(Photo courtesy www.ilga.gov)
By Dave Dahl/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Out of the governor’s office for the first time in twelve years, and holding only one of the two U.S. Senate seats from Illinois, you’d think Illinois Democrats would have little to celebrate.
Instead, the master of ceremonies on Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair Thursday thanked Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
“Look around you!” shouted State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie). “The Democratic Party has never been as organized and as energized as it is right now!”
That sentiment did not hold much more than an hour, as the day’s final speakers were left to address a sea of empty chairs.
Nevertheless, three members of the state’s U.S. House delegation, four hopefuls for U.S. Senate, and two candidates for comptroller were among those on stage. Even the 2016 presidential race came up.
State Treasurer Mike Frerichs served as a proxy for Hillary Clinton, painting her as a champion for education and proposing that “we take radical approach to make sure more Americans – regardless of their income level – are able to get the skills they need to get a good job, that’s someone I want to follow.”
That was not the only presidential politicking of the day. Dr. Willie Wilson, undaunted from his unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Chicago, said, “My platform is simple: economic development, education, public safety, equal opportunity for all citizens, equal women’s pay.”
