By Jamey Dunn
Supporters and opponents of proposed changes to the state’s public pension systems are expecting close votes on legislation today.
A special conference committee, aided by some final negotiations among legislative leaders, produced a pension bill that has bipartisan support. However, those counting noses today say that the margin to get the bill passed is tight, especially in the Senate.
Senate President John Cullerton did not attend a Senate hearing on the bill this morning. According to conference committee chair Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul, Cullerton was working to round up votes for the new version of Senate Bill 1. Raoul said he would be doing the same after the committee adjourned. “It’s very close. It’s very close,” he said. Raoul said that lawmakers should ignore the opposition coming from high profile candidates and politicians such as Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner and Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk. “I think there’s a time when the politics of self preservation need to be set aside, and I think this is one of those times,” he said. “So I think some people need to visit the wizard and get some courage and vote the best interest of the state of Illinois.”
The proposal is projected to save $160 billion over 30 years and fully fund the pension system by 2043. It would reduce annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for current and future retirees. While previous plans have cut COLAs in a more straightforward way, this bill would apply differently to employees and retirees, depending on how long they worked and which retirement system they belong to. The current COLAs are 3 percent compounding interest. Under the new SB1, the COLA would be determined by 3 percent of salary or 3 percent of the product of years served multiplied by $800 for state employees or $1,000 for teachers and university employees. The COLA would be based on whichever number is smaller. The number for teachers and university employees is larger because workers in both systems generally do not get Social Security benefits. Some annual COLAs would be deferred for current employees upon retirement. The number is contingent of years of service.
Employees younger than 46 would also have to retire later. For each year an employee is younger than 46, an additional four months would be tacked onto the time he or she would have to work to receive full benefits.
The proposal would also cap pensionable salary at $109,971, but that number would increase annually based on inflation. The plan would reduce the employee contribution toward retirement benefits by one percentage point and allow the systems to sue the state if it does not make its required payment. However, lawmakers could vote to change the payment schedule and reduce the annual payment.
Raoul said that this new version of SB 1 is similar to a previous version, which passed in the House but twice failed to gain the votes needed in the Senate. “This is very close to the same level of savings of Senate Bill 1, it’s just put together in a different way.” Raoul did not support that legislation when it came up for a vote in the Senate, but he said his work on the conference committee has made him realize that he cannot get his way on every aspect of the issue.
“We were in a stalemate, and we had to compromise. And this is where we are. This is our best chance to get this thing done to get it moving forward,” Raoul said.
He added: “This is a tough vote, I will not deny that. ... We will have probably a very spirited discussion in our caucus.”
Union officials say that the new version of the proposal’s resemblance to the old SB 1 is part of the problem. “I am having flashbacks to the House’s SB 1. After months of conference committee meetings, the so called compromise bill that you consider today is nearly identical to where you started — a bill twice rejected by the Senate,” said Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. “There is only one way to describe that kind of blatant taking of ones life savings. We call it theft.”
They called upon lawmakers to instead approve a union-backed plan that passed in the Senate last spring but was never called for a House vote. “We believe very firmly that there are problems that need to be solved and it in all of our interests as a state to solve them,” Montgomery said.
Lawyers representing labor say that the bill is unconstitutional because it does not offer workers something of value in exchange for their benefits “There is no consideration. There is no offer and acceptance. There is no indication that anyone affected by this agrees to these changes. Therefore we’re left with the matter of unconstitutional changes [to benefits],” said John Stevens, a lawyer for the We Are One unions' coalition
Supporters of SB 1 say that the bill does offer workers and retirees consideration in the form of a funding guarantee and a reduction by 1 percentage point of employees' contributions to their benefits.
Raoul said that no matter what was in the proposal, it would likely face a constitutional challenge. But he said hat the issue has reached the point where lawmakers must take action and see what the courts decide. “I think this bill will be challenged, and I think that there will be strong arguments that can be made on both sides of it, but we’ve got to get to that point. Let’s say that this bill was found unconstitutional. I think it’s very likely that the court would give us guidance as to what we can do. And if it’s found constitutional, then we’ve taken a major step towards securing our state. But we’ve got to get to that point. We can’t continue to just play this ping pong game and say that we can’t vote on anything because of a constitutional debate.”
Montgomery said that if the bill is approved and signed into law, his organization plans to file a lawsuit “a soon as we can.” But in the meantime, those on both sides of the issue are lobbying lawmakers hard. “I think they’re really faced with a choice. ... So they’re really coming to the brink of the abyss here, and some lawmakers have some real tough choices,” Montgomery said. “It’s very close. ... Very close in the Senate. I think there’s trouble finding the requisite votes on both sides of the aisle, but we will see.”
Showing posts with label Kwame Raoul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kwame Raoul. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 03, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Democrats insist party unity remains, even as tradition is broken
By Jamey Dunn
Illinois Democrats stuck to the script of party unity today during annual political events centered on the state fair, even as primary rivals gave dueling speeches and the state party chairman, House Speaker Michael Madigan, was nowhere to be found.
Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton recently sued Gov. Pat Quinn over his veto of the funds for lawmakers’ salaries. “It’s something that will be resolved in court. It’s in litigation right now. It’s a major constitutional issue. And we have a resolution probably in a month, and we’ll now what the court says,” Cullerton said this morning at the party's annual breakfast. Cullerton and Madigan have argued that Quinn’s veto of lawmakers’ pay sets a dangerous precedent that would give the governor too much power over legislators. But in his speech at the breakfast, Cullerton likened the dust-ups among members of his party to the arguments he and his eight siblings had as children. “You’re still in a family. There’s never any doubt that you’re all in it together. That’s true of the Democrats. We share the same goals and the same values.”
Madigan was notably missing from the day’s festivities. When asked about the absence, Cullerton said on his way into the event that he was not aware the speaker was not attending. Quinn brushed aside the idea that the powerful House speaker was snubbing him. “I don’t know why he’s not here. But I talked to him this week, and I think he’s fired up and ready to go for [the] 2014 [election],” Quinn said. A call to Madigan's spokesman for comment was not returned.
Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat, got a joke in about the pay freeze as he gave his speech this morning. “I saw some of my colleagues here this morning enjoying their breakfast, but I don’t think you got the memo from the governor’s folks that you’re not allowed to eat until there’s pension reform.”
But the digs that Quinn and primary opponent Bill Daley traded in each of their speeches were far from lighthearted. Daley painted Quinn as an ineffective leader and a candidate who can’t win the general election. “We have a pension crisis and a job crisis. Our most serious crisis is the crisis of confidence in Springfield’s ability to get things done.” Daley touted his experience and the connections he made while working with former President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama “We need a leader who can call business people and labor leaders throughout the country and the world to build support for investment and job creation here in Illinois.”
Meanwhile, Quinn pointed the finger at “bankers” and “big shots” for wrecking the country’s economy. Daley has worked in the banking industry — job experience that he mentioned in his own speech. Quinn closed his remarks with a populist appeal that has become one of his signatures on the stump. “There may be some things you haven’t agreed with me over the last four years on, but I think everybody agrees that I work as hard as I can every single day for the common good and the public interest, and that’s what we need in a governor,” he said. “We need somebody who understands everyday people, who knows how to work together with folks who don’t have lobbyists in Springfield, who don’t have necessarily big-shot friends. But they understand that they’re the heart and soul of America. They volunteer for tour military. They work hard on their job. They’re raising their kids. That’s what Illinois is all about, and that’s how we’re going to make the will of the people the law of the land.”
Quinn was greeted by enthusiastic applause and cheers from the crowd of Democratic county officials and other party members. In contrast, Daley was met with measured applause that came across as more of a courtesy than an endorsement. Daley said the reaction did not worry him. “It’s Springfield. He’s ... got a lot of people that work for the state,” Daley said after the speeches. “I think there may be a lot of people who obviously have known or worked for Pat, or work for Pat now or over the years, and they’re appreciative of those jobs.” He called Quinn unelectable in the general race. “Pat Quinn will not win if he’s the nominee of Democratic Party.”
