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Chicago Tribune
9 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Gov. JB Pritzker's running mate is a fellow Chicagoan, but says he will ‘represent all of Illinois'
During an appearance at a Bronzeville restaurant on Wednesday with his new running mate, Gov. JB Pritzker dismissed any suggestion that he was ignoring other areas of the state when he chose a fellow Chicagoan for his 2026 reelection bid. The governor a day earlier announced he had selected Christian Mitchell, a former state representative for parts of the South Side and a former deputy governor, to run as lieutenant governor, and their visit to Peach's restaurant on 47th Street was their first public joint appearance. 'When you're a state rep, you don't just represent the people in your district. You are also are voting on things that are good for people all across the state,' Pritzker said, standing next to Mitchell by a case of sweet drinks and cake in the crowded restaurant. 'We have passed bills that have been highly beneficial to job creation, expansion of health care, funding of education for people who live in — whether it's Anna, Carbondale or Quincy or Champaign.' Pritzker's partner in his first two terms, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, is running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, which left the position open. Stratton and Mitchell are both Black and live on the South Side, bringing a different perspective to the ticket than the governor. The Chicago versus downstate dynamic in has been an source of friction in state politics for years, and Pritzker's choice figures to play into that issue going forward. For his part, Mitchell, 38, said he is ready to meet people from all over Illinois. 'In a tavern, at a bar, at a coffee shop, I'm willing to go anywhere, because my goal is to represent all of Illinois,' he said, after he and Pritzker spent about a half hour greeting a crowd of supporters and early lunch customers at Peach's, whose website features a photo of former President Barack Obama at the restaurant's counter. Mitchell's agenda as a legislator meshed closely with Pritzker's initiatives during the governor's two terms. Mitchell was among a group of legislators who called for a task force to study the possible legalization of recreational marijuana, and he introduced a proposal to eliminate cash bail — both ideas that eventually became reality after Pritzker became governor. During the 2018 election cycle, Mitchell also served as executive director of the Illinois Democratic Party, becoming the first African American to hold the position. He was a deputy governor in the Pritzker administration from 2019 to 2023 and a lead strategist on energy issues, including the landmark 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. Since 2023, he's overseen government relations and other offices at the University of Chicago, his alma mater. Pritzker has repeatedly said the next lieutenant governor will have to fill the legacy being left by Stratton. Stratton raised more than $1 million in her first quarter as a Senate candidate, according to her campaign, trailing fellow Democratic candidate and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg, whose campaign reported it raised more than $3.1 million. Krishnamoorthi, one of the top fundraisers in the House, ended the quarter with $21 million on hand, according to his campaign. Stratton has only had a few months to build up her operation, Pritzker noted when asked about the fundraising numbers Wednesday. The extent to which Pritzker, a billionaire who spent $350 million on his first two campaigns for governor, ends up supporting Stratton financially remains to be seen. 'You have to remember that Juliana has not had to raise money as lieutenant governor for me, and so she's going against people who have raised money for the last number of years,' Pritzker, who quickly endorsed Stratton this spring, said. 'She doesn't need to have as much as anyone else in the race. She is somebody that people all across the state know and admire.'
