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Shia Kapos' must-read rundown of political news in the Land of Lincoln | | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. That storm seems so far mostly bluster.
|  | TOP TALKER | | BIG DONATION: The Illinois Senate Democratic Fund, headed by Senate President Don Harmon, just plopped $500,000 into Natalie Toro’s primary race. That’s on top of nearly $200,000 from ISDF in December. Toro is the recently appointed state senator — and Chicago Public Schools teacher — who’s trying to hold on to the 20th District seat on Chicago’s Northwest Side. She faces Graciela Guzman, who lost out to Toro last year in getting appointed to the seat that opened up when Cristina Pacione-Zayas left to join Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration. Guzman worked on Pacione-Zayas’ Senate staff, but she was edged out by Toro’s supporters in the appointment process. Must-watch race: Now the two women are facing each other again in one of the of the most consequential races in this year’s primary. It pits the moderate Democrat Toro against progressive Democrat Guzman, who has the support of the Chicago Teachers Union — which fueled Johnson’s progressive campaign. Adding to the tension: Harmon got sideways with the CTU over legislation that would spell out the newly elected Chicago School Board will conduct elections. More than a power struggle: Harmon is also showing members of his caucus that he’s got their backs on the campaign trail. Fundraising is playing a huge role: the ISDF’s latest gift puts Toro at about $1 million. Guzman is trailing with some $200,000 on hand. (We’re going by third-quarter filings and some math.) Money pays dividends: Toro is out with a new digital ad promoting her campaign.
| | THE BUZZ | | OFF THE TABLE: While legislators in Florida and a few other states try to change their state constitutions to make abortion the law of the land, Illinois is sitting tight. So blue: The state is already considered a haven for reproductive rights. With Democrats controlling the Illinois House, Senate and governor’s office, that’s not likely to change. But it may not always be so, which is why changing the state constitution is an idea that’s been floating about in the Illinois General Assembly’s Dobbs Decision Working Group. Risky business: “Ultimately, this is a huge undertaking and not without risk,” state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a Chicago Democrat, told Playbook. “This won’t be a unilateral decision as all parties have to be in agreement that this is the right time, but the [working group] will be reconvening as session begins to discuss this and other issues stemming from attacks on bodily autonomy across the country. What lawmakers have already done: The Dobbs working group helped pass numerous pieces of legislation over the past year that have elevated Illinois as a “Midwestern safe haven” for reproductive health, including shield laws that protect health care providers who perform abortions and require insurers to cover abortion medication. If you are Don Harmon, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S JB | | At the Salesforce Tower at 10:30 a.m. to mark state economic development milestones.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | No official public events.
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (gasp!) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | 2024 WATCH | | — PETITION PICKLE: Chicago Republican Party Chair Stephen Boulton, who’s also a ward committeeman, found his signatures challenged to get on the ballot. But then the objector pulled back his complaint. That should have been the end of it ... but: The hearing officer then pushed Boulton off the ballot anyway. The decision now goes before a hearing panel. We expect Boulton to put up a fight. Here’s the hearing officer’s report.
| | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — NEW THIS MORNING: Subject Matter+Kivvit has rebranded as Avoq and elevated 14 longtime staffers. The new name and reorganization follow the May 2023 merger of Subject Matter and Kivvit, which combined the two companies into a single integrated firm “that helps companies, organizations and industries elevate ideas, build brands and tackle reputational or policy challenges,” according to Avoq — pronounced uh-VOKE. Promotions: The newly elevated partners are Stacey Alexander, Whit Askew, Joy Burks, Maura Farrell, Cedric Grant, Sarah Hamilton, Kent Holland, Barry LaSala, Sophie McCarthy, Tom Meara, Dianne Mikeska, Kevin Richards, John Siniff and Adam Steinberger. Nicole Cornish continues as CEO. Other officers include Molly Scherrman as COO, Dave Metzger as CFO and Steve Elmendorf, Paul Frick, Jimmy Ryan, Dan Sallick and Eric Sedler as managing partners.
| | MIGRANT MOVES | | — McClean County Republican board member argues banning taxpayer funds for migrants is not ‘anti-immigrant,’ via News 25’s Howard Packowitz But Patrick Cortesi, the county’s Democratic Party chair, calls the legislation “anti-immigrant” and a “desperate attempt to politicize an emergent border issue that is best resolved at the federal level not a largely rural, county board in the middle of Illinois,” according to a statement to Playbook.
