Chicago City Wire

Hillary Clinton received pressure to publicly support public employee union-backed Democrat state representative candidate Juliana Stratton in her spring primary battle with seven-term Democrat incumbent Ken Dunkin, according to an email chain published by Wikileaks.

The chain, between Clinton aides, was forwarded to John Podesta, the longtime Clinton aide whose email archive has been published by Wikileaks.

It shows Neera Tanden, a former Clinton aide and President of the left-leaning Center for American Progress, receiving a March email from a Chicago-based liberal activist asking whether Hillary Clinton planned to endorse Stratton in the primary.

“This is a key liberal issue,” wrote Harold Pollack, a University of Chicago professor. “Bernie Sanders seems to be spending more time on Rahm (Emanuel) than on (Bruce) Rauner.”

Tanden forwarded the email to Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook, who responded.

“Our local folks seemed to have worked out way to be helpful on this one,” Mook said. “Quite a race-- they’re telling me it’s gotten over $5 million (in spending).”

Tanden responded.

“Should we be more overt?. I obviously don't know the local politics - but Harold is a leader of (Doctors) for America and is a great liberal in Chicago.”

Mook declined to commit.

“We're trying to walk the line carefully since we haven't weighed in on other primaries so we don't want to send a precedent,” he wrote. “But I think her saying that we need to support Dems who will stand up to (Rauner) will be heard loud and clear.”

Clinton never publicly endorsed Stratton.

President Barack Obama did, however, at the behest of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.