Latest news with #DemocraticPrimaries
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Which Republicans are seeking statewide office in Illinois? So far, hardly any
With U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Comptroller Susana Mendoza and other members of Congress not seeking reelection in 2026, robust fields are growing in the Democratic primaries for the open seats. Gov. JB Pritzker is seeking a rare third term and has been on the campaign trail for more than a month. Three high-profile Democrats are seeking to replace Durbin, sparking a flurry of state-level Democrats seeking to climb the political ladder. But on the Republican side, it's a ghost town in primary races for statewide offices so far. 'We've been decimated to the point in Illinois where we don't have a strong bench,' former Republican State Rep. Mark Batinick, now a political consultant, told Capitol News Illinois. At this week's Illinois State Fair political days – long viewed as the unofficial start to election season in Illinois – the GOP's focus will largely be on Washington in the absence of prominent state-level candidates, according to the state party chair. 'We have an opportunity in Illinois not only because Pritzker is such a trainwreck, but also because so many great things are happening with the leadership of this Republican president,' Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi said in an interview. But winning statewide elections has been a daunting task for Illinois Republicans since President Donald Trump first entered the national political stage in 2016. Two years later, in 2018, a 'blue wave' swept the nation in Trump's first midterm election and Pritzker was elected governor. Since that year, Democrats seeking statewide offices have cruised to victory. Thus far, just two lesser-known Republicans have expressed interest in challenging Pritzker in 2026. A similar group of lesser-known candidates is considering a U.S. Senate run, but there has been no news about anyone running for comptroller, treasurer or secretary of state. It's still early in the election cycle — the petition gathering period began last week and runs through October — and Salvi said she expects there will be a Republican candidate in November for each statewide office. GOP's 2026 message The Illinois GOP isn't going to shy away from Trump, Salvi said, even though the party often tried to ignore his influence under her predecessor, Don Tracy, who is considering a run for statewide office. Salvi said embracing the One Big Beautiful Bill will be a key part of her party's message in 2026 that she believes will resonate with voters. She encouraged voters to find common ground on areas they agree with Trump and ignore things they disagree with. 'Look at the success of this White House,' Salvi said. 'Go to the White House website every week, or more than that, and learn what's happening. And if there's something you don't like, then fine. Just don't talk about that. Look to what you do like. Find what we have in common.' That's a welcome strategy for the Illinois Freedom Caucus, a group of the General Assembly's most conservative lawmakers that has criticized the party for not embracing Trump in recent years. Collin Moseley, the caucus' state director, said in an interview they want the party to support Trump-aligned candidates, but the Illinois party still has too many leaders who disassociate with Trump. 'I think that it's mostly being stifled by people who hate Donald Trump in our own party, people who are clinging with a death grip to hold our party further to the left instead of moving to the right to the issues that working families care about,' Moseley said. 'We are stuck in this old-fashioned way of campaigning and the old Republican Party that mostly has lost its way.' Salvi is also hoping to capitalize on Trump's performance in Illinois in 2024, in which he cut down 17-point losses in 2016 and 2020 to about 11 points, largely due to a falloff in Democratic votes. Meanwhile, Republicans did not lose seats in Springfield despite Democrats targeting several vulnerable districts. Pritzker beatable? Pritzker is beatable, Batinick argued, citing the results of a poll released Thursday conducted by his polling firm and commissioned by the conservative Illinois Policy Institute where Batinick also works as a policy analyst. It found Pritzker's favorability rating was at 47%. The poll conducted last month of 752 likely 2026 Illinois voters found 60% of voters say 'high taxes' is a top issue for them, while 26% named 'state governance' as a top issue. Batinick said Pritzker appears set to run on his record of governing the state, but also frequently discusses national issues. 