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Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
4:38pm
Tue Apr 9

Fellow 2nd Congressional District Candidates Have Strong Words For Robin Kelly

Fellow candidates in the race to fill the vacant seat in Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District had strong words for Democratic nominee Robin Kelly today, as the polls opened at 6 a.m. and voters are poised to cast their ballots throughout the day.

Republican candidate Paul McKinley called Kelly “insignificant.” Green Party candidate, LeAlan Jones, said she was a “puppet.” Independent candidate, Elizabeth Pahlke, questioned Kelly’s New York roots and suggested the people need a Chicago-native. Marcus Lewis, another Independent candidate, said voting in favor of Kelly was “essentially giving away your vote to an outside billionaire.”

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Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
12:28pm
Tue Apr 9
2 comments

Catching Up With Robin Kelly On Election Day (VIDEO)

It’s no mystery who former State Rep. Robin Kelly voted for this morning.

At 6:15 a.m., Kelly, the Democratic candidate in the race to fill the vacant seat in Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, was the first to cast her ballot at the Matteson Community Center, precinct 30.

“I feel great,” said Kelly in an interview with Progress Illinois just after she voted. “I’m encouraged, of course, but a little tired; it’s been a long road.”

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Quick Hit
by Matthew Blake
6:16pm
Wed Nov 7, 2012
1 comment

Muddled Public Employee Pension Referendum Fails

The state’s biggest political issue of 2012 has been growing unfunded pension obligations to public employees, with the shortfall expected to hit $93 billion by next summer. By comparison, the annual state budget is about $33 billion a year.

Considering this, Illinois voters could have been forgiven for thinking that a failed referendum on yesterday’s ballot regarding the approval of pension benefit increases had something to do with these addressing the deficit. But it really didn’t, and neither the referendum’s merits nor its key political backers were ever made clear. Read more »

Quick Hit
by Matthew Blake
7:35pm
Tue Nov 6, 2012

10th House District: Lack Of Enthusiasm For Derrick Smith Opponent, Lance Tyson (VIDEO)

Despite a federal indictment on bribery charges and being kicked out of the Illinois General Assembly in August, former state Rep. Derrick Smith may be elected to his old seat today in Illinois’ 10th House district.

Across the 10th state House district today, which loosely includes the Garfield Park and West Town neighborhoods on Chicago’s West Side but also stretches near the lakefront, ripped apart signs can be found that state Derrick Smith is “Wanted” for “Disgracing the Democratic Party” and “Crimes Against the Residents of the 10th District” and “Federal Bribery.”

Yet support appears lukewarm for Lance Tyson, the 10th District Unity Party candidate and former chief of staff for Cook County President Todd Stroger. Tyson has billed himself as the “real Democrat”

For example, PI caught up with Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) at a polling place in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood. Fioretti is also the 2nd Ward Democratic Committeeman and part of a coterie of West Side Democrats, including Secretary of State Jesse White, who agreed to “unify” their support behind Tyson.

But Fioretti said Tyson’s get out the vote efforts left something to be desired. Read more »