Miami Herald
11 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Florida Budget Delivers $162M to HBCUs
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the state's $116.5 billion budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year. The new spending plan delivers significant funding to the state's four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU). The budget includes more than $142 million in direct operational support, plus an additional $20 million for campus security upgrades. This marks one of the most substantial state investments in Florida's HBCUs in recent years. Florida A&M University (FAMU), the state's only public HBCU, received the largest share. The university is allocated $110.5 million in operating funds. While early projections suggested the figure could reach $115 million, the final amount remains a major investment in FAMU's academic and research growth. Three private HBCUs in Florida also benefit from this University (B-CU) will receive $17 Waters University (EWU) is set to get $7.5 Memorial University (FMU) will receive $7 million. These operational funds support instruction, student services, faculty development, and campus infrastructure. In addition to general funding, the legislature approved $20 million in "hardening" funds for HBCU campus security upgrades. This money is set aside for safety improvements like surveillance systems, secure entry points, fencing, and emergency response technology. This separate security allocation comes amid growing concerns over threats targeting minority-serving institutions nationwide. It underscores the state's commitment to safeguarding Florida's HBCU communities. The 2025–26 budget continues Florida's pattern of steady support for its HBCUs. While the allocations represent growth, they do not match some other states' historic, one-time infusions. Even so, this funding provides stability and continued growth opportunities for these institutions. Florida's latest HBCU investments arrive as higher education faces national debates over diversity programs and public funding priorities. Despite cultural and political tensions, this budget signals bipartisan recognition of HBCUs' vital role in the state's educational landscape. With the fiscal year beginning on July 1, HBCU leaders will focus on turning these funds-both operational and security-focused-into real improvements for their campuses and the communities they serve. Florida A&M University: $110.5 millionBethune-Cookman University: $17 millionEdward Waters University: $7.5 millionFlorida Memorial University: $7 millionSecurity Upgrades for All HBCUs: $20 million (separate from operations)Total Investment: $162 million The post Florida Budget Delivers $162M to HBCUs appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
USA Today
13 hours ago
- USA Today
Consumer boycotts continue: 31% are participating. See where and why
As consumer boycotts, which started earlier this year continue and expand, a new study is showing that nearly a third of consumers surveyed have participated in such an action. Consumers have been boycotting retailers and businesses for several reasons, including rollbacks by companies on their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and what some organizers have called corporate greed. A new study by Lending Tree surveyed more than 2,000 people and found that 31% have boycotted a business while 23% have supported a business specifically because it was the target of a boycott. Do consumer boycotts work? Boycotts can have mixed results. They have worked for the political right. Conservative activists have successfully rallied in recent years to force retailers and companies to rein in their DEI efforts by staging boycotts to hurt sales. In campaigns using hashtags and slogans like 'go woke go broke,' boycotts waged by conservative activists have taken aim at some of the nation's largest consumer names, including retail chain Target. Some have succeeded in slashing sales and forcing policy changes. Now Target and other companies find themselves under attack from the other side, facing calls for boycotts from DEI supporters angry over the rollbacks. Supporters point to Target citing its decision to end some diversity policies as a contributor to the sharp pullback in consumer spending at the retailer that occurred in the first quarter. What businesses are consumers boycotting? Target has been the subject of several boycotts, including one that started on Feb. 1 and was led by Minnesota activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, and a separate 40-day Target Fast, now called the Target Blackout, led by Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant and other members of the Black faith community. Bryant's group is now encouraging its supporters to permanently boycott Target. Target did not respond to requests for an updated comment on boycott efforts by USA TODAY's publication deadline, but it has previously provided USA TODAY with the following statement: "We are absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone – our team members, our guests and our supply partners. To do that, we're focusing on what we do best: providing the best retail experience for the more than 2,000 communities we're proud to serve." In late May, Bryant also called for an electronic protest of Dollar General, saying the retailer walked away from DEI efforts and has not invested in the Black community. In an interview with USA TODAY, Bryant said that protest effort continues and Dollar General declined to meet with him in a letter it sent in response to one he sent the retailer. Dollar General responded to an inquiry from USA TODAY by providing a copy of the letter it sent to Bryant. In the letter, Dollar General Executive Vice President and General Counsel Rhonda M. Taylor said the company believed Bryant's assertions about the company did not show the company that a meeting would be productive. Taylor went on to include information about Dollar General to "correct some of the misperceptions you have of the Company and our operations." Taylor included details of the retailer's charitable giving, including donating $500,000 to the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville. The People's Union USA has also