Shortly before election day, some new signs started popping up all over the southern portion of Peoria. They said, “President Obama Needs You To Vote” in red, white and blue. At the bottom, it says in small letters, “Paid for by Friends of Jehan Gordon.” Interesting campaign strategy. She must feel that people who voted for Obama would naturally vote for her, too. But I’m still a little unclear on why Obama needs you to vote — “you” in this case being people who live in the southern part of Peoria and are voting for a state office.
The poor, urban population has been left out of this election in many ways… demonized, blamed, threatened…
Maybe Jehan felt they needed a little recognition and encouragement from the guy they did come out and vote for in record numbers in 2008.
Or it was just typical race politics.
Or maybe it was just an encouraging reminder to get out & vote, like many did in 2008.
If the race was close, this would deserve more scrutiny. Her overwhelming victory, however, is a good indication that people think she is doing a good job and the best choice of representative for her district. Plus, Montelongo was not a good candidate. Repubs should have saved their money on that one.
Jehan lost the respect of many voters in this area with that sign, luckily many didn’t get it.
Did anyone notice Mr. Shadid did not publicly support her as he did the last time? does that tell you something?
I didn’t hear much from former Sen. Shadid regarding any race this year.
Jehan won for several reasons. 1. $600,000 in chicago funds, with more if needed. 2. 15 full time paid staff. 3. bus loads of paid workers to knock on doors from up north to get people to get out and vote. 4. $93 million dollar tax break to CAT and then a surprise endorsement (worked for Quinn). 5. Chamber endorsement because Montelongo didn’t back hotel. 6. Constituent services were provided, but what was left out PJSTAR was that much was provided by Leitch’s office because the 92nd constituents were not getting good service from jehan’s. 7. She’s polished as a public speaker. People believe if you say nothing well then you have said something.
8. I agree that Repubs need to be better organized on this one, esp. knowing madigan is going to fight to retain this seat and has unlimted resources paid by union dues. Yep folks that’s where your money goes.
I could go on, but will just bypass the problem rep and get things done through other resources…again. Oh, the $100,000 bribe to neighborhoods, $25,000 down now and the rest after the election? didn’t hurt either.
Jim Montelongo was a LOUSY candidate. Let’s start with his signs. “Jim’s for Jobs.” I thought for a week they were signs for a job placement service. Even the color scheme3 didn’t work. Dark grey letters on dark blue? Seriously? There is a reason most of these signs look alike: Because they work.
Or maybe it’s just bold-faced racial pandering.
Terrible signs! If I had a quarter from everyone who asked who “Jims Jobs” was and gave it to the Montelongo campaign they could probably pay off their campaign debt. PDW, I agree it would be a difficult race to win, given all of your valid reasons, but face it – the reason the Repubs have not won that district is because they have never run a candidate that really understands or can connect with the needs of the average citizen that resides in that district. It is hard to envision a Montelongo-type candidate in a starched white shirt standing on the front porch of a South end home and making a convincing case as to why they should elect him. Ain’t going to happen.
Aaron Schock (and his starched white shirt) had the seat before Jehan Gordan.
Vonster; Oh, I get. When White Democrats want to run on a president’s coattails, it’s politics. When Black Democrats do it, it’s racism. Gotcha.
Good point, kohlrabi. But Aaron Schock transcends all of the usual laws of politics. He is an aberration to the rules of thumb, and not someone who comes along often.
“Aaron Schock transcends all of the usual laws of politics… not someone who comes along often.”
Thank God!
The Obama sign was innocuous. I also saw signs with pics of King and Obama and “Keep the Dream Alive.” Don’t know who paid for them but I bet they helped motivate some voters. That was also the point of the sign CJ refers to. It’s called Get Out the Vote.
I am puzzled–why shouldn’t people be encouraged to get out to vote? Also, I can’t help but wonder who invented racial pandering–it’s probably been around for at least 200 years.
