IL-GOV

GOPer Brady Concedes IL-GOV Race To Dem Pat Quinn

Eric Kleefeld | November 5, 2010, 2:51PM

Bill Brady (R) and Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL)

The Illinois gubernatorial race has now come to an end, with Republican nominee state Sen. Bill Brady conceding the race to Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.

The Chicago Tribune reports:

"I just a few minutes ago got off the phone with Gov. Quinn and congratulated him on his victory," said Brady at a packed news conference at a hotel in downstate Bloomington with dozens of well wishers in attendance. "We came to the conclusion that Gov. Quinn won this race."

Brady called leading Illinois Republicans this morning to inform them of his decision to end the race as he trails Quinn by more than 19,000 votes.

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IL-GOV

AP: Dem Pat Quinn Wins IL-GOV Race

Eric Kleefeld | November 4, 2010, 5:14PM

Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL)

The Associated Press has projected incumbent Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn as the winner in Illinois, a major upset result as he apparently defeats Republican state Sen. Bill Brady:

An AP analysis of uncounted votes from absentee and other ballots shows state Sen. Bill Brady won't be able to overcome the just more than 19,400-vote lead Quinn holds with 100 percent of precincts reporting Thursday.

Brady has not yet conceded the race, saying earlier that he wants all remaining votes, such as military absentee votes, to be counted.

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IL-GOV

Dem Quinn's Lead Grows In IL-GOV

Eric Kleefeld | November 4, 2010, 2:53PM

Bill Brady (R) and Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL)

The Illinois gubernatorial race isn't completely over -- but it appears to be getting there, with incumbent Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn expanding his narrow lead against Republican state Sen. Bill Brady.

The Chicago Tribune reports, Quinn led on election night by the tiny margin of 8,000 votes. The race then became a contest of sorts between the under-counted areas, which overall would favor Quinn, versus absentee ballots that might help Brady.

So far, Quinn's lead has grown to 20,000 votes.

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2010 elections

On A Knife-Edge: Several Statehouses Still Up For Grabs

Eric Kleefeld | November 3, 2010, 11:09AM

IL Gov. Pat Quinn (D)

Here is the latest on some key gubernatorial races, which were not resolved as of last night:

• In Connecticut, where Republican Gov. Jodi Rell was not seeking re-election, Republican Tom Foley and Democrat Dan Malloy have been locked in a tight race. As of this moment, with 92% of precincts reporting, Malloy now leads by about 1,600 votes out of over a million cast.

As the Hartford Courant reports, there could be some litigation over a two-hour voting extension that a judge ordered yesterday in some precincts in Bridgeport, due to an early ballot shortage:

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IL-GOV

Illinois Saying So Long To 'Rich Whitey'?

Eric Lach | October 19, 2010, 10:36AM

Illinois gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney (G)

When news broke last week that Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney's name had been misspelled as 'Rich Whitey' on some Chicago voting machines, election officials said that it was too late to fix the problem. But the ensuing embarrassment has turned out to be some kind of motivation, because The Associated Press now reports that "crews will work overtime to reprogram thousands of electronic voting machines."

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Rich Whitney

Illinois Candidate's Name Misspelled As 'Rich Whitey' On Electronic-Voting Machines

Eric Lach | October 14, 2010, 12:06PM

Illinois gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney (G)

There are typos and then there are complete and utter catastrophes.

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IL-GOV

Scott Lee Cohen Files As Independent In IL-GOV Race

Jillian Rayfield | June 22, 2010, 12:49PM

Illinois Governor candidate Scott Lee Cohen (D)

Scott Lee Cohen, a Chicago pawnbroker who dropped out of Illinois' race for lieutenant governor earlier this year after past allegations of domestic violence came to light, is now running for governor. He filed petitions yesterday to run as an independent.

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Scott Lee Cohen

Scott Lee Cohen: Democrats Forced Me Out Because Of My Integrity

Rachel Slajda | May 5, 2010, 5:44PM

IL candidate for Lt. Gov. Scott Lee Cohen (D)

Scott Lee Cohen, the Chicago pawnbroker who dropped out of the Illinois lieutenant governor race only to announce this week that he's running for governor, said on MSNBC today that Democrats had forced him out of the race because he "stood for honesty and integrity."

"I was forced out by the Democratic Party," Cohen said today on MSNBC. "Because I wasn't the good ol' boy, I wasn't a career politician. I was a successful small business owner. I stood for honesty and integrity, something that Illinois politics doesn't know."

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IL-GOV

Cohen Announces IL Gov Candidacy After Quitting Lt. Gov Race Over Abuse Charges

Rachel Slajda | May 3, 2010, 12:28PM

IL candidate for Lt. Gov. Scott Lee Cohen (D)

Scott Lee Cohen, a pawnbroker who dropped out of the Illinois lieutenant governor race in February over allegations of domestic abuse and other scandals, announced today that he instead will run for governor as an independent.

