May 23, 2007
DEMOCRATS LAUGH ABOUT SQUABBLING REPUBLICANS

ANALYSIS & OPINION BY RUSS STEWART

One of the constants of both political and military strategy is the presumption that the enemy of one's enemy is an ally and friend.

But Republican officials in Chicago and Cook County are intent on disproving that supposition. For some, the (Republican) enemies of their enemy (the Democrats) are their enemies. With scandals rife, indictments legion and disarray epidemic among Democrats in Chicago, Cook County and in state government, Republicans are taking advantage of the political opportunity by doing what they do best, namely, fighting each other.

To date, there have been 44 convictions in the federal Hired Truck Program scandal, and the March indictment of former city Department of Streets and Sanitation commissioner Al Sanchez brings the proverbial noose closer to Mayor Rich Daley's neck. In addition, the U.S. Attorney's Office is engaged in investigations of alleged misdeeds in county and state government. If there's corruption in government, it's the Democrats who are corrupt.

Yet Republicans are offering a feeble, if not invisible, alternative.

Here's an early look at contests in 2008 and 2010:

Governor (2010): Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich proposed a $7 billion tax hike, including a new gross receipts tax and a payroll tax increase. Republicans are supposed to be the party that opposes tax hikes and spending increases, but, with a 52-66 minority in the Illinois House and a 22-37 minority in the Illinois Senate, they are irrelevant. Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan will take credit for killing the Blagojevich tax, and thereby reap a flood of business contributions.

Democratic legislators are now pondering a "no growth" 2008 budget, which means no additional spending for health care, education and pensions. Black and white liberal Democrats are already grumbling. Blagojevich has pledged not to increase the state's income tax or sales tax, and there will be no spurt in revenue unless the gross receipts tax, a payroll tax, pension obligation bonds or a lottery lease are passed. We may soon be treated to the spectacle of Blagojevich and the liberals berating Madigan for "balancing the budget on the backs of the poor" -- rhetoric usually reserved for Republicans. Ed Vrdolyak's recent indictment highlights corruption in state government, and it may foreshadow more scandals.

Jockeying in Springfield is all about 2010, when state Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the speaker's daughter, will challenge Blagojevich in the Democratic primary for governor. The governor's proposals, if passed, would generate $33 billion in new revenue, of which $26 billion would go to state pensions, with $1.5 billion for education and $1.5 billion for road construction. That would make the teachers' lobby and organized labor very happy, and they would reciprocate with money and endorsements for Blagojevich in 2010.

But the speaker doesn't want Blagojevich to succeed and be flush with money. A state fiscal meltdown means a Blagojevich political meltdown. As the newly minted "pro-business" speaker, Madigan will run his daughter as the pro-business candidate for governor in 2010.

As for the Republicans, they have one fervent prayer: Let Blagojevich be the 2010 Democratic nominee. An election with an incumbent is always a referendum on the incumbent, and Blagojevich is far more beatable than Lisa Madigan.

The Republican field for 2010 is distinctly unimposing, containing four losers: state Senator Bill Brady (R-44) of Bloomington, who got 18.4 percent of the vote in the 2006 governor's primary; state Senator Dan Rutherford (R-53) of Pontiac, who got 33.1 of the vote percent in the 2006 contest for secretary of state; wealthy businessman Ron Gidwitz of Chicago, who spent $7.2 million, loaned himself $4 million and got 10.2 percent of the vote in the 2006 governor's primary; dairy magnate Jim Oberweis of Aurora, who lost primaries for senator in 2002 (31.5 percent of the vote) and 2004 (23.6 percent) and for governor in 2006 (31.8 percent); and Illinois House Republican leader Tom Cross (R-84) of Plainfield, who has been neither seen nor heard in the current tax hike debate.

Cross and Gidwitz currently are active in Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign.

The outlook: The 2010 Republican nomination may be worth having. If Madigan and Blagojevich each spend $25 million ravaging each other, and if an unpopular Democrat is in the White House, a Republican could be elected Illinois' governor.

