Latest news with #ChristianMitchell
Politico
4 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Endorsement drama bubbles up
TGIF, Illinois. Enjoy the weekend. TOP TALKER IN THE HOUSE: Lieutenant governor candidate Christian Mitchell will stand before Cook County Democratic Party leaders today, making the case for Gov. JB Pritzker to be endorsed for a third term. Pritzker has a family commitment and can't attend. The spotlight will then turn to presentations by the U.S. Senate candidates before party leaders make their endorsement decisions. Today's line-up will also see pitches by state Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and state Treasurer Mike Frerichs. Since Comptroller Susana Mendoza isn't seeking re-election, Democratic candidates expected to step up include state Sen. Karina Villa, state Rep. Margaret Croke and Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim. The stakes are high, as an endorsement comes with cache and on-the-ground campaigners. Also on today's agenda will be a vote on the Cook County assessor's race. Two-term incumbent Fritz Kaegi failed to secure the slating committee's endorsement for a third term Thursday. A coalition of Black committee members opposed him, while others abstained. The party decided to hold off voting until today's full meeting, setting the stage for a potential open primary. Kaegi's outspoken challengers include Board of Review officials Dana Pointer and Timnetra Burruss, who accuse him of botching assessments and burdening property owners, and Lyons Township Assessor Patrick Hynes, who drew applause from some Democrats in the room before he pledged more accurate data collection. Thursday's other key moments: County Board President Toni Preckwinkle sailed through unopposed to secure the Democratic Party committee's recommendation for a fifth term. Maybe it helps that she also heads the committee. Preckwinkle still could be primaried by Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly and former state Sen. Rickey Hendon, who attended Thursday's meeting. In the Board of Review contest, first-term Commissioner Samantha Steele failed to secure party endorsement and now faces a primary from candidates Liz Nicholson and Vincent Pace, who didn't get endorsed either. It was a thumbs up from the party for George Cardenas, who's running in a separate Board of Review race. Also getting endorsed: Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Clerk Monica Gordon and Sheriff Tom Dart. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Giannoulias is out with his reelection launch video. 'We've accomplished a significant amount in a short time,' he said in a statement about his two-and-a-half years in office. 'I intend to continue to modernize the office, create efficiencies and prioritize and fight for what's most important to Illinoisans.' Watch it here. Digging in deeper ... Cook County Democrats hold off endorsement decision for assessor, don't back Board of Review incumbent, by the Tribune's A.D. Quig and Rick Pearson Party mostly sticks with incumbents on primary slate — but Assessor Fritz Kaegi is in limbo, by the Sun-Times' Mitchell Armentrout THE BUZZ NEXT CHAPTER: After nearly a decade of steering Equality Illinois through landmark civil rights progress, Brian Johnson is pivoting from LGBTQ+ advocacy to addressing America's economic disparity. Imagine that: On Sept. 15, Johnson will launch the Reimagining Capitalism Lab, a research and policy hub incubated by the Chicago Federation of Labor's Workforce and Community Initiative. The goal is to confront 'inequality like we haven't seen in over a century,' Johnson said during a Playbook interview Thursday night at the Hideout. 'If you care about working families, immigrants, queer folks, the environment — none of that gets better without economic justice,' Johnson said. 'We're seeing skyrocketing inequality, and with that comes crumbling trust in institutions, lower voter turnout and less faith in democracy itself.' He wrote the book: Johnson, who also authored 'Our Fair Share' in 2021, has long connected economic inequity to broader social struggles. The new initiative is rooted in the belief that rebuilding faith in democracy starts with fixing the imbalance of wealth and opportunity. In other words, more people will vote if they trust the system to help them. Sounds familiar: Johnson plans to apply the same grassroots organizing efforts he brought to Equality Illinois to the new Reimagining Capitalism Lab. Its four-part structure includes statewide community listening sessions, targeted interviews with civic and business leaders, deep-dive policy research and leadership education. 'This isn't just about theory — it's about translating lived experiences into bold, actionable ideas,' Johnson said, adding he'll take listening sessions to homes, classrooms and churches. He cites stark stats: While CEOs earned 20 to 30 times more than their lowest-paid employees in the 1960s, today that ratio is closer to 400-to-1, Johnson said. And the top 1 percent of earners now hold more than double the wealth of the bottom 90 percent. 