In mythology, if a single head of the Hydra was cut off, two more furious heads immediately grew from the stump.
Happily, the same rule applies to Illinois politics.
After Tuesday’s primary election, two more campaigns quickly sprouted–the statewide general election in November and the Chicago mayoral campaign a year from now.
Let’s consider the pleasant political topography and the most significant non-political political story of the month.
The Republicans
The Illinois GOP, with a vulnerable Jim Ryan as the gubernatorial nominee, is a party ready for a hard fall.
Some blame TV attack ads in the primary from Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood and state Sen. Patrick O’Malley for ripping apart the party. The blamers are wrong.
After running the governor’s office for a quarter century, the Republicans have forgotten who they are.
They once stood for small government and low taxes. And they felt superior to many Democrats who defended former President Bill Clinton during his years of scandal, disgrace and lies.
Now, though, establishment Republicans are no longer about low taxes, or shrinking government. And party leaders covered their eyes during the license-for-bribes scandal in the secretary of state’s office under Gov. George Ryan.
Six children were burned to death after a crash involving an unqualified, bribe-paying trucker. GOP leaders ignored the children on the way to the feast set out by the bipartisan Ryan-Daley combine. And Jim Ryan kept his mouth shut.
Self-loathing has been spreading among rank-and-file Republicans for years. More federal indictments of Republicans are coming. Jim Ryan has no lock on the governor’s office.
The Democrats
With a mealy-mouthed endorsement by the Daleys, with Roland Burris in the race, and with union support in Downstate precincts, U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich eked out a win over Paul Vallas by about 25,000 votes.
Threatened by Vallas, the Daleys put out the word and froze his fundraising.
Vallas had high appeal in the collar counties, winning 50 percent of the vote there, including many from crossover Republicans. Blagojevich, though, only got 33.4 percent in the collar counties. And machine wards in the city weren’t overwhelming.
Mayor Richard Daley established his political pattern more than 10 years ago. He undercuts the Democratic gubernatorial nominee while keeping Republican corporate CEOs happy by quietly supporting the GOP candidate. Mayors named Daley work with Republican governors.
This year, though, Blagojevich is backed by his father-in-law, Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) a tough, hardworking and smart ward boss who has refused to be intimidated by the Daleys.
House Speaker Michael Madigan wants his daughter, Lisa Madigan, elected attorney general. They’ve had their differences, but a Madigan-Mell alliance intrigues Democratic politicians tired of being pushed around by Mayor Little Big Man.
If Blagojevich and Lisa Madigan win in November, the Democratic power rankings would be as follows: 1) Mike Madigan. 2) Mell. 3) Daley. 4) Gov. Blagojevich.
Democrats who side with Mell and Madigan will have a place to go for their patronage jobs. Aldermen might be tempted to reorganize the City Council.
So a Blagojevich victory means the mayor would no longer have a lock on the political life of Cook County. And that might be extremely invigorating.
The mayoral election
It begins. Having bought off African American leaders, and having dominated Latino and white-ethnic politics, Daley faces no threat, as long as he is in control. The statewide elections take place in November, the mayoral election takes place in February. Daley must be careful not to make a mistake with Mell, who could hound him at each and every council meeting, naming names, unmasking deals. Former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun is putting out signals that she might want to return home.
The most significant non-political political story in town
Although it made the front page of Tuesday’s Chicago Tribune, most folks were thinking about the election, not the Duffs.
A federal grand jury has subpoenaed City Hall records relating to Duff family contracts.
The Duffs are friends and allies of the mayor, and they’re connected to the Chicago Outfit. They’ve received about $100 million in questionable government contracts–handled for Daley by the former acting city purchasing agent, Alexander “Mushroom” Grzyb.
Obviously, U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald isn’t interested in making partner at a downtown law firm when he retires. He worries people.
We needed an unconnected outsider; somebody nobody sent. Fitzgerald, from New York, isn’t connected here. And that’s good.
But he is a hunter. And he’s hunting.
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jskass@tribune.com