'The issues that matter to Illinoisans aren't the issues that JB Pritzker is talking about right now,' he said. The primary race to challenge Pritzker is still taking shape with DuPage County Sheriff Jim Mendrick the most notable name seeking the office so far. Lake Forest businessman Joseph Severino, who has run for Congress as a Republican and independent, has announced his intention to run for governor, but has not filed a fundraising committee with the State Board of Elections. Batinick said that politicians seeking to 'climb the political ladder' benefit from running for office, but the risk of losing their current elected position is keeping Republicans from stepping into a race where their odds of winning are low in a state that leans left. 'Everybody has to give up what they got to run for something that they don't think they can win,' he said. 'They're looking at a Trump midterm; they're looking at a lack of money; they're looking a lack of excitement at the top of the ticket for governor and senator to date.' Batinick thinks the right Republican candidate can beat Gov. JB Pritzker and overcome his spending power. 'A Republican candidate is going to have to work hard on the ground and we're going to have to band together to really match the money that he can just buy,' Batinick said. 'Republicans are going to have to do it with volunteers. It's possible, you just need somebody that is inspiring to the public.' Other offices In the Senate race, four Republicans have filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and are actively raising money. Former Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy is reportedly considering running for either governor or Senate and is expected to make an announcement soon. Ted Dabrowski, the president of conservative research site Wirepoints, is also considering running for governor. Bob Fioretti, who has unsuccessfully run for several offices as a member of both parties, is reportedly circulating petitions to run for attorney general. But even as petition-gathering begins, no other candidates are publicly known to be interested in running for other statewide offices. Notable names, including U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood and former Illinois Republican National Committeeman Richard Porter have declined to run for governor or Senate. Candidate recruitment isn't the state party's role but rather turning out voters, said Salvi, an attorney from Mundelein who was the party's nominee for U.S. Senate in 2022. Democrats' national focus While Republicans head into the State Fair still in search of people to run for statewide office, Democrats have two primary elections for statewide offices and three crowded primaries for congressional seats in the Chicago area. The primary for the open comptroller seat continues to expand. Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, announced on Monday she will run for the seat, joining Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, and Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim in the race as other Democrats also consider jumping in. But even as some Democrats gear up to compete against each other, much of the party's focus this summer has been on national politics, including currently hosting Democrats in the Texas House who left their state to prevent a vote on redrawing Texas' congressional maps. After the Illinois Democratic Party hosted Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin last week for one of several news conferences in the western suburbs with Texas Democrats, the Illinois Democratic County Chairs' Association will host U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies at their annual brunch on Wednesday in Springfield as part of State Fair festivities. 'Illinoisans face unprecedented harm from Donald Trump and Elon Musk and I cannot think of a better national leader right now to talk to our party about how to meet this moment,' association President Mark Guethle said in a statement. Pritzker, who has put himself at the center of Texas' redistricting fight, will also hold the governor's traditional event at the State Fair on Wednesday afternoon. Pritzker has continued trying to grow his national profile this summer amid speculation he plans to run for president in 2028, including with an appearance on Stephen Colbert's late-night show on CBS last week. The Republicans will host FOX News analyst Gianno Caldwell as their keynote speaker at the fair on Thursday.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
7 memorable moments from the Hill Nation Summit
