IL-GOV: Organized labor readies scorched-earth assault on Rauner

[RandySF]

CHICAGO — The blockbuster Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court decision handed down Wednesday is already shaping Bruce Rauner’s legacy as Illinois governor. But it also threatens to end his political career.

From the time Rauner first announced he would pursue the 2015 case that could financially cripple public sector unions — he was ultimately removed as a plaintiff by a judge for lack of standing — organized labor here has been on high alert.

Now, in the wake of the high court ruling stemming from that policy, Illinois unions — public and private — are committed to doing whatever it takes to send Rauner packing in November. And they say they’re more unified and strategically coordinated than ever.

Unions already stepped up political fundraising efforts and in anticipation of an unfavorable ruling, worked to increase recruitment and lock down membership, which stands at more than 628,000 in the Illinois public sector alone.

But this week, they delivered a far more strategic blow: helping to secure the candidacy of a viable third party gubernatorial candidate who will challenge Rauner from the right in November.


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.politico.com/amp/story/2018/06/27/bruce-rauner-janus-supreme-court-680624

[lunasun]

1. Wtf ?. The intent now is to give those members a pro-union Republican choice.

McCann, a Republican who hails from a heavily unionized district, defied Rauner on legislative votes involving organized labor, then went on to survive a multi-million dollar attempt by Rauner to take him out in a local primary.

Rewarding McCann’s loyalty, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 bankrolled an onerous petition collection that involved a year’s worth of planning, thousands of foot soldiers and intensive legal resources to get him on the gubernatorial ballot.

The endeavor was a heavy lift that required collecting more than 25,000 valid signatures without duplicating petition circulators from the primary. On Monday, the union helped deliver more than 60,000 signatures, and went so far as to verify 35,000 of them just to make sure McCann made the threshold.

“Sam McCann is not going to get knocked off this ballot,” IUOE Local 150 President James Sweeney said
McCann threatens to erode Rauner’s support in central and southern Illinois, areas that proved crucial to the governor’s election in 2014. Sweeney said many of his own members, 50 percent of whom identify as Republican, previously voted for Rauner. The intent now is to give those members a pro-union Republican choice.

[Omaha Steve]

2. K&R!

OS

[Tatiana]

3. The strategy is to offer a candidate to Republicans who cannot stomach Rauner.

The thinking is that these Republicans will hold their nose and vote for Rauner, as bad as he is, just to keep a Democrat from winning the seat. So these Republicans (WHO ALWAYS SHOW UP TO THE POLLS) can feel good about voting for a Republican while votes are siphoned away from Rauner --- leaving JB Pritzker the clear winner.

I actually think JB matches up well against Rauner head to head, but this strategy might be sound.