Quinn said that many did not believe he could win in 2010, and he plans to use a similar strategy to pull off a victory next year. “I won an election in the primary in 2010, and I won again in the general election in 2010. There were a lot of folks who counted me out, but I won the election because I had everyday people on my side. And I’ve been doing that my whole life. That’s the only way you run an election: You organize your supporters and the people of Illinois and I think that we can come through again.”
Both Quinn and Daley could face another primary opponent. Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul is considering jumping into the race. Raoul had planned to make a bid for Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s job if she ran for governor, but Madigan has decided to stay put. Raoul said people have been reaching out to him about the possibility of challenging Quinn. “There are a lot of people asking me the question, and so I have to consider those questions that are being asked, quite frankly, from all over the state.” He said the idea of running is new. “I didn’t enter this year, I didn’t enter this summer, I didn’t enter this month thinking that I was going to be running for governor or even considering running for governor.” Raoul said he thinks some people want more “options” in the primary.
Raoul and Quinn have publicly disagreed about some of Quinn’s recent headline grabbing moves, such as trying to use his veto pen to rewrite a bill dealing with concealed carrying of firearms. The General Assembly voted to override Quinn’s changes. “I like him as a person. I just wish he would embrace a different leadership style," Raoul said of the governor.
Raoul has been a key player in some of the biggest pieces of legislation to come out of the General Assembly in recent years, including the abolition of the death penalty and concealed carry legislation. He is now the chairman of a special committee working to hammer out an agreement on changes to public employee pension systems that can pass in both legislative chambers. He said that job comes first. “The top priority is pension reform. It’s the most important issue that our state is facing.”
Raoul said he does not want his political considerations to interfere with the committee’s work. “It’s a very delicate balance. You don’t want to do anything to undermine the work that we’ve done in a bipartisan, bicameral basis.” He said that there is a possibility that the committee’s timeline on presenting a recommendation to lawmakers could keep him from running for higher office. “There are time challenges, and certainly I anticipate the conference committee will be coming out with something soon,” he said. “We’ve moved the ball way forward from where we were as a legislature at large in a stalemate in June.”
Cullerton said that he has talked to Raoul about a potential bid for governor but is not encouraging him one way or the other. He said that he expects that neither he nor Madigan will endorse any primary candidate. But he said he does think that Raoul is up to the job. “Kwame’s very capable. He’s qualified to be the governor. There’s no question about it.” Raoul said he will not run unless he thinks he can be a viable candidate. “I wouldn’t put myself out there on a political suicide run.”
So far, Quinn has not received endorsements from any prominent Democrat — not even Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, who will not be Quinn’s running mate for 2014. Simon’s own race for the state comptroller office got a little bit easier today when her primary opponent, Will County Auditor Duffy Blackburn, announced in his speech this morning that he was suspending his campaign and endorsing her for the office. There are no other Democrats running for comptroller, but Simon faces a difficult race against well-liked and well-funded incumbent Judy Baar Topinka.
Instead of giving more stage time to a group of Democrats who have not endorsed him, and potentially even his challengers, Quinn opted to break tradition at the Governor’s Day rally at the Illinois State Fair after the breakfast. The governor made a brief speech, and the rest of the time was filled with musical acts and entertainment. Historically, party leaders have given speeches at the event. However, their addresses were often just shorter versions of the remarks they gave at the morning event. Quinn said that the political breakfast, which lasted about three hours today, provides plenty of time for public speaking. “I don’t think we need to double up on political speeches at the state fair,” he said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to have fun.”
Illinois Democrats stuck to the script of party unity today during annual political events centered on the state fair, even as primary rivals gave dueling speeches and the state party chairman, House Speaker Michael Madigan, was nowhere to be found.
Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton recently sued Gov. Pat Quinn over his veto of the funds for lawmakers’ salaries. “It’s something that will be resolved in court. It’s in litigation right now. It’s a major constitutional issue. And we have a resolution probably in a month, and we’ll now what the court says,” Cullerton said this morning at the party's annual breakfast. Cullerton and Madigan have argued that Quinn’s veto of lawmakers’ pay sets a dangerous precedent that would give the governor too much power over legislators. But in his speech at the breakfast, Cullerton likened the dust-ups among members of his party to the arguments he and his eight siblings had as children. “You’re still in a family. There’s never any doubt that you’re all in it together. That’s true of the Democrats. We share the same goals and the same values.”
Madigan was notably missing from the day’s festivities. When asked about the absence, Cullerton said on his way into the event that he was not aware the speaker was not attending. Quinn brushed aside the idea that the powerful House speaker was snubbing him. “I don’t know why he’s not here. But I talked to him this week, and I think he’s fired up and ready to go for [the] 2014 [election],” Quinn said. A call to Madigan's spokesman for comment was not returned.
 |
| Musicians sit behind Quinn on the stage that has held party leaders in past years. |
But the digs that Quinn and primary opponent Bill Daley traded in each of their speeches were far from lighthearted. Daley painted Quinn as an ineffective leader and a candidate who can’t win the general election. “We have a pension crisis and a job crisis. Our most serious crisis is the crisis of confidence in Springfield’s ability to get things done.” Daley touted his experience and the connections he made while working with former President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama “We need a leader who can call business people and labor leaders throughout the country and the world to build support for investment and job creation here in Illinois.”
Meanwhile, Quinn pointed the finger at “bankers” and “big shots” for wrecking the country’s economy. Daley has worked in the banking industry — job experience that he mentioned in his own speech. Quinn closed his remarks with a populist appeal that has become one of his signatures on the stump. “There may be some things you haven’t agreed with me over the last four years on, but I think everybody agrees that I work as hard as I can every single day for the common good and the public interest, and that’s what we need in a governor,” he said. “We need somebody who understands everyday people, who knows how to work together with folks who don’t have lobbyists in Springfield, who don’t have necessarily big-shot friends. But they understand that they’re the heart and soul of America. They volunteer for tour military. They work hard on their job. They’re raising their kids. That’s what Illinois is all about, and that’s how we’re going to make the will of the people the law of the land.”
Quinn was greeted by enthusiastic applause and cheers from the crowd of Democratic county officials and other party members. In contrast, Daley was met with measured applause that came across as more of a courtesy than an endorsement. Daley said the reaction did not worry him. “It’s Springfield. He’s ... got a lot of people that work for the state,” Daley said after the speeches. “I think there may be a lot of people who obviously have known or worked for Pat, or work for Pat now or over the years, and they’re appreciative of those jobs.” He called Quinn unelectable in the general race. “Pat Quinn will not win if he’s the nominee of Democratic Party.”
Quinn said that many did not believe he could win in 2010, and he plans to use a similar strategy to pull off a victory next year. “I won an election in the primary in 2010, and I won again in the general election in 2010. There were a lot of folks who counted me out, but I won the election because I had everyday people on my side. And I’ve been doing that my whole life. That’s the only way you run an election: You organize your supporters and the people of Illinois and I think that we can come through again.”
Both Quinn and Daley could face another primary opponent. Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul is considering jumping into the race. Raoul had planned to make a bid for Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s job if she ran for governor, but Madigan has decided to stay put. Raoul said people have been reaching out to him about the possibility of challenging Quinn. “There are a lot of people asking me the question, and so I have to consider those questions that are being asked, quite frankly, from all over the state.” He said the idea of running is new. “I didn’t enter this year, I didn’t enter this summer, I didn’t enter this month thinking that I was going to be running for governor or even considering running for governor.” Raoul said he thinks some people want more “options” in the primary.
Raoul and Quinn have publicly disagreed about some of Quinn’s recent headline grabbing moves, such as trying to use his veto pen to rewrite a bill dealing with concealed carrying of firearms. The General Assembly voted to override Quinn’s changes. “I like him as a person. I just wish he would embrace a different leadership style," Raoul said of the governor.
