Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, December 20,2012

Carry debate carries on

Before last Friday’s horrific school shooting in Connecticut, people on both sides of the concealed carry debate were saying privately that they did not expect Attorney General Lisa Madigan woul

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, December 13,2012

Facts about State senator’s bust for carrying

By Rich Miller

One of the most fascinating things about the media frenzy surrounding state Sen. Donne Trotter’s arrest last week was that not one of his Democratic 2nd Congressional District opponents immediat

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, December 6,2012

Driver’s license bill revived by huge Latino vote

By Rich Miller

Five years ago, most Illinois House Republicans, including House GOP Leader Tom Cross, voted against a bill which would’ve allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain state driver’s licenses

Politics - Rich Miller | Wednesday, November 21,2012

Fahner goes too far trashing pension reform

By Rich Miller

For the past few years, the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago has been one of the most feared participants in the state’s pension reform debate.Ty Fahner, a former Illinois attor

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, November 15,2012

Latino voting soars in Illinois

By Rich Miller

Back in 1992, Latinos made up about 8 percent of Illinois’ population, yet only 1 percent of that year’s total Election Day voter pool was Latino. The trend continued for years. Latinos ju

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, November 8,2012

Madigan machine moves heaven and earth

By Rich Miller

There’s nothing quite like the spectacle of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan when he’s out to get somebody.Just ask state Rep. Skip Saviano, R-Elmwood Park.The two men used to be all

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, November 1,2012

Illinois’ escalating super PAC arms race

By Rich Miller

Independent expenditures in state legislative races are closing in on the $2 million mark since July 1, with most of that spending coming in the month of October, Illinois State Board of Elections rec

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, October 25,2012

Third-party candidates even lose to jailbirds

By Rich Miller

Ever since I published a poll last month showing indicted former state Rep. Derrick Smith, D-Chicago, leading third party candidate Lance Tyson in the 10th Illinois House District race by a mind-boggl

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, October 18,2012

Campaign committees dodge money cap law

By Rich Miller

One way of getting around the state’s new campaign contribution caps is by forming a lot of different campaign committees. State law forbids people from forming more than one committee (except f

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, October 11,2012

Presidential race bloopers trickle down

By Rich Miller

There’s not a lot that a state legislative candidate can do when his or her party’s presidential nominee starts to tank. The presidential race drives turnout to the point where down-ballot