The trend in special elections across the country over the past several months has shown spiking Democratic turnout and tanking Republican turnout.

As billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker told me in a post-election interview, “a whole bunch of money does not a good candidate make.”

Total spending, including the race for the open state comptroller position, was at $5.5 million for the calendar year.

We’ve had a problem in this country and in this state with hallucinatory campaigns that go beyond the normal campaign fibs for a very long time.

Pritzker’s contribution to Margaret Croke’s comptroller campaign has ignited a debate among Democratic candidates over independence, loyalty and the proper relationship between the state’s fiscal watchdog and the governor’s office.

Emily Smith got her start managing at Logan Junior High when the Lions coach asked her about managing for her classmates in the seventh grade. She first worked for the PHS girls, then split her duties with the boys team her senior year and hasn’t stopped since nor plans to

The teachers unions decried the state for not living up to its Evidence Based Funding law, which was supposed to bring all schools up to 90% “adequate” funding levels by next year.

Forty Democratic members of the Illinois House and Senate have been meeting weekly to come up with a plan to find some government efficiencies and create new revenue streams to help the state meet its obligations.

Ryne Bird, a former Princeton standout and Bloomington High School assistant coach has been around wrestling long enough on the mats and in the coaching box to know that state-qualifying matches are being contested around the state this weekend.