Raoul has been a key player in some of the biggest pieces of legislation to come out of the General Assembly in recent years, including the abolition of the death penalty and concealed carry legislation. He is now the chairman of a special committee working to hammer out an agreement on changes to public employee pension systems that can pass in both legislative chambers. He said that job comes first. “The top priority is pension reform. It’s the most important issue that our state is facing.”
Raoul said he does not want his political considerations to interfere with the committee’s work. “It’s a very delicate balance. You don’t want to do anything to undermine the work that we’ve done in a bipartisan, bicameral basis.” He said that there is a possibility that the committee’s timeline on presenting a recommendation to lawmakers could keep him from running for higher office. “There are time challenges, and certainly I anticipate the conference committee will be coming out with something soon,” he said. “We’ve moved the ball way forward from where we were as a legislature at large in a stalemate in June.”
Cullerton said that he has talked to Raoul about a potential bid for governor but is not encouraging him one way or the other. He said that he expects that neither he nor Madigan will endorse any primary candidate. But he said he does think that Raoul is up to the job. “Kwame’s very capable. He’s qualified to be the governor. There’s no question about it.” Raoul said he will not run unless he thinks he can be a viable candidate. “I wouldn’t put myself out there on a political suicide run.”
So far, Quinn has not received endorsements from any prominent Democrat — not even Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, who will not be Quinn’s running mate for 2014. Simon’s own race for the state comptroller office got a little bit easier today when her primary opponent, Will County Auditor Duffy Blackburn, announced in his speech this morning that he was suspending his campaign and endorsing her for the office. There are no other Democrats running for comptroller, but Simon faces a difficult race against well-liked and well-funded incumbent Judy Baar Topinka.
Instead of giving more stage time to a group of Democrats who have not endorsed him, and potentially even his challengers, Quinn opted to break tradition at the Governor’s Day rally at the Illinois State Fair after the breakfast. The governor made a brief speech, and the rest of the time was filled with musical acts and entertainment. Historically, party leaders have given speeches at the event. However, their addresses were often just shorter versions of the remarks they gave at the morning event. Quinn said that the political breakfast, which lasted about three hours today, provides plenty of time for public speaking. “I don’t think we need to double up on political speeches at the state fair,” he said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to have fun.”
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Madigan's announcement ripples the political pond
By Jamey Dunn
Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s decision to seek reelection instead of running for governor will have a ripple effect on the state’s political landscape.
Of course, Madigan decision not to run will affect the governor’s race. The popular attorney general has done well in the polls and was expected to be the front runner if she jumped into the governor’s race. Madigan announced yesterday that she would run again for her current office. In her written statement she cited her father Michael Madigan’s position as House speaker as one of the reasons for her decisions.
“For the last several months, I have considered the best way to continue serving the people of Illinois. Deciding whether to seek reelection or to run for governor has not been easy. I love my job as attorney general and continue to be excited about the important work we are doing and what we can do for people and families in the years ahead. I considered running for governor because of the need for effective management from that office and the frustration so many of us feel about the current lack of progress on critical issues facing Illinois,” Madigan said. “Ultimately, however, there has always been another consideration that impacts my decision. I feel strongly that the state would not be well-served by having a governor and speaker of the House from the same family and have never planned to run for governor if that would be the case. With Speaker Madigan planning to continue in office, I will not run for governor.”
Gov. Pat Quinn has said in the past that a Madigan in the governor’s office and a Madigan as speaker would be a conflict of interest. He did not reiterate that opinion today when asked about Lisa Madigan’s decision. Instead, he praised her service as attorney general, the job she has held since 2003. “I think it was well-said,” Quinn said in Chicago today of Madigan’s statement.
With Madigan out of the way, Quinn’s only challenger is former White House chief of staff Bill Daley. Daley served as chief of staff under President Barack Obama and commerce secretary under former President Bill Clinton. Despite his connections to national politics, most Illinois probably know him best from his family ties. He is the brother of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, the longest serving Chicago mayor to date, and son of former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, the second-longest serving mayor.
