EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Congressional Black Caucus is taking aim at Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton — and Gov. JB Pritzker. The caucus endorsed incumbent member U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. And in a statement to Punchbowl News, the caucus said they are not happy to see Pritzker financially supporting his governing partner over their member.
“A sitting governor shouldn’t be heavy-handing the race. Quite frankly, his behavior in this race won’t soon be forgotten,” Caucus Chair U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., said.
PRITZKER’S RESPONSE: “I just want the best person. She happens to be a black woman and by the way, I think I’ve proven for many years now that I stand with communities of color across the state and with candidates who are running for public office.”
Should Stratton get elected to the Senate, she would likely become a member of the Black Caucus. She said she’s not dwelling on the statement.
STRATTON’S VIEW: “I can’t speak to their motivations,” Stratton told reporters Tuesday. “It sounds like they are supporting their colleague, but I’m going to stay focused on what I need to focus on for the next two weeks.”
RAJA’S RESPONSE: “Stratton’s shameless hypocrisy is exactly why people hate politics: She condemns corporate PAC money but has accepted nearly a quarter of a million dollars in corporate contributions and illegally funneled them into her Senate campaign,” Krishnamoorthi’s spokesperson Hannah Goss said in a statement. “She condemns MAGA money, but one of her top backers is funded by a longtime ICE contractor. And now, she condemns super PACs while relying on them to boost her Senate bid.”
NEW NEGATIVE ADS: The Indian American Impact Fund, which endorsed U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in the race, is out with a new ad supporting him and Kelly.
“What’s clearly happening is that Congressman Krishnamoorthi and his allies … are panicking because we’ve closed the gap, because we have the momentum, because we have a message that is resonating with the voters,” Stratton said. “And I think this is just another example of doing whatever he can to try to distract from the fact that he does not have a winning message in this race.”
From Capitol News Insider: Does Stratton have the momentum?
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