With help from Olivia Olander
TGIF, Illinois. On this Veterans Day, thank you to all those who have served.
Illinois Republicans are joining a growing chorus blaming Donald Trump for the huge losses that prevented any kind of Republican wave on Tuesday.
“Illinois voters rejected us,” Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin told Illinois Public Media on Thursday. “Donald Trump, I believe, is greatly responsible for the shrinking of the party.”
Speaking candidly: Durkin, who announced Wednesday that he was stepping down as caucus chair, “came across as a man unburdened,” according to producer Brian Mackey.
What a turn-off: Trump “turned off more people in areas where we have to compete, and that’s mainly in the suburbs and the collar counties,” Durkin said. “And the more that he sticks his nose into this process, getting involved with state elections, but also what he’s doing at a national level, it turns people off. And they naturally associate the Republicans with Donald Trump.”
Durkin repeated his criticism to the Sun-Times, saying, Trump “has been harmful” to Republicans in Illinois and a good portion of the United States. “And I believe that he is really responsible for the underperforming on Tuesday.” Tina Sfondeles’ story here
Across the country, Republicans are speaking out about Trump, who continues to have a hold on the GOP base.
Trump’s pal agrees: Former New Jersey governor and Trump ally Chris Christie explained it this way to The Associated Press: “We lost in ‘18. We lost in ’20. We lost in ’21 in Georgia. And now in ’22 we’re going to net lose governorships, we’re not going to pick up the number of seats in the House that we thought and we may not win the Senate despite a president who has a 40 percent job approval,” Christie said. “There’s only one person to blame for that and that’s Donald Trump.”
What a drag: Former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Trump was “a drag on our ticket.”
Bailey didn’t help: GOP governor candidate Darren Bailey’s embracing of Trump has now added to the challenges that Republicans face in the suburbs, according to Illinois GOP political consultant Nick Kitzing. “All Republicans are viewed as extreme in the suburbs now. We need to reject political extremes and [focus instead] on rising crime, education, taxes and pocketbook issues.”
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Durkin calls for more moderate GOP: “The party needs to embrace people whom they have excluded over the past 10-15 years. Those are people who take issue on same-sex marriage or reproductive rights and also gun control,” he told WTAX’s Dave Dahl.
Trump plows forward, GOP critics be damned: “The former president’s team is furious with critics, keeping track of detractors, and planning a presidential bid announcement next week,” by POLITICO’s Meridith McGraw.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Rep. Tony McCombie has received a round of support from her peers to become the new House Republican leader, replacing Durkin, who is stepping down as head of the caucus. A vote from the entire caucus could take place next week when lawmakers return to Springfield
BUTLER OUT: State Rep. Tim Butler says he’s leaving the Legislature: “I plan to resign from the House before the start of the 103rd General Assembly to work full-time with the Illinois Railroad Association,” he tweeted this morning.
BUSTOS’ ASSIGNMENT: Congresswoman Cheri Bustos is among the leaders on Secretary of State-elect Alexi Giannoulias’ transition team.
In an announcement video: Giannoulias revealed transition team members and a new website to gather ideas from the public for the Secretary of State’s office.
Also on the committee: Stephanie Neely, the former Chicago treasurer and now managing director at J.P. Morgan Asset Management North America Institutional Central and Canada; Martin Cabrera, the CEO and founder of Cabrera Capital Markets and Cabrera Capital Partners; and Ed Smith, the CEO and president of Ullico and a former leader of the Laborers International Union (LiUNA).
If you are Tony McCombie, Playbook would like to know what the biggest difference is between being a state rep and a city mayor. Email [email protected].
Have a news tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? I’d like to hear from you: [email protected]
No official public events.
At Soldier Field at 10:45 a.m. for the 2022 Veterans Day Commemoration Ceremony.
Schedule not available.
