UNIONS JUMP THE GUN FOR J. B.
The state AFL- CIO voted Tuesday to endorse J. B. Pritzker for governor as the billionaire businessman continued his push to outflank his Democratic opponents far in advance of the March 2018 primary.
The move by the AFL- CIO’s executive board will allow Pritzker to carry the union label into the election, but it came without the support of many of the labor federation’s largest and most politically active unions.
Among the heavy- hitter unions that withheld their endorsements were SEIU, AFSCME and the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
Those unions could still back Pritzker later, but argued for neutrality or cautioned against picking a candidate so early in the campaign when they haven’t completed their own internal endorsement processes.
The vote was 19- 7, with two unions abstaining and three more choosing not to vote. That allowed Pritzker to claim the endorsement by the bare minimum under the union’s rules, which required a two- thirds affirmative vote of those unions casting a ballot.
Supporters of businessman Chris Kennedy tried to block the endorsement, and two other candidates, Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston and 47thWard Ald. Ameya Pawar, made presentations for themselves.
But a cross section of trade, industrial and smaller government unions gave Pritzker the boost he sought to claim the mantle of friend of the working man.
It is expected Pritzker will next seek early endorsements from the Cook County and Illinois Democratic party organizations.
I can understand why the unions and party leaders might prefer Pritzker as the Democratic Party’s candidate for governor.
On top of the money he can bring to bear on behalf of both himself and other Democrats against Gov. Bruce Rauner and Republicans, he has solid Democratic credentials and might prove to be the best campaigner in the long run. Some just find him more likable than his opponents.
What still baffles, though, is why they would be so determined to make an endorsement at this early stage of the campaign as everything is still sorting itself out.
Pritzker has taken two rough hits in the news media in the past month, first with a Chicago SunTimes report on the tax break he got on the “uninhabitable” mansion he bought next door to his own, and more recently a Tribune story on a wiretapped conversation with convicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in which he asked to be appointed state treasurer.
Neither blow was fatal, in my opinion, but they certainly underscored that we’re just starting to learn about the candidates.
Heck, I’m not even sure the field of candidates is complete yet after Rep. Scott Drury of Highwood jumped into the race on Tuesday. Drury’s main claim to fame is that he voted against Mike Madigan for House speaker.
Most political people believe the real reason for the early Pritzker endorsements is to dry up Kennedy’s potential avenues of support and push him out of the race. Kennedy’s name recognition has given him an advantage in early polling, although his theoretical path to victory originally included union support.
My impression is that the effort to gang up on Kennedy has only increased his determination to stay in the race. He says he won’t be bullied by a billionaire.
On top of that, those lining up early for Pritzker have allowed Kennedy to clarify his campaign message.
Now the heir to one of the most famous names in Democratic politics is the outsider taking on the insiders. And being the outsider definitely has its advantages in today’s political climate.
After the vote, AFL- CIO PresidentMichael Carrigan explained the reasoning this way:
“An early endorsement is necessary in order to achieve our top priority in 2018— defeating Gov. Bruce Rauner, whose anti- worker proposals and refusal to compromise on a budget are destroying Illinois. Pritzker has the vision and background to put Illinois on the right track by empowering working families, not shifting more power and wealth to corporate class.”
As Pritzker and Kennedy beat up on each other, is it possible one of the other candidates could slip past them both?
Like the endorsements, too early to say.
THOSE LINING UP EARLY FOR PRITZKER HAVE ALLOWED KENNEDY TO CLARIFY HIS CAMPAIGN MESSAGE.