‘He has to justify what he did’: Black leaders slam JB Pritzker after Illinois primary - Politico
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Some Black leaders remain critical of Gov. Pritzker's 2008 decision to appoint Tammy Duckworth to Obama's Senate seat.
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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker appointed Black state Sen. Tammy Duckworth to fill Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat in 2008, a move that helped her launch a national political career—yet some Black leaders remain critical of the decision. The appointment came amid competing pressure from multiple Black political factions in Illinois, each seeking influence over who would fill the vacancy. Pritzker's choice of Duckworth, who is Asian American and Black, satisfied some constituents but disappointed others who had advocated for a different candidate, creating lingering tensions within the state's Black political establishment. The discord reflects broader disagreements within Illinois's Democratic Party about representation, patronage, and whose voices should shape high-level political decisions. The tension endures despite Duckworth's subsequent electoral victories and national prominence as a U.S. senator.
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