//
you're reading...
Illinois Politics

Late Night: Illinois House GOP Lawmaker Backs Democrat for House… and More

Judge Deborah Gubin at Brando's Speakeasy, 343 S. Dearborn, on Monday night for an intimate fund-raiser to help fill her campaign war chest. Gubin is battling for a seat on the 8th judicial subcircuit located on Chicago's north side.

(Chicago, IL)  – Friends Like This Are Hard to Find – When it is your job to help elect Republicans to the Illinois House of Representatives, an out-stretched, bi-partisan hand can seem, sometimes, stretched out of its socket when the Chairman of the Illinois House Republican campaign committee endorses a Democrat for the House.

But that’s just Skip.

The most-bi-partisan, amiable, and skilled deal-maker in Springfield, State Rep. Angelo “Skip” Saviano (R-Elmwood Park), can still leave even a grizzled Springfield veteran gobsmacked.

A campaign letter from Skip began landing in the mail boxes of west suburban Cook County voters on Monday endorsing Hillside Democrat Emanuel “Chris” Welch for the 7th district House seat.

“I need your help to get the right person in Springfield–someone who will work with us and support the values and priorities of our communities. That is why I ask that you cast your primary vote for Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D),” wrote the long-time GOP lawmaker.

Saviano is well known for quiet political deals with local Democrats. But a letter is a bugle call.

Of course, more lawmakers like Saviano would help minimize the dysfunction that often dominates the legislature. And Springfield, with more people like Skip, would be a hell of a lot more fun.

Campaign Casualty – The truth got in the neck over the weekend. A new campaign mail brochure, dropped by Chicago Democrat Kenny Johnson, tied House primary opponent Christian Mitchell to the unsavory reputation of the payday loan industry, roughing him up pretty good.

Mitchell’s current employer, Conlon Public Strategies, represented the Community Financial Services Association in 2008 through 2009. Mitchell joined the firm in 2011. No matter. Johnson tarred Mitchell with the perceived, distant sins of an ex-client.

Mitchell’s campaign felt compelled to issue a “Research Memo” to contain the mailer’s damage.

Follow the Money – Aldermen Brendan Reilly (D-42), Bob Fioretti (D-2), State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), and Committeewoman Carol Ronen (D-Chicago) chaired an intimate fund-raiser for Judge Deborah Gubin at Brando’s Speakeasy at 343 S. Dearborn on Monday night.

Gubin is fighting for a seat on Chicago’s 8th judicial subcircuit that runs along the north side. Gubin, who lost an election bid in 2002 for an 8th subcircuit seat, has so far raised $48,017 for her 2012 effort, including a $3,148 in-kind-contribution from Reilly for direct mail.

From the Front – State Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) this weekend helped her colleague, Kelly Cassidy, who is locked in a tough primary fight against lesbian activist Paula Basta, to knock on voters’ doors. Williams and an small army of Cassidy volunteers hit 2,600 doors.

Don’t Quote MeRumor and gossip that’s not quite fit to print, but, what the heck, we’re including it anyway as a public service because we’re sure you’ll find it as titillating as we do… Not Him, Him – It’s something of an open secret in Springfield that Illinois Hospital Association CEO Maryjane Wurth has been having a difficult time settling into her role. Sources say that the association board thought she needed a strong political hand to help. One name that surfaced was Mark Boozell, ex-Governor Jim Edgar’s Insurance Director and Chief of Staff, but Wurth reportedly nixed the idea, fearing a potential rival, sources say. Instead, the extremely capable and well-liked State Senator A.J. Wilhelmi (D-Joliet) was ultimately lured in by the association to provide the necessary, experienced political ballast.

Tomorrow’s News… We’ve Got Your Number–Maybe – The Chicago Tribune’s Naomi Nix is working on a story targeting the DeZonia Group, the company that bills people being transported by Chicago Fire Department ambulances. In 2009, a DeZonia laptop computer, containing the names, addresses, and social security numbers of all ambulance patients, was stolen, triggering a major security failure… More Meter Stuff – The Chicago Sun-Times’ Chris Fusco is targeting the firm responsible for city’s be-loved parking meter money munchers, Chicago Parking Meters.

What’s a Work Day?  For Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Governor Pat Quinn, they will announce a “major” investment in the City Colleges of Chicago. They will be at Olive-Harvey College on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.

Send press releases or comments to David Ormsby at [email protected].

About David Ormsby

David, a public relations consultant and blogger at The Huffington Post, is an ex-Press Secretary of the Illinois Democratic Party.

Discussion

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out / Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. Log Out / Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out / Change )

Connecting to %s

Submit your email address and be among the first to receive our posts by e-mail as soon as they are published. It's free.

David Ormsby, Editor

RSS Gov. Pat Quinn

  • Pat Quinn On Gay Marriage: Illinois Governor Endorses Marriage ... The Huffington Post News Editors
  • Gov. Pat Quinn Shares Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage unknown
  • Quinn Urges Business Leaders To Help Push For Medicaid ... Todd Feurer
  • McHenry County Blog | Pat Quinn Tells Truth about Pension ... Cal Skinner
  • Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn Endorses Gay Marriage unknown
  • Pat Quinn Criticizes Scott Walker On Jobs The Huffington Post News Editors
  • Aaron Kendell Packaging Expands Sales Staff with the Return of Pat ... scarlet
  • Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Judges may sue over ... Rich Miller
  • Will Governor Pat Quinn Sign Illinois Budget on Thursday? « Child ... Marge Berglind
  • IL Legislature Approves, Governor Pat Quinn Signs Illinois Budget ... Marge Berglind

RSS IL General Assembly

  • Legislative update: Budget, pension, Medicaid await Illinois General Assembly ... - NIU Today May 15, 2012
  • Lawmakers need resolve to fix budget - Herald & Review May 16, 2012
  • McCann: verifying eligibility key to Medicaid reform - WLDS-WEAI News May 16, 2012
  • Du Quoin Council to draft ordinance to regulate city's gambling machines - Daily American May 16, 2012
  • Illinois Senate President Wants Online Poker - Poker News Daily May 16, 2012
  • Illinois bill to change school district transportation delayed - Daily Northwestern May 16, 2012
  • Our view: Reform that really isn't - Northwest Herald May 16, 2012
  • General Assembly puts health exchange bill on back burner - Crain's Chicago Business May 10, 2012
  • Preschool is law's best friend - Chicago Sun-Times May 16, 2012
  • American Progressive Bag Alliance Urges Illinois General Assembly To Pass ... - MarketWatch (press release) May 1, 2012

RSS The Capitol Fax Blog

  • The Tenaska Tax: A $163 Million Annual Residential Rate Hike May 16, 2012 Advertising Department
  • Question of the day May 16, 2012 Rich Miller
  • Judges may sue over health insurance bill May 16, 2012 Rich Miller
  • Media finally catches on May 16, 2012 Rich Miller
  • Here they come May 16, 2012 Rich Miller
  • Morning Shorts May 16, 2012 Owen Irwin
  • Spoiled rotten brats May 16, 2012 Rich Miller
  • Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and a big Statehouse roundup May 16, 2012 Rich Miller
  • *** LIVE SESSION UPDATES *** May 16, 2012 Rich Miller
  • Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password) May 16, 2012 Rich Miller
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 136 other followers

Powered by WordPress.com