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* Paris Schutz got ahold of some text messages sent by Richard Irvin…
But text messages written by Irvin in 2018 during the middle of the Trump presidency, and obtained by WTTW News, appear to show Irvin has very strong feelings about Trump, and they are not positive. The messages offer some insight into aspects of Irvin’s political beliefs his campaign has been reticent to address.
“And I hate Trump too!” Irvin wrote. “He’s an idiot!!!”
Shortly after, Irvin added, “and a bigoted racist.” […]
Irvin then clarifies his position on Trump once again: “And although I don’t hate Trump the man, I do hate what he stands for.” […]
In a statement to WTTW News Irvin said, “I don’t recall sending those texts, and while there are areas where I disagreed, the Trump Administration delivered positive results for Americans like tax cuts, opportunity zones, and a focus on public safety – all of which we utilized to great effect in Aurora and are now a focus of our campaign to take back Illinois from the disastrous Pritzker regime.”
* Meanwhile, from the Irvin campaign’s mail program…
Sheesh.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:30 pm
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What a bad week for Irvin.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:32 pm
I’ll be honest, I thought the Trump endorsement for Bailey was always kinda a longshot. It’s closing in on near certainty now.
Comment by One hand //ing Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:34 pm
He’s an idiot and a racist, but I’m going to emulate his policies. It’s amazing what money can buy.
Comment by Norseman Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:42 pm
There is a way that this could help Irvin in the General, but he has to make it there first, and after that he has to start standing by and actual conviction for the first time in his campaign. His campaign’s statement indicates that he’s not looking to do so.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:42 pm
Well, there goes the votes south of I-80
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:45 pm
“Text messages? Do I even know how to send those? Hold on, let me text Mr. Griffin and see if I do.”
Burn those stacks, Kenny.
Comment by Roadrager Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:48 pm
=== There is a way that this could help Irvin in the General ===
There is no way this can help Irvin in the General.
If there was any daylight in the Illinois electorate then Adam Kinzinger would be the front runner right now.
For every one Democratic vote an anti-Trumper picks up, they lose 10 Republican votes.
While we’re at it, before Team Griffin gets any more “high and mighty”, let’s remember that the Republicans were running ads attacking JB Pritzker during the 2018 primary to boost Daniel Biss.
Goose, meet Gander.
Irvin will not survive this I don’t think.
Comment by Juvenal Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:53 pm
There is a way that this could help Irvin in the General, but he has to make it there first, and after that he has to start standing by and actual conviction for the first time in his campaign. His campaign’s statement indicates that he’s not looking to do so.
-
Not really. He has lost any type of real GOP support if they get word of this. He has little to no support from the black community. He will need a lot of Griffin money if he makes it to the General and will still lose.
Comment by Real Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:53 pm
===Well, there goes the votes south of I-80===
If only Bailey had money to put this ad on TV downstate. Maybe the DGA will do it for him?
But otherwise, as damaging as this may be to Irvin, somebody has to get it out there. Until then, remember what WTTW stands for: Wilmette Talking To Winnetka.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:56 pm
There’s still more than a month until the primary election.
Comment by Nick Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:56 pm
==If only Bailey had money to put this ad on TV downstate.==
Downstate media is cheap, at least.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:57 pm
Good for Irvin. Finally a Republican who does not like Trump, who is destroying the Republican Party
Comment by Ex DuPage Mayor Friday, May 13, 22 @ 1:59 pm
He’s not wrong. But it might cost him the Primary. And that’s a result of the sad state of the gop these days.
Comment by fs Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:01 pm
There’s a certain irony in that the employee who leaked these messages appears to have issues with… gay pride and gay marriage.
Irving really can’t win with anyone, it seems.
Comment by Nick Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:02 pm
Selling your souls is never worth it.
Comment by Glengarry Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:03 pm
==Irving really can’t win with anyone, it seems. ==
That’s what you get when you run against yourself.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:04 pm
This should be brought up in the debate, along with the question of voting for Trump in the past.
Comment by Wensicia Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:07 pm
He has zero credibility, and he has been proven to have checked his beliefs (and self respect) at the door. Time and again… time to go away.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:08 pm
Ooops…They weren’t supposed to release that until June 29th.
Comment by SAP Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:11 pm
Seeing the full text exchange paints a clearer picture of Irvin’s beliefs and how their formed. It’s sad that he can’t campaign on that. And there’s a lot in there that I can agree with including his dislike of musicals.
Comment by Pundent Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:12 pm
Guess we give the ‘Riffie personal o.r.team a low grade…yikes
Comment by ANNON'IN Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:19 pm
It’s really funny how even in these four year old text messages Irvin has the spine of a jelly fish. From “I hate Trump” to “I don’t hate Trump the man…”
And he has to make it clear that he’s grossed out by gay stuff, too, he just won’t cancel a parade over it.
Just terrible stuff.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:22 pm
I told you Friday the 13th was lucky.
Comment by Proud Papa Bear Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:25 pm
Irvin is acting like Trump now, with the dog whistles. This is what he’s let himself become. He threw BLM and racial justice advocates under the bus, people he said he supported, as well as the poor and children who require social services. Mayor Irvin was probably really cool. This Raunerite creation, though.
Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:28 pm
The homophobia in this mail piece appears to very accurately reflect Richard Irvin’s “personal” beliefs about being LGTBQ.
Comment by Immigrants Welcome Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:29 pm
=== That’s what you get when you run against yourself. ===
Arsenal accurately sums it up.
Comment by Norseman Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:29 pm
Irvin is right there with the majority of the GOP leaders that detest Trump in private, but lack the political courage to say it publicly.
If Irvin gets the nomination, will Bailey’s voters vote for him in the general? Or will they abstain like Ives’ voters did with Bruce?
Comment by Henry Francis Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:30 pm
One might argue that it’s difficult to find a NONbigoted racist, but when comedy is writing itself, who cares about editors?
If Farmer Bailey can’t make hay out of this one, he doesn’t know his business.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:32 pm
There is no shortage of Republicans who will say that in private - Kevin McCarthy for example - but having in text form makes it hard to tell the usual lies about it.
Comment by The Way I See It Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:34 pm
Guess Irvin is hoping that his name is JD Vance for Illinois. trouble is, unlike Vance who trashed Trump, Vance had his endorsement. Irvin does not, so far.
Comment by Amalia Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:36 pm
Griffin needs to learn how to vet a candidate lol.
Comment by Big Dipper Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:41 pm
I wonder if Ken Griffin’s dollar value in Irvin is dropping as fast as crypto’s value this week.
Comment by Baloneymous Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:43 pm
“I don’t recall sending those texts”
Do you recall having those feelings, Mayor?
Comment by AlfondoGonz Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:45 pm
Truly amateur photoshop for the amount of money that campaign has.
Look at Sullivan’s right hand, the one with the glove.
He’s gonna have a heckuva time fielding with a backwards glove.
Comment by Leigh John-Ella Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:51 pm
Heywood Banks was right. Never trust a puppet. I keep trying to figure out what Irvine would really do if he became governor. I don’t have a clue, but it would be pretty funny if he betrayed the puppet master after he got the gig by pretending to be someone he isn’t.
Comment by Anonsense Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:53 pm
Yeeesh indeed this is rough for Irvin.
If there’s any glimmer of hope in these messages - at least IMO, his 2018 messages read like a moderate establishment Republican’s not a wild-eyed progressive. That doesn’t translate politically but does give credibility that he’s probably always been a somewhat disillusionedRepublicanish guy despite his primary voting habits.
Comment by Lakefront Friday, May 13, 22 @ 2:59 pm
People still think “not Adam and Steve” is witty?
Comment by Big Dipper Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:13 pm
“My worldview is based on my upbringing and the word of God and not what’s popular in the world today. In my world, it’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.”
I guess the fact that Jesus lived with 12 other men, none of whom were married, escaped him?
Comment by low level Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:16 pm
All I can say after watching this mess and the rest of the GOP slate being invisible…is that this November when the polls close all of these races will immediately be called for the Dems. I can’t believe the IL GOP has come to this, it’s sad if it wasn’t funny.
Comment by B Team Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:24 pm
If Irvin was ever gonna confess to voting for Trump, today would’ve been the day to do it. I think it’s safe at this point to assume he didn’t. Bailey has two options at this point: hone in on this issue like a laser, or go home. 11 minute facebook videos about everything aren’t gonna cut it any more. Time for Bailey to forget every English word he knows besides “I voted for Trump and Richard Irvin didn’t”
Comment by vern Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:27 pm
From bad to worse to worse for Irvin…
Comment by Shytown Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:28 pm
The other great irony is how much money has been spent painting Bailey as a would-be Biden voter.
Skeletons, meet closet.
Comment by Nick Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:31 pm
Juvenal’s got it right with this quote very sadly…
“If there was any daylight in the Illinois electorate then Adam Kinzinger would be the front runner right now.”
Comment by Middle Way Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:35 pm
=== Guess Irvin is hoping that his name is JD Vance for Illinois.===
And there’s why this could be fatal. Vance became Trump’s most unquestioning sycophant to cover over his past comments. Irvin can do that here and kiss any chance at winning the general election goodbye. Or he can offer no defense and lose the primary.
Welcome to Rauner’s post-2016 dilemma, Richard.
Comment by One hand //ing Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:39 pm
== Truly amateur photoshop ==
I had a similar thought. Are those mailers too cartoonish for their own good? To the point where the message is not being taken seriously by the GOP voters on the receiving end of the mail plan?
Those mailers have been Irvin’s main line of attack on Bailey and if the WGN poll is correct, there’s some reason to believe the mail plan hasn’t been very effective.
Comment by Roman Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:45 pm
===the mail plan hasn’t been very effective===
Mail isn’t as effective as TV and takes longer to work.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:54 pm
== Mail isn’t as effective as TV and takes longer to work.==
But for TV, the effect ends almost as soon as you go off the air, so it makes sense that they’d want to hold back the negative ads until…well, right about now.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 13, 22 @ 3:59 pm
=Skeletons, meet closet=
I suspect not yet.
The worse news (as if this tidbit isn’t bad enough) is that this is only the primary and Irvin’s current opposition is inept and poorly funded.
When we get to the general, I am guessing he will long for these days (same goes for Bailey if he gets the nomination). So brave yourself fellas, it only gets harder from here on out.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, May 13, 22 @ 4:00 pm
Is Irvin finished yet?
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, May 13, 22 @ 4:06 pm
“Well, there goes the votes of the republican’t party”
Fixed it for ya.
Comment by Huh? Friday, May 13, 22 @ 4:07 pm
What did I miss? Anything new?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 13, 22 @ 4:07 pm
I thought it was “Beware of the Ides of March”, not “Woah, that’s a brutal Friday the 13th”
‘Nember in the “Godfather” when Don Corleone asked the undertaker to use “all his powers” to help Sonny be presentable?
“Look what they did”
Welp, Irvin did this to himself, unknowingly
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 13, 22 @ 4:10 pm
==“Woah, that’s a brutal Friday the 13th”==
And Bailey just recorded another $2.5M donation from U-Line, so the hits just keep on coming.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 13, 22 @ 4:26 pm
=== And Bailey just recorded another $2.5M donation from U-Line, so the hits just keep on coming.===
I always liked Mayor Irvin.
Mayor Irvin is likely gonna sink Candidate Irvin.
That $2.5 mil downstate… it could matter.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 13, 22 @ 4:33 pm
==Mayor Irvin is likely gonna sink Candidate Irvin.==
You probably can’t be anti-Trump in ILGOP anyway (just like you probably can’t be anti-Biden in DPI, or at least not anti-Obama), but Candidate Irvin did himself no favors by calling out Bailey and Sullivan for their heresy.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 13, 22 @ 4:37 pm
=That $2.5 mil downstate… it could matter.=
Beyond the dollars there’s a coveted Trump endorsement at stake. And Irvin and the ILGOP helped Bailey immensely this week in getting it. The earned media alone would eclipse the U-line money.
Comment by Pundent Friday, May 13, 22 @ 4:44 pm