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* In most normal states (with some exceptions) it’s generally a given that governors control their state parties. That’s also been the case whenever this state had Republican governors. Yes, we did see challenges from the far right under Thompson and Edgar and Ryan, but those rebels were generally treated as the outliers they were because, well, governors ought to control state parties. Illinois Democrats have been different. One guy controlled the state party and made sure he always had a pliable majority on his central committee that would sit back and stay quiet and let him do whatever he wanted. The Democrats’ state central committee was, as a result, a backwater populated with a bevy of assorted characters, some more colorful than others.
When Mike Madigan stepped down as chair, US Sen. Dick Durbin saw an opportunity to expand his power beyond the County Chairs’ Association and he took it, deftly outmaneuvering the governor and installing his own choice to head the operation, with his longtime trusted aide Bill Houlihan working behind the scenes.
No doubt, some really good people have been brought in by Chair Robin Kelly. Some long-needed changes have been made. But just look at the tortuous committee they had to form to run the coordinated campaign to be extra special sure that Chair Kelly had no official role, because if she came too close to state money she could get everyone in trouble with the feds.
* No politician likes to lose. And I have no idea if Pritzker can win this time, either. But he’s the governor and governors everywhere are the titular heads of their parties and therefore, as far as I’m concerned, he has the right to intervene here…
The latest signs of a mostly behind-the-scenes but intense civil war of sorts came when an ally of state Democratic Chair Robin Kelly publicly released a letter to a close associate of Gov. J.B. Pritzker urging him to abandon the “destructive path” of trying to dump Kelly.
The letter was from Carol Ronen, the Democratic committeewoman from the 9th Congressional District, to Dan Hynes, a former top aide to Pritzker who still is involved with the governor’s political operation.
In the letter, Ronen took Hynes to task for allegedly working this spring to elect Democratic Central Committee members who will vote to replace Kelly when the chairmanship comes up for election after the June 28 primary. Pritzker aides have not confirmed that Hynes is working as the governor’s agent, but do concede that the governor now is involved in more than six committee races that are on the ballot.
“By every measure, Robin Kelly’s short tenure as DPI Chair has been a success,” Ronen wrote. “Why would we want to create division and strife among Illinois Democrats through an unwarranted effort to replace her just months before the November election?”
Ronen asks a good question, but, really, does anyone outside of DPI and perhaps a few of us in the news media actually care these days who the party chair is? It’s likely a low-risk move. We’ll see. But if people want to threaten to blow up the fall election because the governor didn’t respect their authoritah and came after their phony baloney jobs, well, that says something about them.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 10:39 am
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=== “By every measure, Robin Kelly’s short tenure as DPI Chair has been a success,” Ronen wrote.===
You mean, other than the utter “baloney” that Kelly could do one thing, but in reality everything others said Kelly couldn’t do was proven true.
Kelly is a self admitted figurehead.
How is that a success?
My hope is Pritzker prevails and the entitled elite who want to be “power brokers” realize they were pawns for Durbin, and ask themselves did Durbin support me when the election came up?
Kelly losing and being replaced will be payback, for this Kelly move “and a lotta other things”.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 10:56 am
Solid Cartman reference.
Comment by Dan Johnson Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 10:56 am
>> Ronen asks a good question, but … if people want to threaten to blow up the fall election because the governor didn’t respect their authoritah and came after their **phony baloney jobs**
Did anyone else read this as Rich heavily subtweeting, err, Carol Ronen? I did. I don’t know if it was intended that way.
Comment by ZC Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 10:58 am
=== Phony-Baloney jobs ===
Harumph. Harumph.
Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 10:59 am
The Gov’s team has proven they just want to win. See Richard Irvin’s campaign. So frankly, Dems should be happy there’s a Governor that wants all of them to win and wants to ensure the party can raise funds, not just from him but from others without restrictions. Dems should be clamoring for that future.
Comment by Simple Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:00 am
===and ask themselves did Durbin support me when the election came up?===
That’s my question too, what if anything is Durbin’s team doing for their candidates, besides Houlihan having the Sangamon County Ds issue a meaningless and contentious endorsement of the Adams County D Chairwoman?