hosted several boycotts and economic blackouts, starting with a one-day economic blackout on Feb. 28. The group has since held several one-week boycotts of retailers and businesses such as Target, Walmart, Amazon and McDonalds. Organizer John Schwarz is also encouraging supporters in Instagram posts to boycott Fourth of July festivities, including parades and fireworks and instead stay home with friends or support local business. The group says it is also expanding its boycott of retailers to Home Depot, Starbucks and Amazon for the whole month of July. In an Instagram post, Schwarz criticized Amazon, saying its workers struggle while the company's sales helped pay for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to have a lavish wedding in Venice. Starbucks has worked against some employee efforts to unionize and Home Depot has quietly erased its DEI web page, Schwarz said. In statements to USA TODAY, spokespeople for all three businesses defended their companies. An Amazon spokesperson said the company remains committed to building a diverse and inclusive company. The company maintains a number of mechanisms to ensure its employees stay safe during high-temperature events. The company also said regular full-time operations employees earn an average hourly base wage of more than $22 per hour and average compensation of more than $29 per hour when including benefits. A Starbucks spokesperson told USA TODAY its hourly workers receive pay worth an average $30 per hour for those who work at least 20 hours per week. "At Starbucks, our success starts and ends with our partners (employees). We respect our partners right to choose, through a fair and democratic process, to be represented by a union or not to be represented by a union and will continue to work to make Starbucks the best job in retail," the company said. A Home Depot spokesperson shared a statement that said its business success has been driven in the last 45 years by its eight core values, "including respect for all people and taking care of our people. "We're proud to have a culture that welcomes everyone, and we believe it helps us achieve our business goals by supporting associates, building relationships and fostering innovation. As we continually refine our communications, we have been using 'WeAreTHD,' which we have long used to represent the welcoming culture that we've built here." Nearly a third of those surveyed have boycotted a business In the Lending Tree survey, consumers who said they'd boycotted a business cited a variety of reasons, including discrimination (43%), political donations or affiliations (41%) and religious messaging or practices (29%). Forty-five percent of consumers surveyed said they research a business's values or stance before purchasing at least sometimes. Gen Zers were the generation to do the most research, with 59% saying they do. Among respondents, 23%, said they specifically support a business because it was the target of a boycott. Of those, 31% said they were Republicans and 20% said they were Democrats. "An awful lot of people are boycotting companies for any number of reasons," Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst with Lending Tree, told USA TODAY. "One of the things I found most interesting in our data was that higher-income folks are among the more likely to boycott." Schulz was referring to 43% of six-figure earners saying they have boycotted a business. "That's a significant thing that speaks to a degree that people know the power they have," Schulz said. Organizers of the boycotts were pleased with the survey results. "This report confirms what we already know," Schwarz told USA TODAY. "People are waking up and paying attention. Almost a third of Americans have already boycotted a business, and nearly half are now researching company values before spending a dime. That tells me one thing, the power is shifting back to the people." Bryant was pleased with the survey results, but said he believes the numbers could be even higher. "It's amazing that people are engaged and plugged in and I would dare say it's probably higher than that as our community is more often than not seldom or rarely ever polled," Bryant told USA TODAY. "I take it all as a good sign and I think that the bank receipts speak even louder than the polling numbers." Target stock has plummeted since earlier this year. On Jan. 31, before the first boycott began on Feb. 1, shares closed at $137.91. It reached a low of $88.76 on April 8, a 35.6% drop. It has begun to go up again, but is still below its stock value earlier this year. On July 1, the stock closed at $103.88, a 24.6% drop from January. Target also slashed its annual forecast during its last earnings report on May 21, reporting a sharp fall in quarterly same-store sales as customers pulled back on purchases because of worries about inflation and the economy. Target also acknowledged that its performance was affected by the consumer boycotts. In-person foot traffic at Target has also been affected, according to which uses a panel of tens of millions of devices and employs machine learning to make estimations for in-store visits. Traffic dropped as much as 8.10% the week of Feb. 17 and has ebbed and flowed, sometimes increasing. Traffic remains in negative numbers, with in-store visits down 2.9% for the week of June 16, according to the latest information available. The in-store traffic at other retailers and large food chains varied, according to during that time period. Costco was up 2.0%, Walmart was up 0.1%, Best Buy was down 1.4%, McDonald's was down 0.3% and Starbucks was up 0.4%. Some boycotters return to businesses Among those surveyed, 48% of boycotters said they have eventually returned to a business after boycotting it. That number rises to 70% among those with children younger than 18. Schulz of Lending Tree said while 53% of men said they had returned to a business they previously boycotted, 41% of women said they did, with 59% saying they did not. "It shows that while women may be less likely to boycott, once they do, they're much more likely to never return," he said. Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@ or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @ on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.