A number of prominent political figures made news at the inaugural Hill Nation Summit on Wednesday, weighing in on the Federal Reserve, Democratic primaries, legislation moving through Congress, foreign policy and more. Lawmakers, Trump administration officials and advocates spoke with journalists from The Hill and NewsNation over the course of a day. Here are seven memorable moments. Navarro calls Powell 'the worst Fed chair in history' Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro called Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell the 'worst Fed chair in history.' President Trump for months has expressed increasing frustration with Powell, and the White House has appeared increasingly interested in ousting the Fed chair. At the Hill Nation Summit, Navarro said that the Fed, a historically independent body, had become politicized. 'The problem with the Fed now is that it's too politicized, because a lot of folks on the board are Democrats who hate Trump,' Navarro said. Noem teases liquid size changes for TSA Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem suggested that changes could be coming to the size of liquid containers allowed through airport security. 'That may be the next big announcement, is what size your liquids need to be,' Noem said. Her comments come about a week after DHS, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said that domestic travelers would be allowed to keep their shoes on through security. Noem said she was hopeful that airport security could be streamlined in the future. 'Hopefully the future of an airport, where I'm looking to go, is that you walk in the door with your carry-on suitcase, you walk through a scanner and go right to your flight,' the DHS chief said. Donalds on potential Powell firing: 'I'm not there yet' As calls from Republicans mount for Trump to fire Powell, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) said he wasn't quite ready to support the move. 'I'm not there yet, but I'll tell you that the president doesn't rule anything out,' Donalds told The Hill's Mychael Schnell. 'It's pretty clear the president is frustrated about where short-term interest rates are,' Donalds added, and he said that he also supported a cut to rates alongside reductions to spending led by Congress. 'I think the greater issue is Congress being smart with the people's money,' Donalds, who is running for governor in Florida, said. Other Republicans, however, were vocal in their desire for Powell to go. 'Today's a great day to fire Jerome Powell,' Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) wrote Wednesday morning on the social platform X. Klobuchar says lawmakers need more security after Minnesota shootings Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said that lawmakers at multiple levels of government need more security and that politicians should 'decrease the rhetoric' in response to the shootings of two Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses in June. 'I've been a longtime advocate for this and more police, and worked really well with them in the Capitol, but we have to do more in the local areas,' the Minnesota senator said. Klobuchar was friends with former Minnesota state House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and dined with her hours before Hortman and her husband were killed by a gunman at their home. 'She was a mom. She taught Sunday school. She was a Girl Scout leader. She balanced all that and rose up in the House of Representatives,' Klobuchar said. 'Some people need to look in the mirror if they're making this worse,' the senator added. 'It is on all of us as leaders to bring down that rhetoric whenever we can.' Klobuchar was among the senators to condemn posts from Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) that appeared to make jokes about the shootings. McCarthy goes after Matt Gaetz Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) opened his remarks by saying that postcongressional life was 'fabulous. We don't have Matt Gaetz anymore.' The remark from McCarthy, who has had a long-running feud with former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), drew laughter from the audience. The Florida firebrand was among the key figures behind McCarthy's ouster from the Speakership. Hogg calls ouster from DNC a 'double standard' Former Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg characterized his ouster from the party committee as a 'double standard,' although he expressed openness to working with the DNC in the future. 'There's obviously disagreements that we have at the end of the day, but I think that we all still have good relationships. I still have, you know, enormous respect for all my fellow vice chairs, the other officers of the DNC,' Hogg told The Hill's Julia Manchester at the Hill Nation Summit on Wednesday. The progressive activist, who has called for primary challenges against Democratic Party incumbents, left the DNC last month after his election was vacated over a procedural rule regarding gender diversity. Hogg described it Wednesday as a 'double standard that was selectively enforced.' 'I would argue that what I'm doing is not that different from someone having a leadership PAC that gives against an incumbent,' Hogg said. Himes praises Trump on foreign policy Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, offered some praise for President Trump's foreign policy, particularly on the Middle East. 'I mean, the opening to Syria, I did not anticipate that. That's pretty amazing. You know, he's taken a practical approach in the Middle East that I think is, again, will the Iranian question, will play out over the next year or so,' Himes said. Trump signed an executive order in January to end sanctions against Syria after the unexpected collapse of Bashar Assad's regime in December. Updated at 5:21 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fast Company
