagoland.  They're more than happy to trade Granite City for Naperville.  A Democratic Party so concentrated in urban Chicagoland isn't going to make a comeback down there.

And for that matter, Madigan isn't the reason Dems are hemorrhaging in Southern IL.  In fact, his style of politics probably plays better down there than JBs does!

[PSOL]

Who exactly would join JB Pritzker in this fight? Lightfoot? Preckwinkle? Raoul?

[Donerail]

Who exactly would join JB Pritzker in this fight? Lightfoot? Preckwinkle? Raoul?

It feels increasingly safe to pile on Madigan, now that Durbin and Duckworth are on board. Helps, I think, that the demand is only for him to relinquish his role in the party, not his job in Springfield.

[GALeftist]

Durbin says this like every couple of years and then does nothing. Madigan will swat Pritzker aside quite easily, people in his own state barely even remember that he's governor from what I understand.

[jamestroll]

These loses are worth it. Get rid of Madigan and no more lock downs!

[GALeftist]

I like how Democrats will glorify fighting dirty and then turn around and trash Madigan. Not saying I like him, but this is what fighting dirty looks like. You grab power and hold it no matter what.

[Green Line]

These loses are worth it. Get rid of Madigan and no more lock downs!

Madigan is not driving the lockdowns, far from it.  In fact, when the legislature came back into session for a brief period in May, they blocked Pritzker's plan to punish businesses who violate the lockdown orders.  Local legislators are much closer to their constituents on this and unwilling to take any heat or difficult votes to shut businesses down.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

So I guess I have to decide who I dislike more between Toilet Tax Cheat Pritzker and Mob Boss Madigan.

[jamestroll]

These loses are worth it. Get rid of Madigan and no more lock downs!

Madigan is not driving the lockdowns, far from it.  In fact, when the legislature came back into session for a brief period in May, they blocked Pritzker's plan to punish businesses who violate the lockdown orders.  Local legislators are much closer to their constituents on this and unwilling to take any heat or difficult votes to shut businesses down.

I like Pritzker but he better hold back on any lockdowns or any more covid restrictions.

[Red Wall]

These loses are worth it. Get rid of Madigan and no more lock downs!

Madigan is not driving the lockdowns, far from it.  In fact, when the legislature came back into session for a brief period in May, they blocked Pritzker's plan to punish businesses who violate the lockdown orders.  Local legislators are much closer to their constituents on this and unwilling to take any heat or difficult votes to shut businesses down.

Dude is really headed for a Pat Quinn style win in 2022 where Cook county bails him out
I like Pritzker but he better hold back on any lockdowns or any more covid restrictions.

[RINO Tom]

These loses are worth it. Get rid of Madigan and no more lock downs!

Madigan is not driving the lockdowns, far from it.  In fact, when the legislature came back into session for a brief period in May, they blocked Pritzker's plan to punish businesses who violate the lockdown orders.  Local legislators are much closer to their constituents on this and unwilling to take any heat or difficult votes to shut businesses down.

I like Pritzker but he better hold back on any lockdowns or any more covid restrictions.

I wouldn’t hold your breath, he practically gets off on it.

[Ye We Can]

Finally, other notable happenings...

- I think Democrats finally flipped the DuPage County Board.  They needed a gain of 3 and probably have it, but can't confirm yet.

- Republicans picked up the McHenry County Board Chair, beating incumbent Jack Franks.  Democrats picked up the Kane County Board Chair (open seat).

The parties broke even in suburban State House seats:

- Democrats knocked off Grant Wehrli (Naperville) and Allen Skillicorn (Elgin outskirts).  Democrats also spent a lot of money to defeat GOP rep Brad Stephens (Rosemont/Northwest Chicago) but he won in a landslide.

- Republicans defeated Diane Pappas (Northern DuPage) and Mary Edly-Allen (Southern Lake).  They also also picked up two downstate house districts from Dems.

Skillicorn would have won if he didn't give up half way through election season, lol.

Is Robert Martwick gonna win?

[jamestroll]

These loses are worth it. Get rid of Madigan and no more lock downs!

Madigan is not driving the lockdowns, far from it.  In fact, when the legislature came back into session for a brief period in May, they blocked Pritzker's plan to punish businesses who violate the lockdown orders.  Local legislators are much closer to their constituents on this and unwilling to take any heat or difficult votes to shut businesses down.

I like Pritzker but he better hold back on any lockdowns or any more covid restrictions.

I wouldn’t hold your breath, he practically gets off on it.

If there are any more locksdowns people should just defy them!

[Sir Mohamed]

Pritzker going against Madigan? Whoa. All in all, Pritzker has turned out much better than I expected across the board.

[Mr. Illini]

Would be long overdue. He’s a major liability for Dems here.

[Orwell]

Madigan is one of my favorite politicians from a purely Machiavellian standpoint. Like he has put his entire life towards dominating Illinois. Emil Jones, nobody. Blago, nobody. He is a much better friend than an enemy to have.

[ChiefFireWaterMike]

Madigan is one of my favorite politicians from a purely Machiavellian standpoint. Like he has put his entire life towards dominating Illinois. Emil Jones, nobody. Blago, nobody. He is a much better friend than an enemy to have.

Honestly, very "fun" it's people like this that make politics interesting, we just got to get machines back.

[GALeftist]

Also, given the fact that we're about to get absolutely clowned on in redistricting (thanks, DLCC), Madigan does deserve some credit from the national party for keeping Illinois from embracing redistricting reform prematurely, although I'm sure he didn't do it for altruistic reasons. The fact remains, though, that Republicans continue to use redistricting to great effect in states like Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Ohio, while there are like five states total where Democrats haven't totally abandoned that particular weapon (especially if Democrats can't eke out a supermajority in the NY State Senate). I'm all for redistricting reform, but it needs to be imposed on the entire nation at the same time imo or Democrats are just showing up to a gun fight with knives.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Also, given the fact that we're about to get absolutely clowned on in redistricting (thanks, DLCC), Madigan does deserve some credit from the national party for keeping Illinois from embracing redistricting reform prematurely, although I'm sure he didn't do it for altruistic reasons. The fact remains, though, that Republicans continue to use redistricting to great effect in states like Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Ohio, while there are like five states total where Democrats haven't totally abandoned that particular weapon (especially if Democrats can't eke out a supermajority in the NY State Senate). I'm all for redistricting reform, but it needs to be imposed on the entire nation at the same time imo or Democrats are just showing up to a gun fight with knives.

Perhaps the best path here would be to stick to non-partisan redistricting at the local level and run on putting federal redistricting into something like the NPV compact where it only happens if and when a certain number of states/districts represented by states get behind it.