April 1, 2020
INCREMENTALISM, OVERLAPS, LUCK DRIVE JUDGE OUTCOMES
Women rule. There were 55 judicial candidates on the March 17 Democratic primary ballot for 16 countywide judgeships – 13 for the Circuit Court, two for the Appellate Court and one for the Supreme Court. There were 57 candidates for 16 vacancies in the 15 subcircuits. Primary turnout was far below expectations: 479,902 (31.5 percent) in Chicago and 387,778 (25.6 percent) in the suburbs, for a total of 867,680. COVID-19 had an impact. The winners were those who displayed incrementalism, had racial/gender/slating overlaps, and caught some luck -- like top ballot position or a male opponent. Women won 75% of judgeship races. Full Article...
March 25, 2020
VOTERS OPT FOR "POLITICAL DISTANCING," BUT IT WAS VERTICAL RATHER THAN HORIZONTAL
Voters did some serious and permanent “political distancing” on March 17. A number of veteran politicians along with some newcomers were not just self-quarantined. Instead, they were banished to that land of has-been politicians. Like about 6-feet underground. Those given the boot included John Garrido and Ira Silverstein for judge, Mike McAuliffe as 41st Ward Republican committeeman, Mark Kalish as state representative, Cary Capparelli for state representative, Frank Avila as Metropolitan Water Reclamation District commissioner, Mike Cabonargi for Clerk of Court and Bill Conway for state’s attorney. Full Article...
March 18, 2020
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS WILL MAKE OR BREAK TRUMP
The coronavirus pandemic gives President Donald Trump an opportunity to prove or disprove his competence. It could be his "Jimmy Carter Moment," when the president proved incapable of rescuing U.S. hostages in Iran, or an "LBJ Moment," when Lyndon Johnson proved incapable of getting U.S. troops out of Vietnam. Or, conversely, it could be a "Cuban Missile Crisis Moment" when John Kennedy barely averted nuclear annihilation. Or a "Berlin Wall Moment," when Ronald Reagan began to bring it down. Both presidents measured up to the moment. Full Article...
March 11, 2020
DEMOCRATS FRET ABOUT "TWO OLD WHITE GUYS" PLUS PRIMARY PREDICTIONS
Democrats, the so-called party of "diversity," will nominate one of "two old white guys" for president. It will be Biden. "We are petrified of losing to Trump again," said one Democrat. Here are my March 17 PREDICTIONS for State's Attorney, Clerk of Court, MWRD and state senator (10th), state representative (3rd,16th,19th, 20th), 41st and 45th Ward committeepersons, and in two subcircuits. Full Article...
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