DCCC Has A Candidate For IL-13, Chief Judge Ann Callis

IL-12 and IL-13 are two of the nine districts in the U.S. with exactly even PVI scores. They are the ultimate swing districts-- at least by the numbers. Of the nine, only three have Republican congressmen, NV-03 (Joe Heck), IA-03 (Tom Latham) and IL-13 (Rodney Davis). And Obama won all those districts last November except IL-13, which he lost 48.9- 48.6%, one of the closes races in he country. The congressional race was also one of the closest in the country, Davis winning 136,596 over progressive Democrat David Gill 135,309. The two were evenly matched, with Davis raising $1,400,451 (7% from small donors and 46% from PACs) and Gill raising $1,325,027 (30% from small donors and 22% from PACs). Outside spending tipped the race towards Davis. The DCCC and their House Majority PAC put $3,000,927 into the race but that couldn't match a plethora of right-wing groups from Nixon Jew counter Fred Malek's American Action Network's $1,482,559, the US Chamber of Commerce's $500,000, the NRCC's $1,532,442 and a flood of money from shady right-wing organizations like the New Prosperity Foundation, the NRA, Eric Cantor's Young Guns Network, and a gaggle of anti-Choice groups. They spent $3,663,124 attacking Gill and another $189,568 bolstering Davis. Outside spending in favor of Gill was about a million dollars less. That bought Davis his 1,287 vote margin.

The DCCC was never all that comfortable with the very left-of-center Gill, an outspoken progressive. The Democratic Establishment-- both in Chicago and in DC-- had pushed hard for conservative Democrat Matthew Goetten in the primary. This cycle they weren't taking any chances that Gill might run again and got Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to appoint Gill Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health on Friday-- just as the DCCC choice for the nomination, Third Judicial Circuit chief judge Ann Callis, stepped down to run for the seat. Her official announcement came today.

Gill said Quinn had approached him a few months ago about the post, and he told the governor he'd have to give it some thought; he said he had been considering another Congressional campaign since his narrow defeat on election night. But, he said, he knew he couldn't do both.

"Ultimately it boiled down to deciding which of the two seemed to fit better for me now," Gill said. "I think I can make a significant impact in terms of helping people access health care and implement the Affordable Health Care Act in Illinois."

The DCCC had tried to recruit Callis to run in IL-12 when Jerry Costello announced his retirement but she declined and conservative Democrat Bill Enyart beat Republican Jason Plummer 51-43%. The DCCC and their House Majority PAC spent more helping Enyart-- $3,221,178-- than they spent on Gill. Callis has been a judge since 1995 and has a good reputation across the spectrum.

"Ann Callis has done a tremendous job as chief judge," said Madison County Board Chairman Alan Dunstan. "She's changed the image of Madison County a lot in terms of the judiciary. I've worked with her very well in the past and wish her the best in the future."

Among Callis' endorsements in her most recent judicial retention campaign: Shimkus, who had nominated her veterans court program for a national award. Shimkus said at the time that Callis had earned the respect of both parties for her reforms in the court system.

There are two important facts there. First off, Gill nearly won because he was so strong in Champaign County, where he beat Davis 57-43%. But he couldn't overcome the GOP tide in equally-sized Madison County, where it was Gill who wound up with 43%. That margin, with the big wins for Davis is the more rural counties and Gill lost the election. Callis is well-respected and well-liked in Madison County and should do much better there. The second fact is what a big advocate Shimkus has been for her. You might recall that Davis, who lost all his early campaigns (for state legislature and then for mayor of his hometown, Taylorville, is a total creature of Shimkus and worked as his campaign manager and then as a Shimkus congressional staffer. "Chief Judge Ann Callis has earned my respect and the respect of Republicans and Democrats alike for the reforms she initiated to improve our local court system and for the innovative programs she has launched," said Shimkus when he backed Callis' run for reelection. "I was so impressed by the establishment of the veterans court that helps troubled veterans get their lives back on track that I nominated the program for the national Paul H. Chapman Award from the Foundation for Improvement of Justice.”

People I've talked to in the district have told me Callis is a middle-of-the-road Democrat who is likely to do exactly what the DCCC tell her to do. "She's better than Davis," is the most positive comment I could find. The other Democrat in the race, University of Illinois physics Professor George Gollin, is a less conventional Democrat-- far more progressive and way too independent-minded for anyone like Steve Israel to ever support. He donated generously to Gill's congressional race-- as well as to fellow Illinois physicist Bill Foster. Callis' political contributions have only gone to Obama. She's perfect for the DCCC.

There are some who are surprised that Callis would want to run for Congress, a pay cut from her salary as a judge. She also has been mentioned as a possible federal court judge or even an Illinois Supreme Court candidate.

But she certainly would be an intriguing candidate. No one I talked to could recall a sitting circuit court judge giving that up to run for Congress.

"I think the work that she is doing (as a judge) is wonderful," Gill said. "You know, she's been doing it for a long time. Life is short. It doesn't surprise me when people look to do something else for their fellow man."

As the chief judge in the 3rd Judicial Circuit, she has name recognition in several counties in the southern end of the district, she has contacts and money (she self-funded her campaign for judicial retention last year and her father, Lance Callis, is a Granite City trial lawyer who made millions by investing in the Argosy Casino in Alton, then selling his shares in 2005) and she has a good reputation.