A rendering of a White Sox stadium at The 78 site with additional development. (Credit: Related Midwest)
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Should the former governor succeed, a nonbinding referendum would ask Chicago voters on Nov. 5: “Shall the people of Chicago provide any taxpayer subsidies to the Chicago Bears or the White Sox in order to build a stadium or a real estate development?”

Former Gov. Pat Quinn, a Democrat from Chicago, is pictured at a state Capitol news conference Tuesday, March 5, 2024, to promote ethics reforms. He and Republican Rep. Ryan Spain, of Peoria, spoke in favor of a constitutional amendment that would allow citizens to propose ethics-related constitutional amendments on the ballot through petitions. (Peter Hancock / Capitol News Illinois)

A Republican proposal that would give citizens the ability to propose ethics-related constitutional amendments on the ballot received a bipartisan boost Tuesday when former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn endorsed it.

Former Gov. Bruce Rauner, now a Florida resident, unveils his official portrait before it is hung on the wall of the Illinois State Capitol on June 12, 2023. (Jerry Nowicki / Capitol News Illinois)

The Winnetka Republican-turned-Florida resident on Monday unveiled the portrait painted by Chicago Artist Richard Halstead and privately funded by Rauner. He downplayed the artwork as “not that big a deal” and declined to stray far from a message of “thanks” to the people of Illinois.

Former Gov. Pat Quinn holds up a flyer from one of his first campaigns to change Illinois laws. (Heather Cherone / WTTW News)

The former governor said he will instead focus on reform efforts designed to expand the initiative effort. Instead, Quinn said he would focus on efforts to beef up the ability of voters to reform Illinois government through the initiative and referendum process.

Chicago City Hall. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Ten major candidates have already launched campaigns to deny Mayor Lori Lightfoot a second term. 

Mayor Lori Lightfoot (WTTW News)

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott are trading barbs over buses of migrants sent to Chicago. Our politics team weighs in on that story and more.

A shot from a new campaign video released by Ald. Sophia King. (Friends of Sophia King)

Chicago residents aren’t used to having a lot of options when an incumbent mayor is running for re-election, but so far eight candidates have declared they’re running.

(WTTW News)

There were no major surprises as the window closed, with no big names mounting a surprise challenge to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker. With Petersburg’s Jesse Sullivan getting his petitions in before the 5 p.m. deadline, all five of the high-profile Republicans seeking their party’s nomination for governor have filed to run in what’s expected to be a contentious race.

The former Illinois governor joins us to discuss his campaign to set a two-term limit for Chicago mayors.

State Sen. Kwame Raoul participates in a Chicago Tonight candidate forum March 12, 2018.

State Sen. Kwame Raoul has won a hard-fought race against a crowded field of eight candidates vying to be the Democratic nominee for Illinois attorney general. He will face political neophyte and former Miss America Erika Harold who won the GOP nomination.

Democratic candidates for attorney general raise their hands Monday on “Chicago Tonight” in response to Carol Marin’s question, “Should Mike Madigan step down as chairman of the Democratic Party?”

Political leaders of the fabled Chicago Democratic machine have lost public support from a group of lawyers, one of whom may in the near future be well-placed to do more than just talk about rooting out corruption.

Meet the eight Democrats running for Illinois attorney general Monday during a special hourlong episode of “Chicago Tonight.” Watch the full video.

Portrait of former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn by artist William T. Chambers.

Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday left his mark on the Illinois State Capitol – with the unveiling of his official portrait.

(Chicago Tonight)

A second judge has tossed a case brought by former Gov. Pat Quinn calling for the Chicago Board of Education to be transformed into an elected body.

State Rep. Rob Martwick, D-Chicago (Chicago Tonight)

Calls for an elected Board of Education in Chicago are nothing new, but a pair of current and former politicians are continuing their efforts to end mayoral control over the city's seven-member board.

Former Gov. Pat Quinn is one of seven plaintiffs in a pair of civil suits filed this week calling for an end to mayoral control of the Chicago Board of Education.
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Pat Quinn is among seven plaintiffs who have filed suits in Cook County and federal courts, claiming the law granting Chicago’s mayor authority to appoint board members violates city residents’ due process and voting rights.