'That flip in wealth distribution is fueling disillusionment — and it's unsustainable,' he said. If you are Tom Dart, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB No official public events WHERE's BRANDON At Chicago and Lorel avenues at 4 p.m. to attend the Take Back the Block activation Where's Toni At IBEW local headquarters at 9 a.m. for slating Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ BUSINESS OF POLITICS — State Sen. Donald DeWitte, a Republican from St. Charles, announced Thursday that he won't seek reelection. 'This has not been an easy decision,' DeWitte said in a statement. 'Serving the people of the 33rd Senate District and previously as the mayor of St. Charles have been among the greatest honors of my life.' DeWitte is the minority spokesman for the powerful Senate Revenue and Senate Transportation committees. When he wraps up his term, he will have been in office 35 years. — State Rep. Bob Morgan is running for reelection in his suburban 58th District: 'I know that if we all head towards a better future where we invest in our schools, build the economy that works for working people, and protect equality under the law, we will extinguish the flames of hate, division, and violence,' Morgan, a Democrat, said in announcing his reelection bid. — Endorsements: Adam Braun, who's running for the open 13th District state representative seat, has been endorsed by Atty Gen. Kwame Raoul and former Ald. and community leader Ameya Pawar, according to Braun's campaign. He's running for the seat now held by state Rep. Hoan Huynh, who's running for Congress. — Diana García, who's running for the Democratic committeeperson position now held by Cicero's Larry Dominick, has been endorsed by former Congressman Luis Gutierrez. THE STATEWIDES — Leaders say they have a plan for downtown Springfield, business owners say it's not enough, by the State Journal-Register's Claire Grant — 23 Central Illinois nursing homes, care facilities fined by IDPH, by WCIA's Bradley Zimmerman CHICAGO — City Council members pushing to legalize video gambling — at Chicago airports or even citywide: 'Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration has argued the potential jackpot from lifting the Chicago ban on video gambling would be so meager that it's not worth pursuing,' by the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman. — City Inspector General Deborah Witzburg to leave post after one term: 'She made the announcement days after the city amended its ethics ordinance to ensure the 'independence and effectiveness of the investigative work' done by her office,' by WTTW's Matt Masterson. — Mayor Brandon Johnson talks affordable housing, funding CPS, transportation, via WBEZ's The Reset — ANALYSIS | City Council upheld the mayor's 'snap' curfew veto: Had the measure been approved, it 'would have been inconsistent with the powers granted to top cops in other large U.S. cities,' by the BGA's Sophia Van Pelt. — Retiring Walter Burnett says his 'son of the 27th Ward' has earned the right to take his City Council seat, by the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman — Chicago arts organizations press on despite 'gut punch' federal cuts, by the Tribune's Tess Kenny TAKING NAMES — Sarah Kerley, statewide chief administrative officer with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, has been awarded the 2025 Eugene H. Rooney Jr. Award for Leadership in State Human Resource Management by the National Association of State Personnel Executives. — Jim Oberweis, the former Illinois lawmaker who is now running for Congress in Florida, is beefing up his campaign with cash. SPOTTED — Roseanna Ander and her partner, Greg Sonbuchner, hosted a dinner party at their Gold Coast home Wednesday to celebrate the fifth cohort of the University of Chicago's Policing Leadership Academy. Ander is helping lead the charge of the academy in her role as founding executive director of the U. of C. Chicago Crime Lab along with her colleague Meredith Stricker who is the executive director of the academy. Like the crime lab, the academy is working to reduce gun violence by improving police leadership in neighborhoods with high homicide rates. Attendees included World Business Chicago CEO Phil Clement, Clayco Chief Growth Officer Michael Fassnacht, the Pritzker Pucker Foundation's Julie Rubins Wilen, former Chicago Police Superintendent Charlie Beck, ATF Special Agent Chris Amon, real estate developer Jeff Shapack, nonprofit leader Lisa Wiersma, Cook County Sheriff's Office Director Roe Conn and restaurateur RJ Melman, who has donated meals to participants of the academy. Reader Digest We asked which politicians' comments you'd like to see in a group chat text chain. Christopher Deutsch: 'Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump. Oh wait, been there, done that.' Nick Daggers: 'I'd like to see Rahm's texts with anyone, but I'd be worried if Siri read them aloud while my kids were in the car.' Ashvin Lad: 'Rahm Emanuel and JB Pritzker.' NEXT QUESTION: If a Marvel superhero ran for office, who would be the best president? THE NATIONAL TAKE — Trump will sue the WSJ, directs Bondi to unseal Epstein material, by POLITICO's Irie Sentner — Getting up to speed on the Trump, Epstein, WSJ drama, by national Playbook's Adam Wren and Dasha Burns — ICE will get access to Medicaid enrollees' personal information to identify people it believes are in the country