“It seems crazy, but it’s true that when I serve out the end of this second term, I will be the longest-serving Democratic governor in the history of Illinois,” Governor JB Pritzker said last month during the Democratic National Convention. I looked it up and it’s true.

Several stories and columns appeared in the national news media shortly before and during the recent Democratic National Convention about Vice President Kamala Harris’ emphasis on the concept of “freedom” in her speeches and messaging.

Since the 2022 election, far too many Illinoisans have been far too eager to pine for a repeat of the past.

Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch has said he thinks he can flip somewhere between four and six Republican-held House districts to Democratic control, upping his super-majority to between 82 and 84 seats, from his current 78. Which Republican districts are flippable? I talked with a high-level source close to Speaker Welch’s caucus who pointed to the following races.

A Facebook post last week by state Senator Willie Preston (D-Chicago) created a stir, caused one of his fellow Democratic Senators to bow out of a planned joint fundraiser, and, ultimately, the entire fundraiser was canceled. It's all a good illustration of the ill-informed, rapid-fire insanity of our social-media-fueled era.

“I support Karina’s Law,” Governor JB Pritzker emphatically told me. It’s the strongest statement he’s made about the bill which stalled in the Senate last spring. The proposal would mandate that police remove firearms from a person who has been served with a domestic violence order of protection. But there still appear to be some Pritzker caveats.

An oft-repeated $1.1 billion demand from Chicago’s mayor would actually wind up costing state taxpayers $5.5 billion. And Governor JB Pritzker is turning a big thumbs down.

A little-noticed bill passed both the Illinois House and Senate that will generate $300 to $400 million a year for local governments, including $95-127 million for the Regional Transportation Authority. The bill (SB3362) will help capture sales tax revenue from more out of state retailers and in-state retailers who ship to Illinoisans in out-of-state locations.

During the last couple weeks of the spring state legislative session, Senate President Don Harmon got whacked twice by allies, including Governor JB Pritzker, but still managed to keep his cool.

As you’ve probably heard by now, Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy announced his resignation last week, apparently effective the day after the Republican National Convention concludes on July 18.

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