Illinois Insights: An Update from Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies (10/28)

PUBLIC HEALTH 

— Illinois Coronavirus Updates: New COVID Variant Concerns, Mask Recommendations, NBC 5 Chicago.

ILLINOIS

New poll shows tightening races led by Democrats, majority supports Amendment 1

A new WGN/Emerson College poll released Wednesday shows margins between Republican and Democratic candidates have tightened, but Democrats are still ahead in Illinois statewide races.

With less than two weeks left in the campaign, Gov. JB Pritzker holds a 9.6 percentage point lead over Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) – 50.4 percent to 40.8 percent. Since WGN’s last poll, commissioned in late September, Pritzker has gained only one percentage point while Bailey has gained five points.

The attorney general’s race between first-term incumbent Kwame Raoul and Republican challenger Tom DeVore is the closest of the statewide races, with Raoul up 47 percent to 39 percent. Nine percent of voters were undecided. Democrats are maintaining sizable leads in other statewide races, including for secretary of state, treasurer, and comptroller.

When asked about Amendment 1, also known as the Workers’ Rights Amendment, a poll of likely voters supported the amendment 53.7 percent to 29.8 percent, with 16.4 percent undecided. The amendment’s passage requires the support from 60 percent of voters voting on the question or support from 50 percent of everyone who voted in the election.

The poll was conducted between Oct. 20 and Oct. 24 and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points. It’s the second poll commissioned by WGN within the last month.

AROUND THE STATE

— Pritzker discusses possibilities for abortion legislation during fall session: “State lawmakers will return to Springfield in less than three weeks for the fall session and are expected to consider a number of issues, including legislation in response to the end of Roe v. Wade after a promised special session on the issue never materialized. At a news conference in Chicago Thursday, Pritzker said the working groups are continuing to work through legislation and get Democrats on board,” by The Daily Line.

— Race between Senate Minority Leader McConchie, challenger Peterson, heats up for final two weeks: “Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods), who is in his first term as minority leader after being elected to the Senate in 2016, is trying to fend off an attack from challenger Maria Peterson of North Barrington, a political newcomer who is a lawyer and owner of a fitness business. Peterson has taken swipes at McConchie at every turn, deploying a ‘dangerous Dan’ label as her campaign focuses on abortion. The pair also engaged in a tense debate Wednesday night,” by The Daily Line.

— Parties eye Lake County seats for gains, preserving majorities: “Multiple races in Lake County are garnering attention from the state’s political leaders as Republicans hope to pick up House seats in the county to reduce the Democrats’ supermajority in the General Assembly. Lake County is also included in the competitive state Supreme Court race between Lake County Judge Elizabeth Rochford (D-Lake Forest) and former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran,” by The Daily Line.

— Gov. Pritzker Announces Nearly $3 Million in Funding to Support Local Tourism Promotion Across the State: “Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Thursday announced nearly $3 million in funding to support local tourism promotional efforts across the state through the Illinois Travel and Tourism Grant Program,” from the Office of Gov. JB Pritzker.

— Little common ground between Attorney General Kwame Raoul and challenger Tom DeVore: “As the race for Illinois attorney general — the state’s top elected law officer — enters its final days, the contrast between the two leading candidates couldn’t be more stark. Democratic incumbent Kwame Raoul and Republican Tom DeVore are not only from opposite ends of the state, but they also line up on opposite ends of the fight over a major criminal justice reform law signed into law last year known as the Safe-T Act,” by The Chicago Sun-Times.

— Justice Mary Jane Theis takes over as chief justice of Illinois Supreme Court: “Democrat Mary Jane Theis on Wednesday took over as chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, succeeding retiring justice and fellow Democrat Anne Burke. Selected by her fellow justices on the seven-member high court, Theis will serve a three-year term, assuming voters in the Nov. 8 general election choose to retain her on the bench for another 10-year term. Theis will be the fourth woman, and second in a row following Burke, to lead the court,” by The Chicago Tribune.

CHICAGO 

City Council rejects Lightfoot’s attempt to name new education committee chair 

At Chicago City Council’s October meeting Wednesday, aldermen voted 29-18 against Mayor Lightfoot’s attempt (R2022-1115), proposed by Ald. Michelle Harris (8), to name close ally Ald. James Cappleman (46) chair of the City Council Committee on Education and Child Development.

The post has been vacant since June, after Ald. Michael Scott (24) resigned to take a job at Cinespace, a television and movie studio on the West Side.

Aldermen cited Lightfoot’s expedited appointment process and short notice as reasons for their opposition, rather than an objection to Cappleman. Multiple aldermen said they were not aware Cappleman would be the proposed chair until Wednesday morning.

City Council’s Wednesday vote comes less than 24 hours after the Committee on Committees and Rules rejected a proposal (R2022-687) to require a 48 hours’ notice to alderpersons and the public on legislation introduced directly into committee.

MORE FROM CITY HALL

— Lightfoot defends mayoral pay raise proposal as a cost-of-living increase in line with aldermen; salary bumps would be tied to inflation: “Chicago mayors would get annual pay raises under a proposal introduced by Mayor Lori Lightfoot that would tie yearly salary bumps to inflation but cap them at 5%. The ordinance, introduced this week, would also allow the city clerk and treasurer to take pay increases each year. All three citywide elected officials could opt out for the following year if they choose, mirroring a process used by aldermen who are also eligible for annual raises,” by The Chicago Tribune.

— Aldermen introduce legislation to end gunshot detection contracts, make central vote centers permanent: “Aldermen during Wednesday’s City Council meeting introduced new legislation ranging from two proposals to scrap any current or future contract with gunshot detection services, a proposal that would make central vote centers permanent and another that again seeks to change the way legislation is introduced directly into council committees,” by The Daily Line.

— Brandon Johnson, Mayor Lightfoot’s newest progressive challenger, contends she’s ‘disconnected … with working people’: “Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson will run for Chicago mayor, adding another progressive challenger to the field of 2023 candidates and raising the prospect of a rematch between the Chicago Teachers Union and Mayor Lori Lightfoot,” by The Chicago Tribune.

— Various Measures Introduced to and Approved by the Chicago City Council: “Attached please find press releases announcing various measures introduced to the Chicago City Council Wednesday,” from the Office of Mayor Lightfoot.

FEDERAL 

Cozen Currents: Industrial Policy is Back

• After several decades in which industrial policy was out of fashion in Washington, a bipartisan consensus has emerged around the need for the US to have its own, largely to counter China.
• A rare point of agreement on Capitol Hill over the past two years was providing funding to create US jobs and to compete better with China, culminating in the CHIPS and Science Act.
• Some provisions that didn’t make it into the final CHIPS and Science Act could make a reappearance during the lame duck session, but the outlook for significant congressional action on trade under divided government is dim. The focal point for trade is likely to shift towards the White House.

Read the full Cozen Currents article here.

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