Quinn's comments today indicate that he may try to present Daley, who has also worked as a lawyer and a banker, as a rich insider while paying up his own populist credentials. “I think I’m quite a bit different than Bill Daley. He has a better tailor than I do.” Quinn said of himself: “I’m a people person. I think that anybody who has ever worked with me in public life knows that I interact with everyday people. I’m not going to be a champion of millionaires — everybody knows that. I fight hard for folks who don’t have lobbyists, who don’t have political action committees, who aren’t in high places, but they’re the heart and soul of Illinois.”
But when it comes to campaign funds, so far Quinn is Mr. Moneybags. According to campaign filings due yesterday, he raised $1 million between April 1 and June 30 and has $2.3 million to spend. Daley has raised more than $796,000. “I think that they understand we’re doing a good job,” Quinn said of his donors. “I think we ran a campaign in 2010 in a pretty tough environment and I won the primary won the general election. That’s what’s going to happen next year, too.”
Meanwhile, Daley has painted Quinn as an ineffective leader. “General Madigan's decision not to run now gives voters a clear choice between a proven leader who gets things done and a governor who can't seem to get anything done,” Pete Giangreco, spokesman for the Daley campaign, said in a written statement in reaction to Madigan’s announcement Monday.
Both candidates were likely happy to learn that Madigan is opting out of the race. Both face their own unique challenges in the Democratic primary: Quinn his unpopularity and Daley his unfamiliarity among voters outside of the Chicago area. “Daley has to go out and make public opinion, and Quinn has to change it,” said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield.
At face value, Madigan’s decision seems to most benefit Daley, who can now paint himself as the only alternative to a governor many in the state dislike. However, he is an as of yet unproven candidate. If Daley was to fall in his face, all Quinn would have to do is step over him to secure the Democratic nomination now that Madigan is out of the picture. “It may be a huge plus for Quinn if Daley crashes and burns,” Redfield said.
For the Republicans, Redfield says Madigan’s decision may give all the four candidates a slight morale boost. “This may add a little bit of energy on the Republican side in general for the governor’s race because everybody sees a clearer path to being governor,” he said. But he cautioned, “If the Republicans eat each other alive and beat each other to death, so that it’s the last man standing, it may not make that much difference.”
Some members of the legislature may now be planning to stay put. “Where we thought we were going to open up a bunch of musical chairs here, open up a bunch of seats, it really kind of freezes everybody,” Redfield said. House Minority Leader Tom Cross had said he was weighing a run for the attorney general’s office if it were open. Now that it is not, he may need to work to soothe a caucus after many members have been vying behind the scenes to replace him. But since no clear successor exists, it appears likely he will hang onto his leadership position. “I think Cross probably maintains his leadership role, but again, that’s dependent on nobody becoming a viable alterative that can really bring everybody together,” Redfield said.
Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul was also considering a bid for Madigan’s office if she left. Raoul has been at the center of the two premier legislative debates of the spring session, concealed carry of firearms and finding a solution to the public employee pension crisis. He is chair of the conference committee that is working to draft pension legislation that the group hopes can pass in both chambers. Raoul publicly sparred with Quinn in recent weeks over Quinn’s attempted rewrite of concealed-carry legislation and the governor’s move to suspend lawmakers' pay until pension changes are passed. While the two agree on many policy points, Raoul has taken issue with Quinn’s leadership style. The populist moves that Quinn is playing up for the governor’s race are the decisions that are putting him at odds with lawmakers. Raoul called Quinn’s veto of lawmakers pay unconstitutional grandstanding. “Listen, I like the governor. I like the governor, but I just don’t like the communication I have experienced over the last few weeks,” he said after a recent conference committee hearing.
With Madigan out of the governor’s race, the Illinois political rumor mill is churning at full speed and spitting out names of potential Democratic candidates, Raoul among them. He says he weighing his options. But a gubernatorial bid from Raoul might risk his status as a rising star in the Senate for a long-shot bid at higher office. “He’s for sure going to be in the majority and for sure going to be an important player in the Senate,” Redfield said. He said that Madigan’s decision not to run could open the door for another Democrat to join the race, but he can’t think of an obvious candidate. “I’m hard-pressed to think who that would be. Is there an opportunity for someone who is not a white male from Chicago? Sure. But I don’t know who that is,” he said. “A state legislator is at a huge financial deficit in terms of being able to put together a campaign — not having name recognition, not having any kind of statewide network, not having any kind of statewide fundraising in place.”