— Biden is no sure thing for 2024. What about Buttigieg? Harris? Whitmer? Or Pritzker? “Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois has won fans for his fiery moments of refreshing bluntness. ‘There’s a kind of strange internet sparkle around Governor Pritzker,’ political scientist Nicole Hemmer said. The mix of urban and rural areas in Illinois provides an instructive lesson for a national campaign. And several Democratic strategists pointed out that if Biden leaves his would-be successors with little time to raise the money they need, Pritzker, 57, could fund his own campaign. One strategist quipped that he’d be an especially fascinating adversary for Trump, ‘a real billionaire against a fake billionaire.’ But is a billionaire the right Democratic fit?” via Frank Bruni in The New York Times.
— Deep thoughts: Anne Caprara, Pritzker’s chief of staff and a seasoned political consultant, tweeted some post-election insight, including this: “Basic polling & any woman in your life could’ve easily told you how big an issue abortion is post-Dobbs. & yet a lot of otherwise smart people were telling female operatives we were wrong to push it as a major issue. Especially in the final weeks.”
— No bailing out on SAFE-T Act: Democrats only plan ‘strengthening and clarifying’ of criminal justice reforms — no ‘gutting’: “The blue wave that washed over Illinois on Tuesday gives Democrats the political cover to argue that despite the GOP blitzkrieg of negative TV ads, voters agree the provisions in the SAFE-T Act are sound public policy. Democrats say they expect “clean-up” language, but no substantial changes, in next week’s veto session,” by Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles and Jon Seidel.
— Jill Biden, Cabinet members to visit Chicago, Rolling Meadows Monday, by Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet
— Work halted at Obama Presidential Center after noose is found: “Foundation officials are condemning a “shameless act of cowardice and hate” at the site of former President Barack Obama’s presidential center in Jackson Park on Thursday morning,” by Tribune’s A.D. Quig and Shanzeh Ahmad.
— Council panel rejects push to ban no-knock warrants, restrict raids, by WTTW’s Heather Cherone
— Wrigleyville mural shows support for Iranian revolution, by Fox 32’s Anthony Ponce
— Rep. ‘Chuy’ Garcia runs for Chicago mayor again: “Chicago needs a leader with the vision of our future and the know-how and the empathy to get us there together. From crime to unemployment, to affordable housing, there is so much we need to build,” García told supporters gathered at Navy Pier, via your Playbook host.
— Tunney out: Chicago Ald. Tom Tunney has decided not to run for mayor. “While my love of our city is as strong as ever, I will not be running for mayor. For those who encouraged me to run for mayor, volunteered for the effort or signed my petitions, I am forever grateful for your support,” he said in a late-night statement via Crain’s Greg Hinz. This means there are 14 mayoral candidates in the running, though that could get smaller if candidates aren’t able to gather enough signatures by month’s end. Tunney’s exit gives Mayor Lori Lightfoot an opportunity to reclaim support from North Side residents in his ward — residents who supported her four years ago.
— Newly arrived migrants living in ‘jail’-like conditions, Ald. Sigcho-Lopez says, by Sun-Times’ Elvia Malagón
— Too much to Bear? “A new football stadium and mixed-use complex could be a boondoggle rather than a boon for Arlington Heights,” by Robert Reed in Chicago magazine.
— Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle to focus on behavioral health, guaranteed income program in next term, by WTTW’s Paris Schutz and Andrea Flores
— After months of delay, property tax bills will be available next week for Cook County, by Tribune’s A.D. Quig
— CTA president takes his lumps before City Council committee: “The public dressing-down before the Transportation Committee appears to be the price Carter had to pay as he seeks to win City Council approval of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to pay for extending the CTA’s Red Line,” by Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.
— Park and ride disparities leave South Side Red Line commuters without a spot, via DePaul’s Center for Journalism Integrity
— Terrorism-related charges brought against Maine teen in alleged Chicago mosque-attack plot, by Tribune’s Jason Meisner
— Jury in Wicked Town gang racketeering trial deliberating case involving two decades of West Side violence, including more that a dozen murders, by Tribune’s Jason Mesiner
— Seven years after suing College of DuPage, former President Breuder could receive $4M to settle lawsuit, by Daily Herald’s Katlyn Smith
— Illinois issues first two social equity marijuana dispensary licenses, and one shop expected to open soon in River North, by Tribune’s Robert McCoppin
— Now Griffin slams woke ideology in Chicago: “My children went to a phenomenal school in Chicago … but their indoctrination in woke ideology was crushing,” Citadel CEO Ken Griffin said in a conversation with Miami Mayor Francis Suarez that was hosted by The Economic Club of Miami, via New York Post.