unlawfully, via NBC News — CBS cancels Stephen Colbert's show days after Trump settlement criticism, by POLITICO's Yurii Stasiuk — RFK Jr. wants artificial dyes out — but Chicago candy makers aren't biting, by Judith Crown for Crain's TRANSITIONS — Sam A. Harton has been promoted to senior attorney at Romanucci & Blandin, a national personal injury firm primarily based in Chicago. — Michael Owen is now senior counsel in Dykema law firm's corporate finance group in Chicago. He was a partner at Gozdecki Del Giudice. EVENTS — Tonight: A joint fundraiser will benefit Republicans Jennifer Davis, who's running for the open IL-08 seat, and Gabriella Hoxie, who's running for Cook County Commission in the 15th District. Details here — Tuesday: Democratic state Rep. Kim du Buclet will be feted at a fundraiser. Details here TRIVIA THURSDAY's ANSWER: The Chicago Board of Health was created in response to a cholera epidemic when Chicago became a mustering point for troops during the Black Hawk War. TODAY's QUESTION: What was the first professional sports team to play a game in Illinois? Email skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Today: SEIU Healthcare VP Myra Glassman, K&L Gates associate Berto Aguayo, IIT comms director Howard J. Lee and CRL Strategies Principal Consultant Christie Lacey Saturday: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Cook County Judge Fredrick Bates, former U.S. Attorney Ron Safer, lieutenant governor's chief strategist Charles Watkins, Advocate Aurora Health Government Relations VP Crystal Olsen and Illinois Channel Executive Director Terry Martin Sunday: Jeffries exec and former Deputy Gov. Dan Hynes, AIPAC regional director David Fox, UIC sociology professor Barbara Risman and Illinois Optometric Association CEO Leigh Ann Vanausdoll -30-
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cetera introduces new AI platform for financial advisors
Cetera Financial Group has introduced IntelligenceEngine, a suite of AI-driven tools designed to assist financial professionals in enhancing growth by converting client data into actionable insights. This new platform aims to unlock potential value within existing client portfolios. IntelligenceEngine integrates advanced analytics, planning technology, and client engagement tools into a cohesive growth platform tailored for modern financial advisors and institutions. The primary objective is to provide advisors with insights that reinforce client relationships and promote growth in their share of client assets. It is the branded version of Cetera's Share of Wallet Suite, which offers a connected ecosystem of both proprietary and third-party tools aimed at identifying and activating revenue opportunities. The components of this suite are designed to streamline processes, reveal hidden value, and facilitate prompt action by advisors. Cetera chief solutions officer Christian Mitchell said: 'With IntelligenceEngine, we're enabling advisors to scale meaningful conversations and drive measurable outcomes from their existing client base.' 'This solution was designed to strategically connect the dots between data, planning, and action. Each element powers the next, creating a multiplier effect on efficiency and growth Key features of IntelligenceEngine include the GrowthLine Commercial Activation Engine, which identifies market opportunities and prioritises client segments for targeted outreach. This system ensures that advisors can effectively engage with dormant clients and optimise wallet share. Additionally, the Jump AI Software utilises natural language processing to extract insights from advisor-client meetings, capturing essential action items and behavioural signals that inform GrowthLine's outreach strategies. The platform also includes AdviceWorks Account Aggregation, which allows clients to link external accounts, providing advisors with a comprehensive view of client assets. Furthermore, MoneyGuide and eMoney Financial Planning Software enable advisors to assess total household assets and identify overlooked opportunities. Cetera's Financial Plan Design Group creates customised financial plans that reveal new asset potentials and enhance advisor efficiency, while the Advanced Time Segmentation strategy offers a structured approach to retirement income aligned with client goals. In May this year, Jump partnered with Cetera to integrate its AI meeting assistant, enhancing scalability and compliance within Cetera's operations. "Cetera introduces new AI platform for financial advisors" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Pritzker announces Christian Mitchell as pick for Lieutenant Governor