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon was also reportedly mulling a run for the attorney general’s office. Several Chicago media outlets have reported today that she will instead announce a bid for state comptroller in the near future. She will be challenging incumbent Judy Baar Topinka, which could be an uphill climb, especially considering that Simon’s fundraising totals have been lackluster so far. “She needs to have a clear field [in the primary] and the support of the Democratic Party,” Redfield said about Simon. “Once you get into the general [election], then obviously the party is going to help you.”
Madigan’s bombshell announcement Monday will no doubt have a lasting impact on Illinois politics — for one thing it indicates her powerful father isn’t going anywhere — and the outcomes of the 2014 general election. But the results are nearly impossible to see as campaigns are just beginning to kick off. Perhaps Quinn said it best when asked today if he was taken aback by Madigan’s announcement. “I’m not surprised about anything in Illinois politics.”
Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s decision to seek reelection instead of running for governor will have a ripple effect on the state’s political landscape.
Of course, Madigan decision not to run will affect the governor’s race. The popular attorney general has done well in the polls and was expected to be the front runner if she jumped into the governor’s race. Madigan announced yesterday that she would run again for her current office. In her written statement she cited her father Michael Madigan’s position as House speaker as one of the reasons for her decisions.
“For the last several months, I have considered the best way to continue serving the people of Illinois. Deciding whether to seek reelection or to run for governor has not been easy. I love my job as attorney general and continue to be excited about the important work we are doing and what we can do for people and families in the years ahead. I considered running for governor because of the need for effective management from that office and the frustration so many of us feel about the current lack of progress on critical issues facing Illinois,” Madigan said. “Ultimately, however, there has always been another consideration that impacts my decision. I feel strongly that the state would not be well-served by having a governor and speaker of the House from the same family and have never planned to run for governor if that would be the case. With Speaker Madigan planning to continue in office, I will not run for governor.”
Gov. Pat Quinn has said in the past that a Madigan in the governor’s office and a Madigan as speaker would be a conflict of interest. He did not reiterate that opinion today when asked about Lisa Madigan’s decision. Instead, he praised her service as attorney general, the job she has held since 2003. “I think it was well-said,” Quinn said in Chicago today of Madigan’s statement.
With Madigan out of the way, Quinn’s only challenger is former White House chief of staff Bill Daley. Daley served as chief of staff under President Barack Obama and commerce secretary under former President Bill Clinton. Despite his connections to national politics, most Illinois probably know him best from his family ties. He is the brother of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, the longest serving Chicago mayor to date, and son of former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, the second-longest serving mayor.
Quinn's comments today indicate that he may try to present Daley, who has also worked as a lawyer and a banker, as a rich insider while paying up his own populist credentials. “I think I’m quite a bit different than Bill Daley. He has a better tailor than I do.” Quinn said of himself: “I’m a people person. I think that anybody who has ever worked with me in public life knows that I interact with everyday people. I’m not going to be a champion of millionaires — everybody knows that. I fight hard for folks who don’t have lobbyists, who don’t have political action committees, who aren’t in high places, but they’re the heart and soul of Illinois.”
But when it comes to campaign funds, so far Quinn is Mr. Moneybags. According to campaign filings due yesterday, he raised $1 million between April 1 and June 30 and has $2.3 million to spend. Daley has raised more than $796,000. “I think that they understand we’re doing a good job,” Quinn said of his donors. “I think we ran a campaign in 2010 in a pretty tough environment and I won the primary won the general election. That’s what’s going to happen next year, too.”
Meanwhile, Daley has painted Quinn as an ineffective leader. “General Madigan's decision not to run now gives voters a clear choice between a proven leader who gets things done and a governor who can't seem to get anything done,” Pete Giangreco, spokesman for the Daley campaign, said in a written statement in reaction to Madigan’s announcement Monday.
