Quinn endorsing Vallas

By Shia Kapos

Happy Wednesday, Illinois. President Joe Biden rolled out some dad jokes and we don’t mind ‘em at all.

Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, speaking at Loyola University School of Law, is endorsing Paul Vallas for mayor. | AP File Photo/M. Spencer Green

Former Gov. Pat Quinn is endorsing Paul Vallas in the Chicago mayor’s race. They’ll make it official at a press conference this morning. Quinn had endorsed Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in the first round of the contest in February.

Quinn had considered running for mayor himself last year and even collected signatures. But he decided against it, saying he would focus instead on efforts to create a “taxpayer advocate” position in Chicago to address property tax relief and reform.

A populist governor: Quinn, a former state treasurer who became governor after the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, went on to win a full four-year term. He’s known for taking on populist crusades, including petition drives to start a Citizens Utility Board and reduce the size of the Illinois House.

Progressive support: When he endorsed Garcia, he cited the congressman’s “progressive” credentials. So he could just as easily have backed Brandon Johnson for the city’s top job.

In Vallas, Quinn is backing a fellow policy wonk. When they meet today to announce the endorsement, they'll discuss “the effects of increasing taxes in gentrifying Chicago communities, as well as the current ComEd corruption scheme and its impact on the city’s utility,” according to a press statement.

More on the race ...

A hot mic moment:  After Tuesday night's debate wrapped up, Vallas turned to Johnson, saying, “Do we have one more of these?” The point being: They’re ready for Election Day. So are we. It’s 13 days away.

Here’s the full debate on WGN 9, moderated by Tahman Bradley and Lourdes Duarte.

The gist: The debate reinforced the candidates’ different approaches to policing and education. Johnson said again he’d add 200 detectives and sidestepped a question about adding more police. And Vallas insisted that hundreds of retired officers would be willing to return to work to fill depleted ranks of the police force.

From the Tribune: “Johnson distanced himself from past comments about 2020′s civil unrest, where he said looters were acting ‘out of desperation,’ while Vallas ducked a question about past comments he made criticizing ‘Democrats,’” by Alice Yin, Gregory Pratt and A.D. Quig.

Sun-Times calls the debate a draw, via Fran Spielman.

A Good discussion about the race, via University of Chicago Institute of Politics and featuring pollster Jason McGrath of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign.

NAMES TO KNOW: Joe Trippi, who ran Democrat Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential primary race, is advising Paul Vallas’ campaign. Trippi is a Democratic heavy-hitter who also has a good connection to Illinois politics. He advised Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart back in 2010 when he considered a run for mayor. Dart’s chief of staff in the sheriff’s office was Brian Towne, who is managing day-to-day operations for Vallas. Towne also ran Vallas’ mayoral bid in 2019.

Brandon Johnson’s team is led by senior adviser Jason Lee of United Working Families. And the campaign manager is Nick Merlino, who’s worked on campaigns in battleground states such as Wisconsin, Georgia and Florida as well as on the Retire Rubio campaign. Bill Neidhardt, a comms exec for former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Bernie Sanders, is also advising.

Dazed and confused: That might be how some 11th Ward voters are feeling as they try to figure out how they’re going to vote April 4.

A few facts. Ald. Nicole Lee is endorsing Paul Vallas, who won 58 percent of the vote in the ward that’s been home to the Daley clan for decades. “I endorsed Paul Valls because I know he’ll be a strong partner in supporting our police department,” Lee said in a statement.

Vallas is endorsing Lee, too. He even tweeted it.

SEIU is also endorsing Lee, but but but ... the union is endorsing Brandon Johnson, not Vallas, for mayor.

Even more confusing: SEIU has sent out mailers endorsing Lee and Johnson. But with their pictures right next to each other, it looks like Lee and Johnson are endorsing each other. They’re not.

Shenanigans: There are also fake mailers floating about that say Lee endorses Johnson. To be clear, she does not.

If you are Joe Trippi, Playbook would like to know what makes Chicago politics different than anywhere else. Email skapos@politico.com.

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Have a news tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? I’d like to hear from you: skapos@politico.com

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— Illinois AG Kwame Raoul urges Kia, Hyundai to take ‘comprehensive action’ over Chicago area car thefts: “Last year, 10 percent of all registered Kia vehicles and 7 percent of all registered Hyundai vehicles in Chicago were stolen, according to Atty. Gen. Kwame Raoul’s office,” by Sun-Times’ Mohammad Samra.

— Gov. JB Pritzker names Bria Scudder deputy governor: “Scudder will serve as deputy governor for Public Safety, Infrastructure, Environment and Energy. Scudder had worked in the Governor’s Office as first assistant to former Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell,” via WAND.

— $175M available in B2B grants for restaurants, hotels and creative arts businesses: The recovery grants will go to small businesses still grappling with the lingering impacts of the pandemic in the restaurant, hotel, and creative arts industries, according to a statement from the governor’s office. A webinar Friday at 10 a.m. will explain more.

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Sun-Times' take, by Jon Seidel and Tina Sfondeles

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We asked if you’ve ever called your state legislator. 

Randy Bukas, Freeport city manager: “Called my state legislators on a number of issues. What’s really nice is when they call me about a municipal issue that’s pending and how it would impact the community.”

Graham Grady: "Called legislators who represent Cook County asking them to support a funding campaign for Brookfield Zoo and the Botanical Gardens.” 

Christine Walker: “Called then-state Rep. Julie Hamos when insurance repeatedly denied speech therapy to my son when he was diagnosed with autism. Turns out it was happening throughout Illinois.”

Chris White: “Called my state for help when a health system denied Paxlovid to my kid who was eligible due to their disability.”

Do you have to live in Illinois to manage a political campaign here? Email skapos@politico.com

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— Lin Brehmer is memorialized by writer Paul Engleman, via Medium.

— Today at noon: A virtual discussion about water advocacy with MWRD VP Kimberly du Buclet, the Sierra Club Illinois, the Illinois Environmental Council and the Southeast Environmental Task Force. Details here

TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Bill Velazquez for correctly answering that in 1876, counterfeiter James “Big Jim” Kennally was foiled in a plot to steal the body of Abraham Lincoln in an attempt to hold it in exchange for a pardon for his engraver, who was serving a 10-year prison sentence.

TODAY’s QUESTION: Who is the Chicago mayor whose son-in-law became an Illinois governor? Email skapos@politico.com

Democratic State Central Committeeman Bill Houlihan, Elmhurst University political science professor Connie Mixon, publishing veteran Linda Johnson Rice, clinical psychologist Patricia Howse, business consultant Benton Cook III and Piece pizzeria's Billy Jacobs.

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