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| STRATTON: The lt. (not deputy) governor |
For
Gov.-elect Pritzker on Thursday announced his choice for deputy governor.
ACTUALLY,
HIS CHOICES. For Pritzker has decided he wants to have three people serving in
the post.
One
of them is one-time Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, who himself tried running
for governor back in 2010, but lost the Democratic primary to Pat Quinn and
hasn’t held elective office since – although he is a part of the Democratic
National Committee.
Another
is state Rep. Christian Mitchell, D-Chicago, who also has held positions within
the Illinois Democratic Party structure, and former Chicago Board of Education Vice
President (and Illinois State Board of Education chairman) Jesse Ruiz.
News reports took the angle that Pritzker
picked a trio of political heavyweights who will assist him in governing
Illinois. Although I have to admit; seeing a trio of consisting of a white,
Irish politico from a family with long-standing ties to the Chicago political
scene, an African-American legislator with his own ties, and a Mexican-American
with his own political aspirations makes me think this is more about creating
the impression of a racially, ethnically mixed vision of politics.
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| HYNES: Back in state govt. (sort of) |
I MIGHT BE offended at such blatant use of
race to try to score political points (although I’m sure some will wonder where’s
an Asian to throw into the mix). But then again, I remember this is merely for
deputy governor.
Which is one of those posts that has no
real assigned duties, and is more about rewarding people with a position that
sounds (sort of) that it has something significant about it.
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| MITCHELL: Continuing rise to top |
If anything, being deputy governor is even
lower on the political food chain than being lieutenant governor – which is an
Illinois Constitution-mandated position and has the task of being the one who
gets called upon to take over state government in the event a replacement is
needed.
That is the role that Juliana Stratton was
chosen for in last month’s elections.
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| RUIZ: Part of a multi-ethnic trio |
DEPUTY GOVERNOR IS not a post that puts
Hynes, Mitchell or Ruiz on track to become – in the event of a tragedy –
Illinois governor. It’s a reward for past favors done for Pritzker.
Or perhaps it’s meant to give them the
impression of significance without actually having any real responsibilities.
Not that I’m saying Pritzker is doing
something inappropriate by picking the trio of politicos for the post. Keep in
mind how soon-to-be-former Gov. Bruce Rauner used the position.
For he had a deputy governor when, in
2017, he decided to have another. With that person being Leslie Munger.
SHE WAS THE woman whom Rauner tried to
make Illinois Comptroller following the death of Judy Baar Topinka. But the
special election to pick a replacement wound up giving us Susana Mendoza, a
Democrat, instead.
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| MUNGER: A consolation prize |
Rauner wound up giving Munger the deputy
governor post as a consolation prize of sorts. And now, she’s being replaced by
the political equivalent of the United Colors of Benetton. All about creating
an impression of inclusion within Illinois government – regardless of how
Pritzker actually intends to conduct himself as governor during the next four
years.
If anything, the most significant
appointment Pritzker made Thursday was that of Alexis Sturm as state budget
director. She’ll be the one who has to oversee the details of putting together
a state budget for Pritzker come 2019.
Sturm was a financial advisor on Mendoza’s
staff as Illinois Comptroller, which could make her the personal tie between
the mayor’s office and the governor – IF Mendoza actually manages to prevail in
the February and April municipal elections to become the “big boss” at City Hall.
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