GOP Shouldn't Fall for the Madigan Trap
Former House Speaker Michael Madigan leaves federal court Wednesday. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
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OPINION
A federal judge this week pushed former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial from April to October while the U.S. Supreme Court reviews a case that could impact some of the bribery charges against the former powerful fixture in Illinois politics.
The trial will obviously dominate the news, especially in Chicago and the suburbs, and in the weeks between the start of the trial and the November 5 general election, some obtuse political consultant will recommend GOP candidates make Madigan a key figure of their closing messages.
After years of trying…and failing…to make Madigan the core issue of the GOP message, Republicans need to do everything they can not to fall into that trap when they’ll likely be scraping and clawing to keep seats in the House and desperately trying to sneak a pickup in the Senate by the time pumpkins are on every front porch.
Many Republican friends point to the fact that Republicans did attack Madigan in 2014 when Bruce Rauner won the Governor’s office, though he faced an objectively terrible incumbent in Pat Quinn and GOP coattails around the country played more of a role in any gains than Madigan. Rauner also piled cash against Quinn, a luxury no Republican in the state will have this fall.
If you think voters really care that now-Speaker Chris Welch helped derail an investigation into Madigan in 2020 or Madigan funneled campaign cash to Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) in 2018 and Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville) in 2020, you’re kidding yourself.
Illinois voters have essentially turned a blind eye to corruption. There were obviously the Ryan and Blagojevich cases, which were high profile and dramatic. We’ve seen corruption clearly doesn’t move voters and the public is so tuned out from news coverage that it’s hard to imagine the corruption trial of a guy who has been out of office for more than three years really breaks through in the fall of 2024.
If politicians thought the public really gives a damn about corruption, Senate President Don Harmon would have lifted a finger to get Martin Sandoval, Terry Link, Tom Cullerton, or Emil Jones III, all indicted on his watch, out of the Senate.
Republicans win by localizing issues, especially next year. They have to distance themselves from Donald Trump, especially in the suburbs, and keep from getting bogged down in abortion or divisive social issues. Issues like the economy, inflation, crime, and immigration move voters. Cultural warfare won’t win. Issues that matter to pocketbooks and families will.
Avoid Madigan at all costs.