Tulip: Keep the dream alive poster …. paid for by NAACP, Rainbow Push Coalition, GCC / BT (Teamsters, Citizen Action Illinois. Also found as a doorhanger in my neighborhood on election day along with a Democratic Ballot Sample for state and local Peoria area races. Missing was the judicial retention of Michael Brandt. It is interesting to note that the Keep the dream alive 5.5″ by 8.5″ piece also had infromation about your polling place for the City of Chicago, Aurora Election Commission, Suburban Cook County and the City of Peoria, Illinois.
It is about getting out the vote … perhaps a type of voter profiling as my friends in other parts of Peoria and Dunlap did not receive this type of information on their doors.
Demographics, Bill. They were concentrated in the south end.
Vonster: Which is, as I recall, a large portion of her district.
“Aaron Schock transcends all of the usual laws of politics”
Which rules?
Appeal to your donaters?
Protect their interests.
Tell the public you are a populist?
Hide the fact that you have deep personal secrets that your supporters would be repelled by?
Nothing “transcends” the laws of politics.
It’s just that some people are so good at it, it doesn’t seem like politics to those not paying attention.
The 92nd district also cover lots of mid to northern Peoria, The Heights, Kickapoo and points northwest. She moved the office from Main Street to War Dr across from the stadium. Anyway, the effort was surely targeted at blacks.
Anyway, the effort was surely targeted at blacks. In politics they call that “targeting your base”. Both political parties do it.
Point–exactly right. Many candidates target those on the religious right–I know the language, so I can rather easily spot a someone who is trying to appeal to the religious right. Glen Beck does it all the time. Beck would be one who would strongly criticize a candidate who targets his/her black base. I don’t see the difference between targeting a particular group or targeting black voters, in general. The color difference is what makes the racial divide so great. The difference is so easy to spot. Black people can’t hide in a crowd, so to speak.
Point: Racially??
Sharon: Beck is reaching out to all conservatives. There are some, believe it or not, in the black and hispanic communities. To think notherwise is wrong-headed if not recist.
“The color difference is what makes the racial divide so great” Thanks to some on the liberal side….
vonster–I do know better than to make sweeping generalizations–but sometimes I do anyway. There are certainly theological conservatives among blacks–probably more than there are theological liberals. However, I consider the religious right to be a political, not a religious group (name notwithstanding).
You can continue to fool yourself into believing that the racial divide is created by liberals; in my opinion, that is just utter and complete nonsense. The racial divide was not created in the twentieth or the twenty-first century (probably before the liberal label even existed). Personally, I am a theological conservative and probably tend to be more of a political liberal–that’s not an easy position to maintain in our society. However, it is where I am most comfortable.
Speaking of racially motivated ads targeting white voters, some of us haven’t forgotten about the Willie Horton type ads–I don’t think that particular ad was produced by liberals. However, don’t misunderstand me; I believe racism can pop up anywhere in the political spectrum–it’s a human, not necessarily, a political condition.
PS, I let Glen Beck reach out to me every morning for 15 to 30 minutes–but I continue to be out of his reach.
Vonster – all candidates must motivate their base in order to win. Did you feel the same indignation when Aaron Schock addressed the 9-12ers? You probably didn’t, but the left did. The AA community, whether or not you agree it is a strategically advantageous position for them, is traditionally considered part of the Democratic base. In this case the state rep was appealing to them as a voter block. Yes, they happen to be black, but the majority of 9-12ers happen to be white. If you consider one a racist act, you would in fairness, have to consider the other a racist act – which you probably wouldn’t, and that is the point.
Discussion question: would there be similar raised eyebrows if in North Peoria campaign signs popped up that said “Glen Beck needs your vote…” or, “Aaron Schock needs your vote….”. I’m curious as to your opinions.
“the effort was surely targeted at blacks.” Because ONLY blacks live in the inner city areas… is that it?
—–would there be similar raised eyebrows if in North Peoria campaign signs popped up that said “Glen Beck needs your vote…” or, “Aaron Schock needs your vote….”—–
Isn’t that what Fox News and WMBD did and do 24 hours a day?
The Republicans should start wooing Carl Cannon to challenge her in 2012.