From Jeff Berkowitz’ Newsletter, reprinted with permission:
Porter & Dabrowski take on Pritzker’s 7 yrs (what did he do) & 4 billion in net worth, who wins?
Do reform ideas and truth have consequences? Is it the money spent,the actual economy and the actual outcomes? Kids learning how to read or how much Gov’t and Pols spent?
Public Affairs TV
Jun 13
A bevy of credible, potential IL GOP Gov and U S Senate candidates?
By credible, we mean candidates who have the potential for a strong, positive and thoughtful message, a muscular organization, and the ability to raise competitive money.
Foremost among these credible candidates is Richard Porter, former long time RNC member and Kirkland and Ellis (Largest law firm in the world) partner emeritus
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Porter was interviewed casually for five minutes last Saturday afternoon by Aaron Del Mar, Cook County GOP Chair, while Aaron subbed for 560 AM Radio “Black and Right,” show host John Anthony.Aaron Del Mar:
“The rumor is you may be looking at the 2026 U S Senate race. Is that true?”
Richard Porter: “Yeah, that’s what I am looking at and the opportunity could be right.”
Porter said IL is an exceptional GOP opportunity for a U S Senate pick up.
Dems will have at least three well-funded candidates, who will likely veer sharply to the WOKE far Left and away from a centrist or center right, IL voter.
The Dems, said Porter, are likely to emerge from the Primary “Battered and bruised.“
Porter on the other hand self identifies as “Kind of a unique candidate, not a sitting politician, never ran for office before, but not new to it either.“
Importantly, if he runs, he may have no significant GOP Primary competition.
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Porter: “I ran the Domestic policy council [at the age of 29] in the first Bush Administration… and did real business deals at Kirkland and Ellis for 30 some odd years.”
Further, said Porter, “I’m very familiar with the system, I am on good terms with at least half of the GOP sitting Senators… so I come into this with a keen knowledge of what the federal policies are and … how to get things done… [but] I am from outside the system.”
Porter emphasized, “We have to show that IL is ready for a new voice and if we can make that happen, we can get the support we need nationally… this will probably be a $100 million race for both sides.”
When this journalist spoke with the long-time K & E deal maker on Thursday night, he focused only on a U S Senate run, and seemed “Fired up and ready to go,” to borrow a famous phrase.
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Porter appears almost on edge to exit his short-lived retirement and enthusiastic to go to work full time for the people of IL and the rest of the Country.
The ex- GOP national committeeman said he is , “Very bullish about the IL Senate opportunity.”
Moreover, based on our Thursday conversation, this journalist predicts Porter will almost surely announce his U. S. Senate Candidacy by early July.
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The other credible GOP candidates whose names have been floated, off and on, for IL Governor and/or U S Senate include the following:
1. Jeanne Ives, former IL State Rep who came within inches of beating incumbent Gov Bruce Rauner in the 2018 GOP GOV Primary.
2. Darin LaHood, 10 year, central IL Cong. (R-IL, 16th CD). And son of former GOP Cong. Ray LaHood who also was a member of the Obama Cabinet.
3. Ted Dabrowski, President of think tank Wirepoints, who has focused on developing solutions to IL’s primary problems that Pritzker critics and Ted say JB has not even come close to fixing or maybe Pritzker has not even tried to remedy (and see our predictions for Ted, above and below).
4. Todd Ricketts, fformer RNC Finance Committee Chair, Chicago Cubs Co-owner, brother of Cubs’ Board Chair- Tom, brother of Nebraska Senator Peter and known for looking to implement reform ideas that work in the real world. The Ricketts’ family does know something about winning, in sports, business and politics.
5. Corey Brooks, he good Pastor who may be leading a Renaissance on Chicago’s south side, is a triple threat- considering a 2026 bid for Gov or U S Senate, as well as a 2027 Chicago Mayoral run.
6. Blaine Wilhour, an articulate, conservative downstate GOP State Rep who has a shot at rallying upstate voters- as well as his downstate base.
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When Porter announces soon for the U. S. Senate, that will stimulate at least one “credible GOP Gov Candidate,” to step into the Gov race by mid-July. The most likely to do that is Ted Dabrowski.y.
This journalist has interviewed Ted numerous times over the years and recently. It seems to me that his evolution from policy wonk to a vigorous GOP GOV candidate is complete. But, don’t take my word for it, you should be able to test that proposition for yourself soon enough.
If that happens, the GOP will have a complete, TOP NOTCH, top of the ticket, Porter- Dabrowski, for the first time in years. Could these two lead a grass roots revolution to a double GOP, top of the ticket victory in IL, and much more?
We discuss, you decide.
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