December 27, 2017
FOR MALE POLITICIANS, 2018 WILL BE THE "YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY"
Every male politician on the 2018 ballot, either in a primary or election, should be utterly, totally paranoid -- especially if they are an alpha male. Just one allegation of a past sexual indiscretion will be fatal. Democrats are clearing out their miscreants, like Al Franken. Republicans caught a break when Roy Moore lost in Alabama. 2018 will be a non-tolerance year. But the Republicans' 51-49 U.S. Senate majority is not necessarily in jeopardy. Democrats will try to make it a referendum on President Trump. It may not work. Full Article...
December 20, 2017
CHAOS-AS-USUAL IN 2018 MWRD CONTESTS
The Dec. 2 death of black Metropolitan Water Reclamation Dist. (MWRD) Comr. Tim Bradford may allow the county's embattled Republicans to double their number of Cook County officeholders -- from one to two, up to 12.5%. Bradford died 2 days before closure of the 90-day 2018 circulating and nominating petition filing period, so his "vacancy" will last until Dec. 2020, when his current term expires. It will not be filled in 2018. Under state law, the governor appoints any interim commissioners. Democrats are working overtime in Springfield to change the law and get Bradford's seat on the 2018 ballot. They changed the law when Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka died in 2014. For 2018, Todd Stroger is seeking the 2-year vacancy, against the slated Kim Dubuclet, a Preckwinkle protégé, and 5 candidates are running against the incumbent slate for the 3 6-year terms. Emerging NW Side Hispanic boss Luis Arroyo has a candidate, and black has-been Robert Shaw is also running. The part-time job pays $70,000. In the 7th Dist., rumors abound that US Rep. Danny Davis (D) will quit after the 3/20/18 primary and hand off the nomination to county Comr. Richard Boykin, his protégé. Boykin earned party gratitude when he aborted his challenge to Preckwinkle, and Davis's seat would be his payback. Full Article...
December 13, 2017
2018 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WILL BE "ALMOST ABOUT THE SAME," BUT PRECKWINKLE, BERRIOS AT RISK
Cook County's upcoming 3/20/18 Democratic primary will be ALMOST ABOUT THE SAME -- although it's entirely possible that Toni Preckwinkle and/or Joe Berrios will get beat. For county board president, Bob Fioretti goes one-on-one with Preckwinkle, setting up a referendum on her governance. Fioretti filed 38,405 petition signatures. Todd Stroger's non-filing definitely helps Fioretti. Without a huge black vote, she will lose. Ditto for Assessor Joe Berrios: He needs Preckwinkle to deliver a huge black vote to him, or he could lose to Fritz Kaegi. Fioretti says voters want "change." They will have ample opportunity to get it next March. Full Article...
December 6, 2017
GUTIERREZ, GARCIA PULL "BAIT & SWITCH" IN 4TH CONGRESSIONAL DIST.
It's a bait and switch. In politics, that means an incumbent (US Rep Luis Gutierrez) feigns a campaign for re-election, then conveniently fails to file at the petition deadline, or shortly thereafter withdraws, so that some kin or ally (Chuy Garcia) can effortlessly win the incumbent's seat. That's just what happened in Chicago's 4th congressional district. It was Chuy for Luis. Others like Bill Lipinski and Mike Sheahan perfected the stunt, but Ald. Gene Schulter (47th) failed in 2011. Nevertheless, a whole bunch of 4th Dist. candidates energized themselves to get 800-plus signatures in a few days. Garcia, Gutierrez's choice, faces Aldermen Proco Joe Moreno (1st) and Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), plus others. Sending Garcia to Washington gets him out of the 2019 mayoral picture. He got 43.8% in the 2015 runoff. Ramirez-Rosa was booted off Dan Biss's ticket for lieutenant governor when it was revealed that he advocates a Palestinian homeland, and Jewish PACs and donors will spend whatever it takes to beat him. For county board president, Todd Stroger has taken a hike. Full Article...
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