Comment by The Real Downstate Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:00 am
Also, if you can’t win your race for state central committee, what political muscle are they exactly pointing to?
LOL
Win your race. You voted. Votes have consequences. Win.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:01 am
I agree with the notion that the governor should control the state party, but I’m just not sure it’s worth fighting for. Is the risk of potentially losing and looking weak worth the gain of controlling something that just isn’t all that important?
Comment by Roman Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:01 am
=The Democrats’ state central committee was, as a result, a backwater populated with a bevy of assorted characters, some more colorful than others.=
Great line, Rich. Drop the “, as a result,” and you have the perfect opening line for a political novel. Fact is often the substance of great fiction.
And yes. I agree with your premise that the Governor should manage their state party. I really like Durbin, and always have. Met him casually a few times, outside of politics. But Federal officials should never manage state politics. Conflicts of interests can harm the state’s citizenry, potentially.
Comment by H-W Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:07 am
For many years most of these state central committee races weren’t even races. Prior to this year, if someone filed against Carol Ronen for example, that person would likely have gotten a call from Chairman Madigan or one of his lieutenants, counseling them to seek another opportunity. Or else find yourself a pariah among Democrats. The Madigan people were very persuasive.
Now there is no hammer, and these men and women have to fend for themselves. I don’t blame them for not liking it. But I also don’t blame Pritzker for bringing some new faces into this.
Whoever pays the piper calls the tune.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:10 am
I also think this won’t impact the general election that much. There isn’t much anyone can do to interfere with Pritzker’s campaign without extremely drastic behavior. And nobody upset by this will have their interests served by Republicans winning more elections.
The bigger problem is long term relationships. It’s fine for Pritzker to want control of the party. A lot of the objections are coming because Pritzker is approaching this very myopically. He’s picking sides in local conflicts based on his narrow goals. He’s declining to articulate what a victory for him would mean. They won’t even confirm that Hynes is the guy to talk to about this play.
This unwillingness to communicate his goals and vision are part of why Michelle Harris lost in the first place. Robin Kelly presented herself to the committee as someone who could be an effective spokesman and surrogate who would have to delegate some powers. That was attractive compared to Harris, who didn’t articulate much different besides “I’m what Pritzker wants.” It didn’t land well with people who didn’t owe particular allegiance to either Pritzker or Durbin.
And that’s why this fight seems so one-sided right now. Pritzker basically imagined a pro-Durbin, anti-Pritzker coalition and set out to break it up. It’s fine for him to want to lead the party, but he had years to make the friends he needed to do so. But he never tried the carrot approach, and still won’t explain why his goals would be good for anyone but him.
Comment by vern Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:13 am
Only in a blue state do Democrats waste so much time battling each other for unpaid party hack positions. The original problem was Pritzker’s choice of party chair - a Chicago city council member who had zero experience downstate and the suburbs. If his political team had made a smarter choice, all Democrats would have gone along with that choice.
We have a unique situation. A veteran US Senator who has spent his career party building across 102 counties and a Governor who wants to lead and should be given the respect to lead.
Clearly, this shouldn’t be an either-or. Both teams should build one team that’s a winner. Cut the egos and personalities. Democrats need energy spent on winning in 102 counties not wasting an opportunity on a civil war. Ridiculous.
Good luck to both side - may they engineer a worthy compromise.
Comment by Illinois Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:15 am
First, the “.. baloney jobs..” video is worth a look. It really is a classic.
In terms of the Carol R. letter, it was well written and does a good job of highlighting the need to stay the course with Robin Kelly.
Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:17 am
===Robin Kelly presented herself to the committee as someone who could be an effective spokesman and surrogate who would have to delegate some powers.===
Not really. No.
What was presented, and then after winning, what was reality, Kelly (Durbin) wholly misrepresented what the role would be.
Let’s not try to pretend that Kelly (Durbin) was honest about what should then be the role.
===It’s fine for him to want to lead the party, but he had years to make the friends he needed to do so. But he never tried the carrot approach, and still won’t explain why his goals would be good for anyone but him.===
If sitting SCC win, then it matters. If sitting SCC lose, they’re out.
Pritzker owes the SCC zero.
