J.B. Pritzker's choice of a gubernatorial running mate falls right in line with his other actions to make sure Speaker of the House Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) will favor him as the Democratic candidate next year, the Illinois Republican Party contended in a recent press release.
Pritzker chose Rep. Juliana Stratton (D-Chicago) to be his running mate in early August.
"Juliana Stratton owes her political career to Mike Madigan," GOP spokesman Steven Yaffe wrote. "Stratton took millions from Madigan-backed groups to win a state House seat and had Mike Madigan’s top political operative run her campaign. J.B. Pritzker is making it clear that he will allow the governor's office to be annexed over to Speaker Madigan.”
J.B. Pritzker
The GOP pointed to Pritzker's $1 million donation last year to Leading Illinois For Tomorrow (LIFT,) a federal super PAC that received thousands of dollars from Madigan for what the GOP said was an effort to help block reforms in the state.
Pritzker also secretly funneled another $200,000 to Madigan and his hand-picked candidates for the state House, the GOP said.
The GOP quoted several publications in arguing that the choice of Stratton, who would become the lieutenant governor if Pritzker is elected, is another move to give Madigan more power.
Ben Joravsky of the Chicago Reader wrote that a Chicago alderwoman tied to Madigan helped Stratton win her 5th District race.
“As hard as it is for me to believe – and I still can't get over it – one of the most powerful operatives in Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan's mighty Democratic machine is a mild-mannered alderman who rarely says a word during City Council debates," Joravsky wrote. "That's alderman Marty Quinn of Madigan's home 13th Ward on the Southwest Side. In the March primary, Quinn oversaw three legislative campaigns on Madigan's behalf, including Juliana Stratton's successful run against state Rep. Ken Dunkin – one of the most expensive and high-profile legislative campaigns in state history.”
According to the Chicago Tribune, Stratton got help from Madigan allies opposed to Gov. Bruce Rauner's reform efforts.
“Stratton has raised $1.2 million, about two-thirds of it from organized labor, which opposes Rauner's push for legislation to weaken collective bargaining rights," the paper said. "She's also received contributions from downtown law firms that donate heavily to political funds controlled by Madigan, who has led the resistance to Rauner's efforts to tighten rules on civil lawsuits.”
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