Prairie State Wire

Debate moderator Tahman Bradley questioned Gov J.B. Pritzker over promised cannabis license diversity in a recent debate.

Pritzker and his opponent Republican candidate Darren Bailey had their second and final debate prior to the Nov. 8 election where Bradley asked the governor about the cannabis license.

“Let’s talk about equity and recreational use cannabis," Bradley of WGN9 said. "The state’s program went online in 2020. The first predominantly black-owned craft grow house recently opened in the state. But governor, since 2020, more than 340 licenses have been given out and only one has been given to a minority owner. Governor, when will you make good on your promise to diversify the lucrative cannabis industry?"

Beverly Miles's bid for governor in the Democratic primary went largely unnoticed by most voters but now is for supporting Darren Bailey in the general election campaign. Miles articulated that the black community is not pleased with Pritzker, particularly on the issues of crime, schools and high taxes. She also had questions about the SAFE-T Act, which will release many violent offenders, which Pritzker signed into law. She also said that Pritzker gave marijuana licenses to "rich white people," cutting out much of the black community. Many in the black community are angry at Pritzker about this. 

"From where I sit, when J.B. Pritzker ran the first time, the promises he made to the state of Illinois and especially marginalized communities, he lied," Miles told Prairie State Wire. "The bottom line, he lied. He didn't keep his promises." 

Miles noted that Bailey is talking to black voters in Cook County, and she believes that he is going to pick up a lot of their votes. She further said that Pritzker did not want to run against anyone black, and she used what he did to Richard Irvin and Robin Kelly as examples. Miles added that Pritzker's immense resources during the primary made it very difficult for her to have any success. The governor made attempts to get her thrown off the ballot and did not allow a debate between the two. Pritzker has not kept his promises to the black community, and Miles believes black people may start to change their voting habits. Miles isn't the only one who shifted gears.

Former ABC 7 political reporter Charles Thomas joined the Brunch Bunch on AM 1390 to talk about Illinois politics. Thomas said on the program that he is supporting Bailey for governor although he has never pulled a Republican ballot in his life. He noted that Illinois has the most black-elected officials of any state in the country and problems like crime and lack of economic opportunity still pervade the black community. Thomas stated that he is undertaking an effort to separate black people from their blind allegiance to the Democratic Party. He emphasized that the Democratic Party has given black people nothing for their votes, and he used the example of Pritzker promising equity for marijuana licenses and breaking that promise. Thomas posed the question of why would people keep voting for someone like this. He went on to say that he personally met Bailey and they connected over both being Christian. Thomas said that he trusts Bailey because Bailey's beliefs are closer to his than the incumbent governor seeking reelection. Thomas explained that he is taking a chance on Bailey because he believes "Darren Bailey is a good person who is going to make the right decisions." 

Thomas added that Black politicians too, not just Pritzker, are disrespecting the black community and that they need to be held accountable. He then noted that Pritzker also cut the black community out of the gaming business. Thomas also criticized Pritzker for his economic development plan of weed and gambling, and urged that Illinois can do better. Thomas ended by saying that black people need to listen to the specific issues that politicians are supporting and vote based on those. He implored listeners to do so, and he said that black people need to end their blind support of the Democratic Party because they have received nothing in return.

Brian Mullins is part of a group that is starting the Black Voter Project, which says independence around issues is needed in the black community because it tends to vote only Democrat. Mullins told South Cook News: "The goal is to organize the black voter block in the state of Illinois. So it's a specific media-targeted door-to-door survey and data-driven effort to engage the black electorate in issues relating to the black community. Not Democratic, not Republican, not Independent, specifically not libertarian, but start with the issues so that we can then push people to the right candidate, not a party." 

Mullins said that they decided to undertake this project after witnessing all-around destruction in communities, most of it caused by specific policies. He noted that most conversations that take place in the black community happen between the black elite and the Democrats, which leaves out 90% of the community. The black vote controls who is elected in Illinois, according to Mullins, and hopes his project will inform black voters on the best candidate on the issues they care about.