26-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Zohran Mamdani is on the verge of victory, and election gamblers are set to win thousands betting online
On Tuesday, New Yorkers lined up to cast their vote in the city's Democratic primaries, hoping to elect its next mayoral candidate nominee. But while some turned to the polls, others took to election betting—and made thousands along the way. In the weeks before the election, the race seemed to be between two candidates: former governor Andrew Cuomo, who left office following sexual harassment allegations in 2021, and state assemblyman and democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. As votes started to kick in on Tuesday for the first round of the ranked-choice election, the race seemed uncertain. Early polling showed Cuomo leading the way by at least a 12-point lead weeks before. Yet tides quickly shifted, with a recent Emerson poll showing a statistical tie between the candidates. As the votes were counted, Mamdani surged as the likely nominee with Cuomo conceding later in the night. But before that happened, the internet had already crowned its winner on the prediction market trading platform Kalshi, where U.S. users can bet on current events like yesterday's elections. 'Zohran had one of the most impressive runs we've ever seen on Kalshi,' Jack Such, business and media development lead at Kalshi, told Fast Company. 'He was at 7% to win this earlier, less than a month ago.' What is election betting? Election betting is like betting on any other current events, positing the probability of one event happening over another. Still, it is a somewhat recent phenomenon. Kalshi operates like a stock market, with two parties on each side, some buying or selling shares—or bets in this case. Each 'yes' or 'no' contract is capped at $1 dollar, usually going between zero and 99 cents, with the price reflecting the probability of an event happening according the bets. Election betting gained notoriety during last year's presidential election, bringing in upwards of $3.6 billion to Polymarket, another betting platform that supposedly does not allow U.S. users. While criticism surrounds the ethics of the practice, as some argue that it may commodify decision-making and it does not promote responsible participation, it seems as if it is poised to grow. Just a day after the New York election, Kalshi hit a $2 billion valuation following a recent funding round. Additionally, the live aspect of the projection is attracting the attention of users yearning for faster results. Kalshi's projection showed Mamdani surpassing Cuomo as soon as 9 a.m. that morning. While the projection fluctuated during the day, the platform called the election in favor of Mamdani at 9:43 p.m. on social media, before Cuomo conceded. 'People who just want to know who wins love the markets because they just work faster than anything else,' Such says. Kalshi calls a victory once one of the sides reaches 99 cents for at least 10 minutes. 'It's basically like a 99% confidence interval,' Such says. 'It indicates that this market is going to resolve a certain way.' High returns For those who jumped on the election market and bet on Mamdani early, returns will prove financially beneficial should Mamdani become the Democratic nominee for mayor as expected. The best single trade for the market will see a payout of $85,650, as the trader bet $3,426 in favor of Mamdani when his probability to win was just 4%. Another user commented on the market saying, 'I want to thank all the unimaginative centrists out there,' following his $41,099 payout. During the election, the market had a live voting count powered by Decision Desk HQ, showcasing voting results in real time for users to follow. However, not all bets are made solely based on polls and electoral results, Such explained. For instance, Kalshi reported that 71% of pro-Mamdani bets were placed by women users, echoing the popular 'hot girls for Zohran' grassroots movement. 'What makes prediction markets efficient is this ability to aggregate all the information that's available,' Such says. 'like polling data, but also everything else: sentiment, what your neighbors think, what your family thinks.'