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Governor JB Pritzker has announced his pick for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. According to Pritzker's office, experienced government leader Christian Mitchell will join the ticket. The announcement was made Tuesday morning in a video posted to YouTube. Mitchell is a former three-term state representative and current First Lieutenant in the Illinois Air National Guard. He also served as Deputy Governor for over four years. 'Christian Mitchell is a proven leader with deep experience, steady judgment, and an unshakable commitment to the working families of Illinois,' said Governor JB Pritzker. 'Whether it's transforming our clean energy future, rebuilding our infrastructure, or keeping our communities safe, Christian has been a force behind so much of our progress. I couldn't ask for a better partner to continue delivering results for the people of Illinois.' Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton announces bid for U.S. Senate According to the release, Mitchell began his career as a community organizer on Chicago's South Side, before going on to serve as a state representative and the first African American executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois. 'There is no one who fights harder for working families than Governor JB Pritzker and I am deeply honored to be his choice for Lieutenant Governor,' said Christian Mitchell. 'The Governor has led with courage and compassion, and together we've built a foundation that's moving Illinois forward. I'm ready to build on that progress—lowering costs, expanding opportunity, and making sure every community has the resources and opportunities they deserve. This is about delivering real results for the people of Illinois, and I'm excited to get to work.' Pritzker selected Mitchell after his current Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton announced she is running for US Senate. On Monday, and as he contemplates a future run for the presidency, Pritzker said his top priority for picking a running mate was someone who would be able to take over as governor if needed. He's apparently found that in Mitchell. 'I think Governor Pritzker would be a fantastic president, which is why I'm so happy that he's running for reelection as governor because it speaks to his qualities as a leader of this state,' Mitchell said Tuesday. 'Governor Pritzker says the number one qualification is to be ready to step in if something happens and I will be ready to do that.' To run for lieutenant governor, Mitchell said he'll leave the University of Chicago where he oversees government relations. From 2013 to 2019, Mitchell represented parts of the South Side in the state legislature distinguishing himself as a policy wonk. He later served as deputy governor, playing a key role in the Pritzker administration's response to COVID-19. 'He tasked me and others in the office to be in charge of effectively our medical supply chain and to make sure that we had all of the PPE, the gloves, the masks, the ventilators we needed to make sure that our frontline health care heroes could keep doing their work,' Mitchell explained. The Illinois constitution does not assign specific responsibilities to the lieutenant governor, but given the speculation about Pritzker's future, the job has added importance. 'I've dedicated my life to public service. I really care about this state. We've got the best, hardest working people, not just in Chicago but in Carbondale and Macomb, downstate in Cairo, and so I'm really honored to have a chance to represent folks,' Mitchell said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bronzeville restaurant serves up politics as Pritzker, Mitchell make first campaign stop
CHICAGO (WGN) — Politics was again on the menu for Wednesday's lunch at Peaches in Bronzeville, with Gov. JB Pritzker and his new running mate, Christian Mitchell, making their first campaign stop together. With current Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton vying for a US Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Dick Durbin, Mitchell has stepped in for her on the ballot. Pritzker and Mitchell both stress the transition would be smooth; they worked well together during Mitchell's tenure as deputy governor. 'Everywhere in the state of Illinois we have worked hard to lift people up, we're going to continue to do that as a team,' Mitchell said. Gov. Pritzker announces Christian Mitchell as pick for Lieutenant Governor Various Chicago politicos happened to be at Peaches when the pair stopped by, including former Rep. Bobby Rush and Sean Harden, the president of the Chicago Board of Education. 'At the heart of it, I think they appreciate the importance of education,' Harden said. 'There's no doubt about that and we just have to rebuild the relationship.' Peaches, near East 47th Street and South Martin Luther King Drive, sits in the statehouse district Mitchell represented for six years. In selecting Mitchell, the governor said he wanted someone who could take over for him if necessary. While both men are from Chicago and made their first campaign stop here, they'll soon be taking their message downstate. 'When you're a state rep. you don't just represent, you also are voting on things that are good for people all across the state,' Pritzker said. 'My first hearing when I was chair of the committee on Economic Opportunity was in Carbondale to talk about the impacts of higher education cuts in the previous administration on those towns. I plan to go everywhere, be everywhere, meet people where they are,' Mitchell added. The path to securing statewide victory for a Democrat usually includes running up the vote totals among African Americans, making Bronzeville an obvious first campaign stop. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
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.'