Both candidates were likely happy to learn that Madigan is opting out of the race. Both face their own unique challenges in the Democratic primary: Quinn his unpopularity and Daley his unfamiliarity among voters outside of the Chicago area. “Daley has to go out and make public opinion, and Quinn has to change it,” said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield.
At face value, Madigan’s decision seems to most benefit Daley, who can now paint himself as the only alternative to a governor many in the state dislike. However, he is an as of yet unproven candidate. If Daley was to fall in his face, all Quinn would have to do is step over him to secure the Democratic nomination now that Madigan is out of the picture. “It may be a huge plus for Quinn if Daley crashes and burns,” Redfield said.
For the Republicans, Redfield says Madigan’s decision may give all the four candidates a slight morale boost. “This may add a little bit of energy on the Republican side in general for the governor’s race because everybody sees a clearer path to being governor,” he said. But he cautioned, “If the Republicans eat each other alive and beat each other to death, so that it’s the last man standing, it may not make that much difference.”
Some members of the legislature may now be planning to stay put. “Where we thought we were going to open up a bunch of musical chairs here, open up a bunch of seats, it really kind of freezes everybody,” Redfield said. House Minority Leader Tom Cross had said he was weighing a run for the attorney general’s office if it were open. Now that it is not, he may need to work to soothe a caucus after many members have been vying behind the scenes to replace him. But since no clear successor exists, it appears likely he will hang onto his leadership position. “I think Cross probably maintains his leadership role, but again, that’s dependent on nobody becoming a viable alterative that can really bring everybody together,” Redfield said.
Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul was also considering a bid for Madigan’s office if she left. Raoul has been at the center of the two premier legislative debates of the spring session, concealed carry of firearms and finding a solution to the public employee pension crisis. He is chair of the conference committee that is working to draft pension legislation that the group hopes can pass in both chambers. Raoul publicly sparred with Quinn in recent weeks over Quinn’s attempted rewrite of concealed-carry legislation and the governor’s move to suspend lawmakers' pay until pension changes are passed. While the two agree on many policy points, Raoul has taken issue with Quinn’s leadership style. The populist moves that Quinn is playing up for the governor’s race are the decisions that are putting him at odds with lawmakers. Raoul called Quinn’s veto of lawmakers pay unconstitutional grandstanding. “Listen, I like the governor. I like the governor, but I just don’t like the communication I have experienced over the last few weeks,” he said after a recent conference committee hearing.
With Madigan out of the governor’s race, the Illinois political rumor mill is churning at full speed and spitting out names of potential Democratic candidates, Raoul among them. He says he weighing his options. But a gubernatorial bid from Raoul might risk his status as a rising star in the Senate for a long-shot bid at higher office. “He’s for sure going to be in the majority and for sure going to be an important player in the Senate,” Redfield said. He said that Madigan’s decision not to run could open the door for another Democrat to join the race, but he can’t think of an obvious candidate. “I’m hard-pressed to think who that would be. Is there an opportunity for someone who is not a white male from Chicago? Sure. But I don’t know who that is,” he said. “A state legislator is at a huge financial deficit in terms of being able to put together a campaign — not having name recognition, not having any kind of statewide network, not having any kind of statewide fundraising in place.”
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon was also reportedly mulling a run for the attorney general’s office. Several Chicago media outlets have reported today that she will instead announce a bid for state comptroller in the near future. She will be challenging incumbent Judy Baar Topinka, which could be an uphill climb, especially considering that Simon’s fundraising totals have been lackluster so far. “She needs to have a clear field [in the primary] and the support of the Democratic Party,” Redfield said about Simon. “Once you get into the general [election], then obviously the party is going to help you.”
Madigan’s bombshell announcement Monday will no doubt have a lasting impact on Illinois politics — for one thing it indicates her powerful father isn’t going anywhere — and the outcomes of the 2014 general election. But the results are nearly impossible to see as campaigns are just beginning to kick off. Perhaps Quinn said it best when asked today if he was taken aback by Madigan’s announcement. “I’m not surprised about anything in Illinois politics.”
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