The mostly unknown Cohen had won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor earlier this year, but his campaign was quickly thwarted by reports that he had been charged with domestic abuse in 2005 for allegedly holding a knife to his girlfriend's throat and slamming her head into a wall. He has also admitted to steroid abuse and his ex-wife, in divorce proceedings, claimed he had tried to sexually assault her.

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IL-GOV

Bill Brady Wins GOP Nomination For Illinois Governor, Over A Month After Super-Close Primary

Eric Kleefeld | March 5, 2010, 1:22PM

IL-Gov Republican candidates Kirk Dillard and Bill Brady

It's been over a month since the Illinois primary, but it appears that the Republicans finally have a nominee for governor, to go up against Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.

The state today certified state Sen. Bill Brady as the winner of the February 2 Republican primary, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Brady won with 155,527 votes, defeating state Sen. Kirk Dillard, who had 155,334 votes. Each candidate only had slightly over 20% of the vote each, in a primary in which six candidates had significant levels of support.

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IL-SEN

Poll: Dems Lead In Illinois Senate And Gubernatorial Races

Eric Kleefeld | February 25, 2010, 4:21PM

Illinois Senate candidates Mark Kirk (R) and Alexi Giannoulias (D)

The new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of Illinois gives Democrats the initial lead in the race for President Obama's former Senate seat, though the undecided figure remains high.

The numbers: Democratic state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias 43%, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk 36%, with a ±4% margin of error. A month ago, before the party primaries, Giannoulias led Kirby by 38%-30% in the potential match-up.

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, who just barely survived his own primary, also leads both Republican candidates who are still in contention for the too-close-to-call GOP primary that was held three weeks ago. Quinn leads state Sen. Bill Brady by 47%-32%, and leads state Sen. Kirk Dillard by 46%-35%.

IL-GOV

Cohen Drops Out Of IL Race In Tearful Super Bowl Announcement

Rachel Slajda | February 8, 2010, 8:56AM

IL candidate for Lt. Gov. Scott Lee Cohen (D)

Scott Lee Cohen, the Democratic candidate for Illinois lieutenant governor, announced last night that he is leaving the race over allegations of domestic violence and drug use.

Speaking to reporters at a Chicago bar during the Super Bowl, Cohen frequently choked up as he made the announcement.

"For the good of the people of the state of Illinois and for the Democratic Party, I will resign," he said. The Who's halftime performance can be heard in the background.

"With all my heart, I'm sorry," Cohen said.

Members of his family, seated around a table, also broke into tears.

Video after the jump.

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Scott Lee Cohen

Illinois Dems Quinn, Durbin, Giannoulias (And More): Cohen Should Withdraw

Eric Kleefeld | February 5, 2010, 6:18PM

Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL) and Scott Lee Cohen (D), candidate for Lt. Governor

More and more Democrats in Illinois have been calling upon Scott Lee Cohen, the Dem nominee for lieutenant governor, to drop out of the race in the wake of news coverage of past steroid use, allegations of domestic violence, and other scandals. Gov. Pat Quinn's own position has now become even firmer that Cohen should leave the race, his spokesperson tells TPM.

"The governor has made it very clear that he thinks it is best for the party, and more important for the state of Illinois, for Mr. Cohen to step aside," said Quinn spokesperson Elizabeth Austin.

Yesterday, Quinn strongly suggested that Cohen should withdraw from the race, but had also left some slight leeway for Cohen to explain his side of the story. Since then, further details had emerged from Cohen's divorce files, including alleged attempted sexual assault, repeated infidelity, and other damaging information. Cohen gave an interview last night on local television, which apparently did not help his case.

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IL-GOV

IL-GOV Republican Primary Still Not Over, Dillard Not Conceding

Eric Kleefeld | February 5, 2010, 5:33PM

IL-Gov Republican candidates Kirk Dillard and Bill Brady

The Republican nomination for governor of Illinois is still up in the air, with one of the GOP candidates announcing today that he isn't conceding the race.

"With over 750-thousand votes cast, this is a .0005 of a percent difference. So, in a race this close, it's important that every vote count," said state Sen. Kirk Dillard, who currently trails state Sen. Bill Brady by a very thin margin. Brady and Dillard each have 20% of the vote, in a field of seven candidates. Brady's current lead over over Dillard is just 420 votes.

Dillard said that there are almost 5,000 provisional ballots that haven't been counted, 1,000 uncounted absentee ballots, and up to 5,000 absentee ballots that could still be in the mail. "I wish we could resolve this today," Dillard said. "But the reality is that it takes time for election authorities to do their job and for these votes to be counted."