This current crew got shunned by Pritzker, the HDems, and the SDems… and labor to an extent.
Again, let’s not pretend Pritzker is on some unholy island. lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:19 am
===If his political team had made a smarter choice, all Democrats would have gone along with that choice.===
That’s highly unlikely, as it was Durbin who wanted control of the apparatus.
The Pritzker choice was a lever used to that end for Durbin.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:21 am
Well said, Illinois. I totally agree.
I’m sure the two could easily come up with a suitable candidate they could both live with. Harris clearly wasn’t the answer (as the final vote showed) and Kelly also has some flaws.
It shouldn’t be that hard to get this right. It seems like such a waste of time.
Comment by So_Ill Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:22 am
This was such a dumb fight for Durbin to pick. After years of Madigan you have an extremely wealthy Governor who works well with others and seems genuinely interested in party building, and you’re going to go to war over the central committee? Brilliant.
Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:26 am
Michelle Harris presented a several page document of what her vision for the party was, Vern. She did a presentation at the beginning of the meeting where Kelly was selected going through her vision. At no time during that presentation or anywhere else did she tell people that they should vote for just because she was Pritzker’s selection.
You may disagree with Pritzker’s preferences but let’s not lie about or diminish the candidacy of another Democratic elected official who has a demonstrated ability to turn out voters in her ward and presented a very credible candidacy with ideas a lot of us thought were way more fleshed out than what the current chair presented.
Comment by Laketrail Runner Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:26 am
===This was such a dumb fight for Durbin to pick.===
People also need to understand that this rift between Pritzker and Durbin (and perhaps more accurately, their respective staffs) pre-dates the DPI chair fight. So Durbin picking this fight wasn’t the first punch thrown. It made sense for him to go for it if he thought he would be excluded from DPI decision-making because of their pre-existing feud.
Comment by The Real Downstate Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:30 am
——-When Mike Madigan stepped down as chair, US Sen. Dick Durbin saw an opportunity to expand his power beyond the County Chairs’ Association and he took it,—
So Rich, the members that voted for Robin were just pawns of a man. It seems to me that they were for most part independent players who made an informed choice. Geez.
Comment by Surge voter Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:33 am
===a Chicago city council member who had zero experience downstate and the suburbs===
Yeah, but man is she ever smart. Look at how she won that remap battle.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:42 am
Ronen works for Schakowsky, who was an early endorser of Alexi, but chose not to endorse JB until after the 2018 primary, after defeating him for Congress way back in 1998.
Coincidentally, Broadway Bank was located 4 blocks from Schakowsky and Ronen’s government/political offices. I wonder if either of them had accounts there?
“It’s a small world, after all.”
Comment by Richard M. Sherman Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:48 am
===the members that voted for Robin were just pawns of a man. It seems to me that they were for most part independent players who made an informed choice.===
Then they should stop bellyaching about a phony baloney job and the choice they made.
Win their elections.
If they can’t be a power broker for themselves, maybe all they were… they were elitist pawns, lazy and entitled.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:53 am
Democratic governors feel emboldened to fight Durbin but they did not feel so against Madigan.
Durbin is considered one of those most powerful Democrats in the nation but he was never the most powerful to any Illinoisan.
Comment by Lurker Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:54 am
===I’m sure the two could easily come up with a suitable candidate they could both live with.===
The actual candidates and they’re credentials are the red herrings.
It’s about who controlled.
Neither wants the other.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:55 am
The only way you’ll see any impact on the General Election is if Kelly remains chair and JB can’t pump money into DPI. If Ronen cared so much about the general election, she’s tell Kelly to step aside.
Comment by olden days Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 11:57 am
===JB can’t pump money into DPI===
Pritzker doesn’t *need* DPI, but it sure seems like DPI needs… Pritzker, labor, the HDems, SDems…
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:00 pm
** JB can’t pump money into DPI.**
LOL - you do know that JB just gave DPI $500k, right? There aren’t any limits on what JB can give DPI, and that is shown by his $500k contribution last week.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:06 pm
Runner, I’m open to the idea that there’s a vision behind this. But I watched the livestream of the chair election and found Harris’ presentation to be mostly pablum.
But let’s grant for the moment that it’s not. Let’s say there are things Harris and Pritzker wanted the party to do. After Kelly won, did Pritzker or anyone in his orbit call for those ideas to be implemented? Did they object when and if DPI did something else? Pritzker could’ve spent the year making the case for those ideas. Then Kelly would be in the position of either agreeing, disagreeing on the merits, or looking like the barrier to party unity.
Instead, Pritzker went silent. Whatever vision Harris presented has not been a rallying cry of these committee campaigns. There hasn’t been a cry at all. Just money, and everyone else is left to deduce his intentions. We know he’s capable of publicly justifying unusual spending, because his spokespeople regularly defend his pro-Bailey spending on the record.
There’s an alternate universe where Pritzker took Harris’ loss as a learning experience and an opportunity to make new friends. Instead he has chosen revenge, and the wariness he’ll be treated with going forward. Others in Illinois have discovered that you can’t lead by campaign donations alone. Pritzker is giving it another go.
Comment by vern Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:07 pm
===After Kelly won, did Pritzker or anyone in his orbit call for those ideas to be implemented? Did they object when and if DPI did something else? Pritzker could’ve spent the year making the case for those ideas. Then Kelly would be in the position of either agreeing, disagreeing on the merits, or looking like the barrier to party unity.===
lol
“Why?”
They won. Have at it. “Go crazy”.
“You don’t want me? Ok.”
Then labor to an extent left, the the HDems, SDems…
Kelly and Durbin are owed ZERO
You have this idea that Pritzker must cede and do what others want.
Nope. No. Not for a figurehead.
===There’s an alternate universe where Pritzker took Harris’ loss as a learning experience===
Politics ain’t bean bag. Others might find that out in June.
Pritzker learned he lost. Now Pritzker is gonna teach… it’s that simple.
I hope the phony baloney privileged elitist that backed Durbin learn that… you make a choice… things happen.
Let the voters decide.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:14 pm
**Then labor to an extent left**
You keep saying this, but it isn’t remotely true.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:16 pm
===You keep saying this, but it isn’t remotely true.===
… and yet the memo about the caution to donate with Kelly as Chair, and I gotta be honest, when you have to rebuild a relationship, that doesn’t sound like something false.
If you’d like I have links… your call.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:21 pm
Vern - my understanding is there were quite a few objections. The fact that you don’t know about them is indicative that maybe the Governor is not as vocal about everything that goes on inside the Party as might be to his advantage.
As to his vision for the Party and Democrats and the state - I’m sorry but what? He’s been silent?? Actually he’s on my TV every day - whether it’s ads or press conferences or policy rollouts or beating the tar out of the Republicans challenging him - telling me exactly what he’s about. I would be if you asked Democrats in these State Central districts whether they are more aligned with the Governor’s vision for the Party or Robin Kelly’s - well it wouldn’t be close would it?
Regardless - Oswego is right. He doesn’t owe anyone anything. He can endorse and support who he wants and no one - not Mike Madigan and not Robin Kelly - are guaranteed lifetime slots for anything.
Comment by Laketrail Runner Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:23 pm
**yet the memo about the caution to donate with Kelly as Chair**
Cool… now tell us how much Labor has given to DPI since that memo from a year ago.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:30 pm
===now tell us===
You think they’re gonna give money to the GOP?
I mean… you admit the memo exists, why a need to rebuild a relationship? Wasn’t it already good?
Like I said, “to an extent”.
Good on you admitting the memo.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:34 pm
Rich goes up two notches in my book for his video choices here.
Comment by AD Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:34 pm
==that person would likely have gotten a call from Chairman Madigan or one of his lieutenants, counseling them to seek another opportunity.
And those who did make it through and even won were soon singing the praises of the Chairman. Those few cases were fun to watch.
Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:37 pm
**You think they’re gonna give money to the GOP?**
Well, first, there’s definitely labor money flowing to the GOP. L150 and others give large checks to McConchie and Durkin every year. And L150 endorse Richard Irvin.
But second, so, you admit that labor did NOT leave or shun DPI?
Yes, there was a memo. No, it hasn’t stopped labor from giving to DPI.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:38 pm
=== But second, so, you admit that labor did NOT leave or shun DPI?===
They put, in writing, the fears.
Again, “to an extent”
It’s not like any other restraints on Kelly have changed, have they?
===L150 endorse Richard Irvin.===
Did they endorse Pritzker too?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:42 pm
**Did they endorse Pritzker too?**
Yes, but you were the one the claimed labor wasn’t “gonna’ give money to the GOP.”
Again, there was a memo that expressed caution. It hasn’t gotten in the way. Just like Pritzker’s folks “concerns” didn’t get in the way of them writing a $500k check to DPI last week.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:53 pm
===Yes, but===
“Yes” will suffice.
===labor wasn’t “gonna’ give money to the GOP.===
I wrote…
“You think they’re gonna give money to the GOP?”
You listed Local 150, anyone else, and 150 is also backing Pritzker.
===Just like Pritzker’s folks “concerns” didn’t get in the way of them writing a $500k check to DPI last week===
How much of that was a pass-thru for mail?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 12:57 pm
**How much of that was a pass-thru for mail?**
You do understand that it doesn’t matter, right? The concern wasn’t that they couldn’t do mail through DPI. The concern was that they couldn’t do ANY money through DPI.
Their $500k contribution proved that said concern was unfounded.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 1:03 pm
=== You do understand that it doesn’t matter, right?===
Actually it kinda does.
All this “new day” baloney, is it coming down to an indicia?
===Their $500k contribution proved that said concern was unfounded.===
So it’s exactly like Madigan, that’s what you’re saying?
But I thought it was about “vision”, “beliefs”, “building”?
Welp, if nothing is changing, then once Kelly is out, if all these folks lose, nothing will change either.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 1:09 pm
Oh, good god. We’re specifically talking about the money, the legal issues around it, the labor fears about what they were allowed to do, etc. So yes, in this specific conversation, it is about the money. And it is nothing like Madigan.
**Actually it kinda does.**
No, really, it does not. Whether the $500k is just a contribution to the party or specifically for mail pass-through money, neither would have been allowed if the concerns about the legal framework were real.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 1:16 pm
===Their $500k contribution proved that said concern was unfounded===
No. The concern is still quite valid. That’s why they have the committee.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 1:18 pm
===No, really, it does not.===
If it didn’t then there wouldn’t have been a need for a memo.
If I tell a friend I need to rebuild a relationship, and there was no need to say that…
“to an extent”
Kelly has been what it was in the end… a mere figurehead, and now they seemingly can’t protect the entitled and elite who expect to stay on the SCC no matter what.
===And it is nothing like Madigan.===
… and yet… the indicia. It’s exactly… because the rules and laws are the same, no matter how weak Kelly is.
Pritzker is making a push, I hope he wins, the comedy to these folks bellyaching is so much fun.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 1:22 pm
how did Michelle Harris win the remap battle? gee, who was her lawyer, Mike Kasper. he beat the other side, Victor Reyes. whatever little power the position has if Pritzker can go after power, so can anyone else, for one seat or supporting more. as for Dan Hynes, everybody who talks about this off line knows he has been scouting for candidates for this and more for months. Maybe Pritzker still feels entitled to that Congressional seat the way Danny wanted the Senate seat years ago.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 1:33 pm
===who was her lawyer===
This wasn’t a court fight.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 2:16 pm
I hate this fight. The JB folks were 100% correct about the money issue and I was surprised that once that issue became clear she didn’t step aside. But then again, it wasn’t about Robin, it was about Dick (and Bill) and JB (and Dan).
In that regard, nothing has changed. IMHO, the gov has every right to control the party. As Rich pointed out, that’s how it works in other states. So while I don’t approve of some of their candidate choices or their tactics, he wants to build the party his way and he’s putting his money where his mouth is to make it happen. I expect he’s going to win this fight.
Comment by Hmmm.... Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 2:54 pm
Win the battle and end up losing the war? The means of winning matter. The Governor will the Governor of Illinois.
Someone posting here, often, has no clue what SCC persons, some of them actually do, happily, for free and not seeking other offices.
Comment by Scooby Doo Thursday, Jun 9, 22 @ 3:31 pm