| | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | TGIF, Illinois. And cheers to the month of February.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | 
DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick in Wheaton in 2022. | Charles Rex Arbogast/AP | AND SO IT BEGINS: DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick took the low-key approach to roll out his announcement that he’s running for the Republican nomination for governor in 2026. It was a message on Facebook. And it created plenty of buzz. Mendrick’s been receiving calls and emails ever since, including donation offers. It's still in the works. Mendrick doesn’t even have a campaign manager yet. His wife, a psychiatric nurse, filled the role in his two bids for sheriff, “but this will be too big for her to do alone so we’re going to figure all that out this weekend,” he said in an interview with your Playbook host. Mendrick doesn't have Ken Griffin or Dan Proft working behind the scenes for him. And didn’t even think to call Republican Chair Kathy Salvi before he made his announcement. “I did not plan on running for sure,” Mendrick said. He made the surprise move after choosing not to leave Illinois because he didn’t like how it’s being run. He’s now staying put in Woodridge after his 25-year-old son said he wasn't budging. Mendrick and his wife also have a 22-year-old son with autism and are active in the disability community, he said. His campaign should be taken seriously, according to a GOP insider we talked to. Mendrick has been a police officer since 1996, following in the footsteps of his father. He’s been sheriff since 2018. Now, instead of retiring outright, he’s going to enter the state’s biggest political ring: the governor’s race. It doesn’t scare him. Mendrick currently oversees the county-wide correctional facility, where he says he sees first-hand how crime and immigration has challenged the state. Mendrick is focused on the SAFE-T Act. He disagrees with letting potential offenders out on bail instead of letting them clean up their addictions and get mental health assistance in jail. “I do believe that we’re doing God’s work,” he said. The sheriff opposes the state’s TRUST Act, which makes Illinois a sanctuary state. He calls it an “unfunded mandate” that prompts new immigrants from all over the country to move to Illinois, putting a strain on services. As for the state budget, Mendrick says, “I very much believe everything should be done within our economic footprint. You should never go outside what you can afford.” His politics: “I’m a Republican with a lot of conservative values,” Mendrick said, adding he doesn’t want to be labeled in a political way, though his social media posts suggest he leans far right. “It’s hard to be a slave to the politics,” he said. “It’s just about doing the right thing.” Mendrick is the first Republican officially in the race, but there will be others. Aaron Del Mar, a 2022 lieutenant governor candidate, is mulling a bid. Also mulling: Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker has yet to announce whether he’ll run for a third term in 2026 — and/or if he’ll make a run for president in 2028.
| | THE BUZZ | | FULL-COURT PRESS: Gov. JB Pritzker and nearly all of the Democratic congressional delegation will headline a press briefing this morning pushing back at Republican efforts in Washington to cut Medicaid. Medicaid covers 3.4 million Illinoisans, or about 25 percent of the state’s population, including 1.4 million children, according to the governor’s office. Today’s briefing in Illinois comes on the heels of a memo circulated in Washington that urges Democrats to zero in on messaging: “It is critical that you make the damaging local impacts of this legislation real for the people you represent,” via POLITICO. Why it resonates: Democrats in Washington see health care and Medicaid as issues that matter to voters. They see it as a powerful weapon in attacking President Donald Trump and his Republican majorities in Congress. IN WASHINGTON, Republicans say states are pulling a fast one on Medicaid, by POLITICO’s Robert King TV ALERT: Gov. JB Pritzker is featured on “The View” this morning (it was pre-taped). ALSO SPEAKING OUT Duckworth lays into Trump over veteran layoffs: 'It’s a middle finger to our heroes:' During a Thursday town hall, Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran and double amputee, spoke at a town hall with veterans who lost their jobs due to DOGE. Duckworth accused Trump of firing more veterans from federal jobs than any previous president. "It's a middle finger to our heroes," she said. "It's a slap to the face of the sacrifices our veterans have made," via Fox 32. — Side note: Duckworth is USA Today’s Women of the Year honoree for Illinois, via the Rockford Register Star’s Christina Avery Chicago Women In Trades files lawsuit challenging Trump’s ‘anti-diversity’ executive orders: “The nonprofit argues that President Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders are sowing confusion and stifling free speech,” by the Block Club’s Stephen Montemayor. Chicago employees of kneecapped federal consumer watchdogs beg the public: 'Step in and protect us': “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has all but ceased enforcement since the Trump administration ordered employees to stop working earlier in February,” by the Sun-Times’ David Struett. Mark Ishaug, Thresholds’ president and CEO, sounded an alarm on the impact of potential Medicaid cuts on Chicago’s most vulnerable populations, via CBS 2. If you are Ken Griffin, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S JB | | At UI Mile Square Health Center at 10:30 a.m. to advocate against potential cuts to Medicaid
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | No official public events
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | Donald Trump's unprecedented effort to reshape the federal government is consuming Washington. To track this seismic shift, we're relaunching one of our signature newsletters. Sign up to get West Wing Playbook: Remaking Government in your inbox. | | | | | | | ELECTION RESULTS | | — IN PEORIA | 'Full of gratitude': Peoria Mayor Rita Ali comfortably wins primary: Ali and at-large City Councilmember John Kelly have secured their spots as Peoria's mayoral candidates in April's general election after emerging as the top two vote-getters in Tuesday night's primary, by the Peoria Journal Star’s JJ Bullock. — Rockford elects 21 year old to City Council, by the Rockford Register Star’s Jeff Kolkey
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Legislation aims to help first-time homebuyers: “Bill would create tax deductible accounts to save for down payments,” by Capitol News’ Peter Hancock and Jade Aubrey — Dozens of Illinois communities vote to reinstate grocery tax, more expected to follow, by WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky — Toll road text scam: Illinois residents targeted by fake payment demands, by Fox 32’s Cody King (I got one, too!) — OPINION: Ray LaHood and James Nowlan: Extreme gerrymandering is as bad as old white-only primaries, via the Tribune
| | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | | 
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton speaks to supporters of her new PAC. | Photo provided | — Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton drew a crowd of Democratic donors and leaders to Taste 222 on Thursday for a fundraising launch party for her Level Up political action committee ahead of a potential Senate run. In the room: Gov. JB Pritzker, who addressed the crowd along with Stratton, first Lady MK Pritzker, City Clerk Anna Valencia, Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon, Board of Review Commissioner Larry Rogers, entrepreneur Pete Kadens, SPAAN Tech CEO Smita Shah, Clayco’s Michael Fassnacht, Illinois Democratic County Chairs President Mark Guethle, Point of Difference Strategies’ Lisa Duarte, attorney Patrick Croke, World Business Chicago’s Charles Smith, Choose Chicago’s Rich Gamble, 43rd Ward Committeewoman Lucy Moog, Conlon Public Strategies’ Kevin Conlon and GBE Group’s Glen Eden.