Scott Lee Cohen

Durbin: Cohen Should Quit As Illinois Lt. Gov. Candidate

Eric Kleefeld | February 5, 2010, 2:25PM

Scott Lee Cohen, IL Candidate for Lt. Gov and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) has called upon Scott Lee Cohen, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in his home state of Illinois, to withdraw from the race.

Cohen has faced controversy since he narrowly won a six-way primary on Tuesday, over allegations involving alleged attempted sexual assault of his then-wife, past domestic violence against a girlfriend, steroid use, and being behind on child support payments. Cohen has admitted to steroid use. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who is now the party's nominee for U.S. Senate, has already called for Cohen to drop out.

"He really should spare himself, and his friends and family what he's about to go through," Durbin said in an interview with WBBM-AM radio, the local CBS affiliate. "I'm afraid the disclosures so far really disqualify him."

Scott Lee Cohen

Former Sen. Adlai Stevenson III: If Cohen Were My Running Mate, I Would Go Independent

Eric Kleefeld | February 5, 2010, 2:02PM

Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL), Former Sen. Aldai Stevenson III (D-IL), and IL Lt. Gov. candidate Scott Lee Cohen (D)

Former Sen. Adlai Stevenson III (D-IL), who ran for governor as an independent in 1986 after he was saddled with an unacceptable running mate for lieutenant governor in the primaries, just told TPMDC that if he were in the situation that Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL) is today, with controversial candidate for lieutenant governor Scott Lee Cohen, he would do the same thing -- quit the Democratic ticket, and run as an independent.

"Well, you know I've been asked that over and over again, and I just don't want to be presumptuous by advising the governor what to do," said Stevenson, when asked if Quinn should run as an independent. "I'm saying what I did. I could not run in good conscience with someone unqualified as my running mate for lieutenant governor, so I resigned and ran as an independent."

When asked if he would personally run as an independent rather than run alongside Cohen, Stevenson answered: "Absolutely. No question about it."

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Scott Lee Cohen

Illinois Dem Senate Nominee Giannoulias Calls On Lt. Gov. Candidate Scott Lee Cohen To Withdraw

Eric Kleefeld | February 5, 2010, 10:41AM

IL-SEN candidate Alexi Giannoulias (D) and IL Lt. Gov. candidate Scott Lee Cohen (D)

Illinois state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate this year, has called upon Scott Lee Cohen, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, to withdraw from the race.

Cohen has faced controversy since he narrowly won a six-way primary on Tuesday, over allegations involving past domestic violence, steroid use and being behind on child support payments. Cohen has admitted to steroid use.

"These revelations are deeply disturbing and there is no place in society let alone public office for this type of behavior," Giannoulias said in a statement.

Scott Lee Cohen

Scott Lee Cohen: 'I Don't Believe That I'm An Embarrassment To The Ticket' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | February 5, 2010, 10:28AM

IL candidate for Lt. Gov. Scott Lee Cohen (D)

Scott Lee Cohen, the embattled Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor of Illinois, appeared for an interview Thursday on Chicago Tonight, seeking to answer questions about allegations of domestic violence, drug abuse and other damaging issues.

Cohen has faced significant controversy -- including a call from Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn to potentially quit the race -- since he narrowly won a six-way Democratic primary on Tuesday. In 2005, he was arrested for allegedly threatening his girlfriend at the time by putting a knife to her throat and throwing her against a wall. The case was dropped after the woman, who had previously been arrested for prostitution and later pleaded guilty, failed to show up to court. In addition, his wife said in his divorce case that he abused steroids and attempted to sexually assault her. Cohen has admitted to past steroid use.

"You know, all this happened at a rough time in my life, and you know, I understand it looks bad," said Cohen, who was accompanied in the interview by his ex-wife Debra York-Cohen. "And that's why I tried so hard to put it out, the day I announced I was running. I have answered every question that was asked me by the media, in a full, complete, and honest way. Again, I tried so hard to put this out the day I announced so it wouldn't come to this. Nobody wanted to listen."

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Scott Lee Cohen

Illinois Dem Lt. Gov. Nominee: 'I Have No Intention Of Stepping Down'

Eric Kleefeld | February 4, 2010, 6:23PM

IL candidate for Lt. Gov. Scott Lee Cohen (D)

Scott Lee Cohen, a businessman who won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of Illinois in Tuesday's primary, is insisting that he will not drop out of the race. Cohen has come under fire for allegations of domestic violence, involving a 2005 arrest for allegedly holding a knife to a then-girlfriend's throat.

"I have no intention of stepping down or stepping aside," Cohen said in a statement. "When the facts come to light, after my ex-wife and ex-girlfriend speak, the people of Illinois can decide, and I will listen to them directly. I am asking my ex-wife and ex-girlfriend to come forward and to talk with the media.

"There are questions, and I will provide all answers honestly and openly. I only ask for time to do the interviews. 2005 was a difficult time in my life. I was going through a divorce, and I started running with a fast group. I was in a tumultuous relationship with the woman I was dating. We had a fight, but I never touched her. She called the police, however, she never came to court, and the charges were dismissed. I realized this relationship was not healthy, I ended it, and we parted amicably."

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Pat Quinn

Quinn: Lt. Gov. Candidate Cohen Should Consider Withdrawing

Eric Kleefeld | February 4, 2010, 3:13PM

Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL) and Scott Lee Cohen (D), candidate for Lt. Governor

Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL) has now declared that the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, businessman Scott Lee Cohen, should consider withdrawing from the race in the wake of publicity surrounding a 2005 arrest for domestic violence.

Cohen allegedly threatened his girlfriend at the time by putting a knife to her throat and throwing her against a wall. The case was dropped after the woman, who had previously been arrested for prostitution and later pleaded guilty, failed to show up to court.

"I do believe that the person who's had these matters brought up about himself should at least have a chance to talk about them to the public, but if his explanations are unsatisfactory, and so far they have been, then he has to do the appropriate thing," said Quinn. He added: "Our country and our state are bigger than ourselves. The Democratic Party is bigger than me or any other candidate. If there are matters that are raised about your conduct that disqualify you from running in a proper way for an election in the fall, then the only appropriate thing is to step aside. And I think that's what we're looking at here."

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IL-GOV

Hynes Concedes IL-GOV Dem Primary To Quinn

Eric Kleefeld | February 4, 2010, 11:44AM

IL Comptroller Dan Hynes (D) and IL Gov. Pat Quinn (D)

Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, who was in a photo-finish Democratic gubernatorial primary against incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn, has now conceded the race to Quinn, officially clearing the way for Quinn to fight the general election against the Republican nominee -- a matter that is itself yet to be determined since both parties' primaries yielded close results.

The winner was not immediately clear on election night. Quinn declared victory with a lead of about 7,000 votes, though Hynes did not yet concede. The most up to date results have Quinn winning by 8,090 votes, out of a total of 912,662 votes.

At a Hynes press event (streamed on the ABC affiliate in Chicago), Hynes spokesman Matt McGrath announced that Hynes had called Quinn about a half an hour earlier. Hynes then took to the podium. "Well, the people have spoken, and the votes have been counted. And I'm here to report that we rose up, but fell just a little short," said Hynes. "And if democracy means anything, it means that the campaign with the most votes wins. We did the right thing, we made sure all the votes were counted, and now we know for sure that it wasn't us. And now let's do the right thing again."

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IL-GOV

The Illinois Primary: Who Won, Who Lost -- And What's Next In Super-Close Gubernatorial Primaries

Eric Kleefeld | February 3, 2010, 1:07PM

IL Comptroller Dan Hynes (D) and IL Gov. Pat Quinn (D)

The Illinois primary is now over. And with 99 percent of the precincts reporting, we have a variety of results to share with you. The primary has seen not one but two super-close statewide races -- in the party primaries for the exact same office, no less -- with both the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial primaries still not settled. So what comes next?

The primaries for President Obama's former Senate seat saw clear, unambiguous wins by the two nominees. For the Democrats, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias beat former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman by 39%-34%. On the Republican side, Rep. Mark Kirk beat attorney Patrick Hughes by 57%-19%. This will be a top-tier Senate contest this fall.

In House-race primaries, the most notable result was in the 14th Congressional District. The seat was held from 1987 until 2007 by Republican Dennis Hastert, who served for eight years as Speaker of the House. After Republicans lost the majority in 2006, Hastert resigned during his next term, and the seat was picked up by Democrat Bill Foster in a March 2008 special election. One of Hastert's sons, Ethan Hastert, was running for the GOP nomination this year -- and lost by 55%-45% against state Sen. Randy Hultgren.

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IL-GOV

Adam Andrzejewski Is Tea Partiers' Illinois Dreamboat

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 2, 2010, 11:50AM

IL-GOV candidate Adam Andrezejewski (R)

Every cloud has a silver lining. And for tea partiers in Illinois smarting over their failure to mount a strong challenge to Rep. Mark Kirk (R) in the Senate race, that silver lining goes by the name Adam Andrzejewski. He's running competitively in the crowded GOP gubernatorial primary, and as voters go to the polls today, conservatives are predicting an upset victory for the man who Erik Erickson calls "a Rubio" and Rush Limbaugh labeled "the Scott Brown of this contest."

As Christina reports this morning, conservatives appear to have struck out against Kirk. But, as a myriad of conservative thought leaders wrote yesterday, Andrzejewski has given tea partiers a new reason to get excited about Primary Day in Illinois.

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