Cook County State's Attorney (2008): Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica got 547,225 votes (46 percent of the total) in his 2006 race for Cook County Board president in 2006, losing to Democrat Todd Stroger. He carried 12 Chicago wards and 23 suburban townships, and he got 31.5 percent of the city vote and 59.6 percent of the suburban vote.

Since November Peraica has been Stroger's most vociferous critic, voting against his budget and claiming that "one family" -- meaning the Daleys -- "run the entire operation" in the city and the county. "I am a majority of one, and I will continue to fight for the taxpayers," Peraica said.

To maintain his visibility and to give himself a platform to continue to criticize county government, Peraica is going to run for state's attorney in 2008, challenging incumbent Democrat Dick Devine. "There is corruption throughout county government, but there is no prosecution," said Peraica, who will rip Devine as oblivious to the corruption. Peraica doesn't expect to win, but he'll keep his name before the public.

Cook County Board President (2010): Peraica and fellow Commissioner Liz Gorman are positioning themselves to run against Stroger in 2010. They detest each other. Gorman is the Orland Township Republican committeeman, and Peraica is the Lyons Township committeeman. Gorman was elected the Cook County Republican chairman in February after Gary Skoien resigned. Peraica backed Tom Swiss for the job. Peraica said that in county board budget votes, Gorman "is in Stroger's pocket."

"She is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Democratic Party," Peraica said. "She will not end the practice of Republicans shilling for Democrats," meaning nominating Republicans who wage non-campaigns against Democrats. Peraica also accused Gorman of trying to defeat him for re-election as county commissioner in 2006 in the 16th District (Berwyn and western suburbs): "She and her ally, Vrdolyak, funded and backed my opponent," said Peraica, who defeated Democrat Bill Gomolinski by 845 votes, with 50.6 percent of the total. "That's a lie," Gorman responded.

"I voted for a $3 billion county budget, which erased the $500 million deficit without raising taxes and eliminated 2,193 positions," retorted Gorman. "Tony voted against that budget, and had no alternative to offer. He is nonsensical, ill spirited and forever grandstanding. Tony is concerned only about advancing Tony, not building the Republican Party." Gorman said that she has been a lifelong Republican, while Peraica ran for office three times as a Democrat.

After her election as chairman, Gorman quickly ousted two Chicago ward committeemen appointed by Skoien: Eloise Gerson in the Gold Coast 42nd Ward and Kent Griffiths in the Wicker Park/Bucktown 32nd Ward. Both backed Swiss, and both are Peraica allies. Under party by-laws, an appointed committeeman can be removed at any time by the chairman.

A graphic example of Republican idiocy is the 42nd Ward. Gerson replaced Rich Gordon, who resigned. Gordon ran for 42nd Ward alderman in 2003 and got 44 percent of the vote. The 42nd Ward delivered 11,696 votes to George Bush in 2004, his second-best ward in the city, and it produced 10,972 votes for Bush in 2000, again his second-best. According to Gerson, Gorman asked her for her vote for chairman but she demurred, saying that she was committed to Swiss. 

Gerson said that her "unappointment" was punishment for opposing Gorman. "She told me that the numbers in the ward have declined," Gerson said. "That's absurd. They've improved." According to a Gorman spokesman, Gerson was ousted because the ward's "vote count was down and there were no precinct captains, no events and no organization meetings." Responded Gerson: "That's an absolute lie. She spoke at our meetings. She knows we have a viable organization."

Gerson's replacement is Susan Simmons, the wife of Craig Simmons, a disgruntled Gordon supporter who was defeated by Gordon for committeeman in 2004 by 1,124-754. "She (Gorman) said that she wanted party unity (for the February election)," Gerson said. "She is fomenting party disunity. She is trying to destroy our organization."

Gerson had a recent open house at her headquarters, is president of the 42nd Ward Republican Organization, and will run for committeeman in 2008 against Simmons. Gorman has done what 42nd Ward Democrats have been unable to do: permanently divide the ward's Republicans. Instead of battling Democrats, they battle each other.

This squabbling is all about 2010. Gorman wants to build a base to defeat Peraica in a Republican primary for county board president. Republicans can ill afford, among themselves, to divide and conquer. There's not much to divide. Understandably, Democrats sneer at the Republicans' stupidity.