THE ILLINOIZE: Vaccinations at nursing homes picking up, politicians still squabbling...Could a census data delay benefit Republicans?...State losing population, but burbs grow...
THE ILLINOIZE: Vaccinations at nursing homes picking up, politicians still squabbling...Could a census data delay benefit Republicans?...State losing population, but burbs grow...More Guard troops to DC
January 29, 2021
Good morning.
It’s another Friday and just a fraction of the state population has been vaccinated for COVID-19. Just 7% of the population has received the vaccine, but there should be more shots coming after President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act.
Walgreens is reporting significant progress in its vaccination of long term care facilities, but Republicans are slamming the governor for the slow rollout.
Meanwhile, a delay in census data has left Republicans feeling like they could be in a strong strategic position to redraw district maps later this year.
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MORE LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES GETTING VACCINATIONS
As you likely know by now, the federal government (under the previous administration) contracted with giant pharmacy companies Walgreens and CVS to provide COVID-19 vaccines in long term care facilities (both traditional “skilled” nursing facilities and assisted living facilities).
Rollout has been slow across the country, and after taking jabs at the progress earlier this week, Governor JB Pritzker signaled Thursday progress was being made.
“I’ve spoken recently with leaders at the two pharmacy companies that are doing that vaccination effort across the state. They’re working hard to complete that. They’ve agreed that they will complete the first round of assisted living sites by February 15th, about two weeks from now,” Pritzker said at a vaccination site in suburban Cicero.
But Walgreens told us yesterday the first dose had been given to every nursing home resident in the state it was contracted to serve. It said it was done with about 56% of assisted living facilities.
CVS didn’t get back to us.
Adding another layer, the Senate Republican caucus sent Pritzker a letter yesterday asking for more details about the rollout and criticizing what they called his “go-it-alone” approach.
Pritzker’s response hit the same refrains as usual, he criticized the Trump administration and said they were making progress with the resources they had.
Add the fact the SGOP has added Pritzker PITA (I’ll let you Google that) Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) to their ranks, my guess is the heat will ratchet up between McConchie, Bailey, and the rest of the Senate GOP over the next few weeks and months.
GOP MAY CAPITALIZE ON DELAYED CENSUS DATA
In 2011, I was on House staff doing legislative and political work for then-State Rep. Jason Barickman. Barickman had been appointed to his seat in January and Democrats controlled the remap process. We had no idea what it held for him. He got drawn out of his House district, ended up running for Senate, and we beat an incumbent by almost 20 points.
Republicans like Barickman were shut out of the entire remap process in 2011 and were bound to be shut out again in 2021 as Democrats control the Governor’s office and both houses of the General Assembly. But a statement by a U.S. Census Bureau official Wednesday that census data for redistricting potentially wouldn’t be available until around July 31.
The maps are usually passed by May 31 and are required to constitutionally by June 30.
So, the Census Bureau delays could completely throw the process into a tailspin. Including, potentially, delaying the March primary.
“I think that’s on the table,” Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) said. “I think this information is still so new from the Census Bureau, we’re going to verify the time frame that they’ve indicated. And obviously we can’t change the deadlines in the constitution (for passing the map). We certainly could change the schedule for the primary season. If making changes to the primary schedule gives us an opportunity to develop a map that’s based on independent principles and takes us away from partisan gerrymandering, then that time is worth it.”
Republicans hope the potential delay gives them a seat at the table, especially as both Governor JB Pritzker and new House Speaker Chris Welch have said they want a fairer map process.
ABOUT POPULATION…
Part of what makes the redistricting process so difficult is the population shifts around the state.
The Aurora Beacon-News/Chicago Tribune have a story about how the state lost population and only nine of 102 counties actually saw population increases. (Hint: Cook isn’t one of them).
They are:
Champaign
DuPage
Grundy
Kane
Kendall
McLean
Monroe
McLean
Will
Williamson
The population loss, by the way, is one of the reasons the state is losing a congressional seat.
MORE GUARD TO DC
Governor JB Pritzker has deployed an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington, DC in upgraded security around the U.S. Capitol.
To the men and women of the Illinois National Guard: thanks for your service.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy Birthday today to former State Representative Julie Hamos, who was later Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
Former Senator Donne Trotter celebrates tomorrow.
(By the way, send us your staff lists or friends if you’d like them added to the birthday list: patrick@theillinoize.com)
ONE LAST THING
Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) has been a hot topic in my inbox from you all over the last couple of weeks. I’m an admitted Kinzinger fan who has been frustrated with the national GOP and appreciate his honesty and toughness.
Interesting though to see noted conservative outlet (not) The Atlantic do a profile on Kinzinger. Enjoy.
Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful weekend.