— Former Congressman Joe Walsh will speak at a conference put on by the bipartisan gun safety group 97Percent. The event titled “What’s Next? An Innovative Approach to Reducing Gun-Related Deaths” will also feature former Education Secretary Arne Duncan, White House Policy Adviser Stefanie Feldman and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.
— Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, a self-described urban historian, has received a matching grant from The Chicago Community Trust as well as support from the Illinois Office of Tourism, allowing him to put a down payment on a $300,000 tour bus. Thomas has also founded a 501(c)3 organization, Chicago Mahogany Foundation.
We asked for your big takeaway from the Midterms:
Justen Glover: “As encouraging a night as it was for Democrats, it’s clear that the party has some serious messaging issues and needs to do more to combat blatant Republican misinformation in states like Florida and Ohio.”
Steve Hild: “Poll methodology is so broken (or behind the times) so as to be useless at best and harmful at worst.”
Tommy Leinenweber: “There have been very few ‘election deniers.’ Most candidates have accepted the results, which is a good thing for our democracy.”
Ed Mazur: “The only poll that counts is the poll on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.”
Maggie O’Keefe: “Women were silent at home, but made their voices heard in the voting booth. And their kids tagged along in support of their mom’s right to choose.”
Dale Sachtleben: “The Illinois GOP is going out of its way and is still finding new ways to lose elections.”
Andy Shaw: “The country is still politically polarized, but democracy appears to be safe, at least until 2024.”
John Straus: “Illinois is the bluest of blue states.”
Christine Walker: “Decisions are made by those who show up.”
Which decade do you wish you could visit or revisit? Email [email protected]
— The path to 218: Why Democrats aren’t out of the race for the House yet, by POLITICO’s Steven Shepard
— Hiking taxes, protecting abortion and other issues voters greenlighted in the midterms, via you Playbook host
— Brittney Griner is headed to a truly horrific place, by Anastasiia Carrier for POLITICO
Bureau Bar and Restaurant owner Kenny Johnson hosted a fundraising benefit at his South Loop eatery Thursday night for his old college buddy, Philadelphia mayoral candidate and Councilmember Derek Green. Spotted were former Ald. Joe Moore, Ald. Gil Villegas, Prairie Consulting CEO Fred Lebed, former Ald. Joe Moreno, Ridge Strategy CEO Gyata Kimmons, Cozen O’Connor lobbyists John Dunn and Patrick Carey, Ardmore Roderick CSO Cheryl Thomas and Rev. Leslie Sanders, among others.
— Springfield native and former CNN sports anchor Fred Hickman has died, by State Journal-Register’s Steven Spearie
THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Brad Ruppert for correctly answering that the late Congressman Melvin Price, who represented Illinois’ Metro East area, began his career as a sportswriter.
TODAY’s QUESTION: What former Illinois state representative had a son who was a top aide in the U.S. Senate and a grandchild who served in Congress? Email [email protected]
Today: State Rep. Mike Zalewski, House majority leader chief of staff Kieran Fitzgerald, ONE Northside operations manager Becky Wanberg, Beam Suntory public affairs director Ashley Bromagen and Hotchkiss boarding school exec Will Boscow.
Saturday: Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton, former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti, U. of C. economist and Nobel Prize winner Michael Kremer, healthcare marketing exec Mark SooHoo, nonprofit leader Susan Shulman and Binance cryptocurrency exchange chief strategy officer Patrick Hillmann.
Sunday: U.S. Attorney General and Illinois native Merrick Garland, Ald. Rossana Rodríguez-Sanchez, U. of C. Crime Lab public affairs director Sarah Rand, Ipsos head of trends Matt Carmichael, political consultant Marion Steinfels and CNN reporter (and POLITICO alum) Eric Bradner.
And belated birthday greetings to Chuck Swirsky, senior adviser at Intergovernmental Affairs at Chicago Public Schools, who celebrated Thursday.
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