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First Post
26-06-2025
- Business
- First Post
Socialist Robin Hood of Capitalist NYC: Mamdani's rise sets stage for a new kind of showdown
As Mamdani's win in NYC Democratic Primaries rattle the capitalists in the city, it leaves a learning lesson for Democrats as the struggle for relevance in the Trump-era read more The stunning victory of 33-year-old Indian-origin Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani has stunned the US financial capital and delivered an awakening to the Democratic Party. On Tuesday, Mamdani emerged as the winner of the Democratic primaries, toppling the aspirations of former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. While the journey to be the next mayor of New York City is still far for Mamdani, with current NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Republican pick Curtis Silwa being the hurdles, the Tuesday results reflected a different story. Mamdani's win raised the question of whether a Democratic Socialist can lead New York City, the mecca of wealth and capitalism. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Apart from this, Mamdani's underdog win also highlighted the challenges establishment Democrats face with younger voters and working-class voters. It emerged as a learning experience for the party, providing it with a roadmap for future polls after witnessing an embarrassing defeat to the Republicans in the 2024 US Presidential Elections. More from United States Of America As Zohran Mamdani's socialist agenda wins in NYC, MAGA attacks him for his religion Socialist Robin Hood of Capitalist NYC Apart from his innovative short-form content, Mamdani stressed affordability in his progressive campaign. From promising rent freezes and free bus transit, child care, to forming government-run grocery stores, Mamdani laid out his policies with a pledge that New Yorkers would pay less. When his opponents hurled questions about how he would pay to actualise all his promises, Mamdani had one simple response: 'I'll pay for it by taxing the rich.' He made it clear that if he came to power, he would tax the rich and big businesses in a city with enormous wealth, including Wall Street. As per his manifesto, Mamdani wants to raise New York's corporate tax rates from 7.5 per cent to 11.5 per cent, which is not a novel concept. The tax rate will be the same as that of New Jersey. Apart from this, Mamdani wants to impose an additional 2 per cent surtax on New Yorkers making more than $1 million annually. So, how is Wall Street reacting to Mamdani's win? Meanwhile, Wall Street woke up on Wednesday to a volatile situation with Trump's deal with Iran and Israel and Mamdani's win. The self-proclaimed socialists' win in the primaries sent shockwaves through Midtown offices and downtown trading floors. Hedge fund managers, venture capitalists, and investment bankers are now confronting the possibility that a mayor hostile to their interests could be running NYC. Shares of New York-based banks exposed to real estate fell on Wednesday, with Flagstar Financial and Flushing Financial down 3.8 per cent and 3.4 per cent, respectively, Reuters reported. The capitalists in the city responded to Mamdani's win in panic. Several prominent financiers, including allies of Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams, began mobilising within hours of Mamdani's victory. As per the report, a group of hedge fund executives and real estate magnates are looking to raise $20 million to back independent or alternative candidates who could derail Mamdani's general election bid against Adams and Silva. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some capitalists in NYC are also persuading Cuomo to run independently. Interestingly, efforts are also being made to persuade Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa to step aside, opening doors for a possible Trump administration appointment. Lessons for Democrats It is pertinent to note that Tuesday's primary came almost one year after former US President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance against the current US President Donald Trump, which ultimately led to Trump's win in the 2024 race. Mamdani's performance reflected that Democrats need to get out of the old vanguard and rely on young faces. Many, like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, believed that Democrats lost the elections in 2024 because they abandoned the country's working class. Not only this, Latinos, Arabs and Muslims, who supported Democrats in the past, supported Trump in 2024, mainly because they believed Trump offered better economic policies than then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Ultimately, this section of the American political landscape witnessed betrayal with Trump's bizarre policies. In Mamdani's case, the 33-year-old Indian-origin Democrat maintained that he was working for the welfare of the working class. 'A party where we fight for working people with no apology,' Mamdani said during his victory speech. 'A life of dignity should not be reserved for a fortunate few. It should be one that the city government guarantees for every New Yorker.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hence, progressives like Mamdani can bring back the working-class voters Democrats lost in 2024. However, Republicans have often painted Mamdani as radical. Many have often called out his pro-Palestinian stance, some framing it as 'anti-semitic'. While Mamdani has spoken out against antisemitism in New York, his past positions on Israel, including declining to condemn pro-Palestinian rhetoric like 'globalise the intifada,' which some Jews see as a rallying cry for violence against them. Hence, politicians like Mamdani might not turn out to have an appetite for red and swing states. Hence, Democrats will have to maintain a fine balance. They have to reconnect with the working class, ensuring that the conservative vote won't run away. In regards to Mamdani, the popularity of his ideas will again be put to the test during the Mayoral General Elections in New York City.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Spring Valley 2025 primary elections: Who is running? Here are the details
