Stratton won with 68 percent of the vote to Dunkin's 32 percent.
Stratton's victory came with heavy financial backing from unions and despite record-breaking spending by a Super PAC against her. Stratton's victory was a sharp rebuke to the seven-term incumbent Dunkin, who this session had staged an extended rebellion against House Speaker Michael Madigan and his fellow Democrats in the House.
The Dunkin-Stratton race was of particular interest and import because it directly matched Madigan against Gov. Bruce Rauner over the makeup of the Democratic caucus in the House. (Rauner's political muscle also was tested in a downstate Senate race in which he sought to oust a Republican incumbent. More on that race here.)
The House currently has 71 Democrats, which is the exact number needed to override a gubernatorial veto. While two other Democrats -- Scott Drury of Highwood and Jack Franks of Marengo -- regularly have not supported issues favored by Madigan, generally on tax increases, Dunkin had become particularly antagonistic toward Madigan since Rauner's arrival last year and amid the state budget impasse that has played out since July 1.
Dunkin first crossed Madigan in September, when he was absent for votes on overriding Rauner's veto of a controversial union arbitration bill and restoring cuts Rauner had made to the state's Child Care Assistance Program, which provides subsidized day care for children of low-income working parents. Those efforts failed because of Dunkin's absence.
Dunkin used racially charged language in criticizing Madigan during a Jan. 27 press conference.
"The fact is, this is Month 7 and we're waiting on Speaker Madigan to move. We don't do anything else unless he moves," Dunkin said. "That's a plantation mentality to me... That word is offensive, but what is even more atrocious is us not having a state budget and disrespecting every single citizen..."
While Rauner didn't donate directly to Dunkin, his supporters did. The Illinois Opportunity Project, a libertarian non-profit operated by Rauner ally Dan Proft, gave a total of $1.3 million to Dunkin in three donations between Feb. 1 and March 14. As a 501(c)(4) organization, IOP is allowed to donate directly to candidates. It's not required to disclose the source of its own funding.
Dunkin also benefited from IllinoisGO, a prominent Super PAC aligned with Rauner. Super PACs are not allowed to donate to or coordinate with candidates, but they can spend unlimited amounts in support of or opposition to any candidate or cause. IllinoisGO reported spending $588,000 in support of Dunkin and $994,000 against Stratton.
On the other side, unions were eager to stand up to Rauner and his allies. They donated $940,000 to Stratton from Jan. 1 to March 10, making up 83 percent of all donations. Especially noteworthy was $150,000 from Michael Sacks, one of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's closest associates. Emanuel and Rauner have traded barbs throughout the state budget impasse.
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