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Rev. King spoke at the Illinois State Armory in 1965, his visit will be commemorated, by the State Journal Register’s Steven Spearie — Illinois Supreme Court weighs admissibility of ‘reenactment’ in murder case, by Capitol News’ Andrew Adams
| | CHICAGO | | — Southwest Side needs a new police district, alderpersons say: “Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel balanced his first budget in part by closing three district police stations. Now, Ald. Marty Quinn (13th) and six City Council colleagues want to build a new one at a cost of $30 million or more,” by the Sun-Times’’ Fran Spielman and Tom Schuba. — Lolla sent Chicago Park District record revenue in 2023: “Lollapalooza, who paid $9.6 million in fees to use Grant Park for the annual four-day music festival.” That’s about a $2 million bump from 2021, which saw the second highest take, reports the Tribune’s A.D. Quig. — Chicago 2024 summer event schedule: Millennium Park turns 20 and Blues Fest returns, by the Block Club’s Mack Liederman — Bally’s Chicago casino closes out year $9.7M short of Lightfoot’s budget bet, by the Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout — Inspector general urges overhaul of Chicago Public Schools’ ‘flawed’ tracking system for tech devices, by Chalkbeat’s Reema Amin — DIBS: Michael Burton and Josh Goldman, guitarists in Urban Spaceman, are out with a song that pays homage to Chicago’s “dibs” tradition. It’s called “Merry Dibsmas.”
| | DAY IN COURT | | — CPS assistant principal stole $273K from after-school program, prosecutors say: “Details of the alleged embezzlement and criminal charges were laid out in an annual report CPS Inspector General Will Fletcher released this week,” by the Sun-Times’ Nader Issa and WBEZ’s Lauren FitzPatrick.
| | | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | | — Kim Foxx touts accomplishing her ‘mission’ as Cook County state’s attorney: ‘No one drove me out of this job’: “I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do next,” she told a Tuesday meeting of the Leaders Network at the Columbus Park Refectory, the Sun-Times’ David Struett reports. — Fireworks erupt at Harvey City Council meeting after residents being boarded up inside their apartments sparks outrage: “The action came after viral videos surfaced on social media over the weekend, drawing attention to at least one senior citizen who was boarded up inside his apartment at 14437 S. Halsted St., after city officials told the property managers the building was uninhabitable,” by the Daily Southtown’s Hank Sanders. — ‘One of the most important infrastructure projects in the country’: What’s next with I-490, Route 390, “A massive interchange with myriad ramps linking both corridors will provide access to York and Irving Park roads, and the west side of O’Hare International Airport,” by the Daily Herald’s Marni Pyke.
| | | Reader Digest | | | We asked If you could have a lifetime supply of any one thing, what would it be: Nancy Rotering, mayor of Highland Park: “Lou Malnati’s deep-dish cheese pizza.” Jim Rule, chair of the Tazewell County Republicans: “Chocolate Neccos!” Sean Tenner, a Democratic committeeman: “Green River soda (err…pop) popularized by the Chicago-based Schoenhofen Edelweiss Brewing Co. in 1919. And on the solid food front, Maryland blue crabs and Old Bay.” Vincent Brandys: “Dunkin Donuts coffee and Glenlivet 18 Scotch.” Charles Keller: “Golf balls.” Marilynn Miller: “I'd have a daily filet mignon, done rare, cooked by someone else.” Michael Gascoigne and Alison Pure-Slovin both said “books.” Joan Pederson: “Frequent flier miles. Kathy Posner: “Diet Coke. The beverage to drink and the liquid to clean car battery terminals and grout.” Jay Vincent: “Giardiniera.” Next question: What’s your most irrational pet peeve?
| | DELEGATION | | — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi criticizes former President Donald Trump about Jan. 6, via WBBM’s Craig Dellimore
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — GENERATION GAP: ‘You’re not the boss of me': Former White House aides slam current staffers’ tendency to protest, by POLITICO’s Eugene Daniels — ‘Reckless and irresponsible’: Pentagon officials reel from news Austin kept cancer diagnosis quiet, by POLITICO’s Lara Seligman and Alexander Ward — Why have states diverged on Trump’s ballot eligibility? by the State Court Report’s Ciara Torres-Spelliscy
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Herbert Bronstein, former senior rabbi of Glencoe’s North Shore Congregation Israel, has died, by the Pioneer Press’ Daniel I. Dorfman
| | TRIVIA | | TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Juliana Pino for correctly answering that John McLean is the namesake of McLean County, and William Melville Alexander is the namesake of Alexander County. They were the second and third Illinois House speakers, respectively. Side note: Calhoun County was established in 1825 and named after U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun. Illinois House Speaker William Calhoun, who had the same name, did not take office until 1887, via Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties. TODAY's QUESTION: Who was the first Black person elected to public office in Illinois? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Former state Sen. Dale Risinger, Organizing for Action’s Aaron Buchner and social studies teacher Neil Calderon. -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