SPRING VALLEY- Registered Democrats have long dominated Spring Valley's voting rolls, consistently ensuring Democrats win elections and control the government. The 2025 races for mayor, two seats on the Board of Trustees, and two judgeships most likely will be determined by the winners of the Democratic Party primaries on June 24. Alan Simon, the mayor since December 2017, declined to seek another four-year term. His decision opened the door for six candidates, including one Republican, to seek the mayor's office. Simon won a Democratic Party primary in 2017 against then-Mayor Demeza Delhomme before cruising to victory in November. Simon had a controversial two terms, with his public outbursts that included cursing and yelling at residents, trustees, and staff, as well as threats to fire government workers and police officers who refused his order to arrest people. During his tenure, the village government saw the Building Department taken over by the state for lack of enforcement. The county government now inspects and prosecutes violations of fire and safety codes. Early voting runs until June 22. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Primary Day. Seeking the Democratic ballot line on June 24 are Darnett Davis, Eudson Francois, Chrispin Eugene, Schenley Vital, and Noramie Jasmin. Seeking the Republican line are Davis and Aaron Stern. Spring Valley is a predominantly working-class village with pockets of families relying on social services and other government programs. The village comprises several voting blocs, including the Hasidic Jewish voters; Haitian and other voters who hail from Caribbean nations like Jamaica and Hispanic voters. Here's a look at the Democrats in the race: Darnett Davis has been an early childhood educator and the director of the Kidsnett Child Care Program for the past 12 years. She's a member of educational and civic groups, as well as the Finkelstein Memorial Library Board of Trustees. Eudson Francois is a former village trustee for four years who has since made unsuccessful runs for other offices, including for mayor against Simon and the New York State Assembly and Senate. Francois has said he works in the health care field, focusing on adult care. He's been a volunteer track coach for the East Ramapo Central School District. Spring Valley village government: Spring Valley Mayor Simon still banned from firing court clerk, NY appellate panel rules Chrispin Eugene is a small business owner. He lost a race for trustee in 2014. Schenley Vital is an attorney and former chair of the Clarkstown Democratic Committee and the Rockland Democratic Party. His LinkedIn page says he advises developers on local and state ordinances, codes, and regulations. Vital lives in Clarkstown and would have to move into Spring Valley if elected mayor. Noramie Jasmin is a former village mayor and trustee. She was convicted in 2015 of seeking a bribe for supporting a phony $12 million, a three-story community center, after being snared in an FBI sting operation involving a Monsey developer. Jasmin attempted a political comeback in 2021 when she lost a bid for mayor. Seeking the Republican ballot line are Davis, who is running on both lines, and Aaron Stern. Two seats are up for election, and the two top vote-getters win the primary. A seat opened up when Trustee Asher Grossman, who works in insurance, declined to seek another term after 12 years in office. Trustee Joseph Gross, a former aide to Delhomme, Spring Valley's former mayor, is seeking re-election to a second term. Also running are former trustee Sherry McGill and Yakov Yosef Kaufman, who is active in the Orthodox Jewish community and is a member of Chaverim of Rockland, a volunteer emergency services organization that helps residents in need and works with the police. Gross, Kaufman, and Vital have met with Hasidic rabbinical leaders to seek the community's vote. Photos of them with some of the leaders have been published by local blogs. McGill is a math teacher with a master's degree in special education who serves on the East Ramapo Board of Education and several community organizations. So far, there are no Republicans on the November ballot. Three candidates are running for two village justice seats: incumbents James Mellion and Justin Sweet, and Ariel Dahan. Mellion is a longtime attorney in Rockland, having worked as a prosecutor and defense lawyer. Sweet is a former Clarkstown town clerk. Dahan is an attorney who lost a bid for the Rockland Legislature in 2023 on the GOP line. Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@ Twitter: @lohudlegal. Read more articles and bio. Our local coverage is only possible with support from our readers. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Spring Valley's 2025 primary elections are on June 23: Who's running?
