Metro-East congressional race could spell trouble for Democrats

By Rich Miller

A new poll taken last week has Republican congressional candidate Jason Plummer leading his new Democratic challenger by 11 points. The poll, taken Monday, July 9, by We Ask America, found Plummer ahe

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, July 5,2012

Closing in on Rep. Derrick Smith

By Rich Miller

Finally, a little bit of good news.In stark contrast to the glacially paced House Committee on Investigations, the panel charged with deciding indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith’s punishment look

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, June 28,2012

Legislators thought they had a deal to keep prisons open

By Rich Miller

Several Downstate Illinois legislators were furious last week that Gov. Pat Quinn decided to go ahead and close some state facilities, including prisons, in their districts. They weren’t just up

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, June 21,2012

Labor gives Democrats a slap on the wrist

By Rich Miller

Only a handful of state House Democratic incumbents targeted for defeat by the Republicans were endorsed by the Illinois AFL-CIO last week, but the damage to the Democratic Party’s chances this

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, June 14,2012

The Senate President’s quiet accomplishments

By Rich Miller

It went almost totally unnoticed at the Statehouse, but Senate President John Cullerton pulled a neat little trick at the end of the spring legislative session and he may end up getting what he wants

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, June 7,2012

Summer pension session unnecessary. Leaders will decide.

By Rich Miller

At least for now, it doesn’t appear that rank and file legislators will have to spend much time in Springfield this summer, even though they failed to finish their work on public pension reform

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, May 31,2012

Cigarette taxes and the Republican right

By Rich Miller

As state legislative support for a cigarette tax hike grew in late May, anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist and other conservatives stepped into the Illinois fray.A top House Republican said over a week

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, May 24,2012

Quinn may be softening on gambling expansion

By Rich Miller

An often tense and confrontational meeting over gaming expansion last week ended with Gov. Pat Quinn not explicitly saying “no” to adding slot machines at horse racing tracks. That might b

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, May 17,2012

Cullerton may end legislative session May 31

By Rich Miller

Senate President John Cullerton has been telling some of his members for weeks that he was resigned to an overtime session. The General Assembly likely wouldn’t be able to adjourn by the schedul

Politics - Rich Miller | Thursday, May 10,2012

Smith may give us an embarrassing circus

By Rich Miller

Call it “Blagojevich Lite,” or whatever else you want, but it became pretty darned clear last week that state Rep. Derrick Smith’s attorneys are planning the same sort of mockery of