Illinois Greens: Lt Gov pick a slap to black electorate
March 31, 2010 in State Party News
Green Party leaders sharply criticized Governor Pat Quinn and the Democratic
State Central Committee for bypassing State Rep. Art Turner and other more
qualified candidates in nominating Sheila Simon for Lieutenant Governor.
“Pat Quinn’s message is that he can take the black vote for granted,” said
Phil Huckelberry, Illinois Green Party Chair. “Our message is that those
days are over. Many of our core issues – especially education funding
reform and the lack of economic development in the most struggling areas –
are at the top of the list across black communities throughout the state.
It’s clearer than ever that those issues are not going to be meaningfully
addressed by Pat Quinn and the Democrats. But they’re going to be addressed
by the Green Party.”
Simon, a former city council member in Carbondale, is from the same
relatively small community as Green gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney.
“Targeting Rich Whitney’s geographical base is a little short-sighted. There
are a lot of black voters very upset right now, and Pat Quinn just gave them
all even more reason to look to Whitney and the Green Party as a positive
alternative,” said Huckelberry.
Jeremy Karpen, candidate for State Representative, 39th district, also noted
Quinn missed an opportunity to choose someone who could help him advance his
legislative agenda, something Quinn struggled with since taking office.
“As governor, Quinn has been highly ineffective at getting his agenda
through the legislature,” said Karpen. “If you consider the circumstances
under which he assumed office, he should have been able to move the ball
further on campaign finance reforms; instead, because Quinn gave up the
fight, the ‘reforms’ we ended up with just further consolidated power under
House Speaker Michael Madigan.”
Karpen continued: “He wasn’t able to pass a full-year budget, nor his
proposed tax hike. Meanwhile, the legislature got what it wanted, which was
more job security and a massive pork spending bill funded by video poker and
fee hikes. All Quinn got from the legislature last year was disrespect.”
“Quinn clearly put his political prospects ahead of his ability to govern,”
said Bob Mueller, candidate for State Representative, 47th district. “A
Quinn/Simon ticket simply means more business as usual out of Springfield: a
state fiscal calamity that keeps getting worse, continued out-of-control
spending and borrowing, shock attacks on pensioners, and mass layoffs of
community servants and public employees, from teachers to state troopers.”
The Green Party in Illinois has been expanding its reach into
African-American and Latino areas in recent years. It’s a trend that LeAlan
Jones, Green candidate for U.S. Senate, expects to see not just continue but
take off exponentially.
“In times this tough, I believe you need both strong leadership and
diversity. The state’s Democratic Party has done nothing to demonstrate a
genuine interest in the communities that have supported them over the
years,” said Jones. “Now, the Green Party represents a real choice, for real
change. I’m proud to be at the top of a ticket for a party that truly wants
to lead this state and country forward.”
ILLINOIS GREEN PARTY
www.ilgp.org
LEALAN JONES FOR U.S. SENATE
www.lealanforsenate.com
JEREMY KARPEN FOR STATE REP
www.jeremykarpen.org
BOB MUELLER FOR STATE REP
www.votemueller.org
Chicago Voter said on March 31, 2010
I think that Gov. Quinn made a big mistake picking Shelia Simon as his running mate. I assuming that their idea was that picking a down stater would take votes from his Republican Opponent Bill Brady, a state senator from Central Illinois. I don’t think that strategy is going to work, I doubt that any downstate voters who dislike Quinn of who are inclined to vote for Senator Brady for policy, ideological or region issues are going to be swayed by Quinn having downstate law professor who has never held a major office and only real claim to fame is being the daughter of US Senator who has been out of office for a decade and half.
I think that this does have the potential to weaken support for Gov. Quinn with black in Chicago and Cook county since they passed over Rep. Turner, that being said Turner has no one to blame but himself for losing the primary in the first place.
I think that the Illinois Green party has chance to make some inroads in the black community in Illinois