| | CHICAGO | | — NEW: From boxing flame-out to center of the ring: Ramirez-Rosa picked for Chicago's new parks boss: “Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa is Mayor Brandon Johnson’s choice to replace Rosa Escareno as superintendent of the Chicago Park District,” by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman. — Chicago faith and civic leaders encourage people to participate in nationwide ‘Blackout Friday,’ by the Tribune’s Carolyn Stein — Little ‘Blue Lobsters’ washing up on Chicago beaches are the Great Lakes’ most successful invaders, by WTTW’s Patty Wetli — Lem's Bar-B-Q named 'America's Classic' by James Beard Awards Foundation, by the Sun-Times’ Stefano Esposito
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Bears to submit traffic and financial studies for Arlington Heights stadium site, official says: “Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes said that reports from local real estate agents that the team had reached a deal to build a new enclosed stadium are ‘speculation,’” by the Tribune’s Robert McCoppin. — Mundelein mayoral candidates spurn Trump on mass deportations, say police shouldn’t assist ICE, by the Daily Herald's Russell Lissau
| | Reader Digest | | We asked what you learned from a failure. Michael Gascoigne: “I failed to accept myself as gay until age 26, which impacted me personally and professionally. Through that, I learned to love myself and others as they are.” Charles Keller: “That college isn't the only way forward in life. Matter of fact it's not even the preferred way.” Elizabeth Nachtwey: "Ignoring my gut instincts led to a costly failure, reinforcing the importance of trusting them." Kathy Posner: "Lending a friend $5,000, which they never repaid, destroyed our friendship. Now when asked for a loan, I give a smaller amount and treat it as a gift, not a loan." Patricia Ann Watson: “After learning from experience, I try to avoid anger, pity, blaming, feeling ashamed because I don’t want to miss the good ‘fleeting moments.’” Next question: What corporate (government) buzzword phrase has to go? Email skapos@politico.com
| | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | — Congressman Eric Sorensen’s guest for the State of the Union address will be James Diaz, a resident of Monmouth, Ill., and a disabled veteran and former fuel compliance officer with the IRS. “He was unexpectedly laid off” this month by the Trump administration, according to Sorensen’s team. — Congressmen Mike Quigley (IL-05), as a co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, reintroduced legislation to rename a section of the street near the Russian Ambassador to the United States’ residence as “Alexei Navalny Way.” Before his suspicious death. The bill was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Dick Durbin.
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — The turbulent rise of Indiana’s Victoria Spartz, the biggest threat to Mike Johnson’s speakership, by POLITICO’s Adam Wren — MAGA hat drama could taint Trump’s top military adviser pick, by POLITICO’s Paul McLeary and Joe Gould — DOGE is now dramatically raising the potential for a government shutdown, by POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill and Rachael Bade
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Martin E. Marty, ‘most influential interpreter of religion’ in U.S, via University of Chicago News
| | EVENTS | | — Saturday: The League of Women Voters is hosting a forum in Wilmette for the Village Board of Trustee candidates. Details here
| | TRIVIA | | THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Bob Skolnik for correctly answering that modern-day Riverside played host to the final muster of General Winfield Scott's army during the Blackhawk War of 1832. TODAY’s QUESTION: Who was the first president Abraham Lincoln met in person? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: State Rep. La Shawn Ford, state Sen. Rob Martwick, Clifford Law Offices comms partner Pam Menaker, attorney and former Trump state director Kent Gray, Walgreen Regional Director Kim Walz, petition circulator Sharon Rosenblum, Goldman Sachs investment banking analyst Jack Fetsch and Tribune Senior Content Editor John Byrne Saturday: Former Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson, former Congressman Randy Hultgren, former state Sen. Karen McConnaughay, Illinois Department of Agriculture Chief of Staff Jeremy Flynn, Cabrera Capital Markets Senior VP Manuel Perez, 37th Ward comms leader Andrea Smith, real-estate pro Meredith Meserow, Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition President Dilara Sayeed, public policy consultant Laura Tucker, chef Art Smith, Centre College (Kentucky) Marketing VP Sarah Nolan, LEARN Charter Schools Network administrator Tavares Briggs and Tribune News Administration Editor Randy Weissman Sunday: lobbyist and former County Commissioner John Fritchey, former DuPage County Board Chair Robert Schillerstrom, BGR Group VP Syd Terry, POLITICO’s POLITICO Recast author Brakkton Booker, attorney and WVON commentator Kimberley Egonmwan and Sidley Austin multimedia exec Jeff Hartvigsen -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | |
