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Prairie State Wire

Saturday, December 21, 2024

Analysis: 85 percent of Illinois journalists vote Democrat

Alison rosati cheryl burton

Lead 10 p.m. Chicago news anchors Allison Rosati (L) and Cheryl Burton (R) are dedicated Democrat primary voters. | NBC 5 / ABC 7

Lead 10 p.m. Chicago news anchors Allison Rosati (L) and Cheryl Burton (R) are dedicated Democrat primary voters. | NBC 5 / ABC 7

Some 85 in 100 Illinois journalists and news media executives lean Democrat, according to an analysis of primary voting records by Prairie State Wire.

The analysis tracked the Illinois State Board of Elections' public voter files of 400+ journalists and news media staff working across the state, identifying 225 who have voted in a primary election and declared a political party. 

Of the 225, 192 had voted in only or a majority of Democrat primaries, versus 26 in a majority of Republican primaries and seven in an equal number of them. 

Of 114 journalists analyzed who live in the city of Chicago, 107 vote Democrat, versus six Republican and one evenly spilt.

Prairie State Wire analyzed the voting records of 49 Chicago Sun-Times staff members and found that all vote Democrat. The 49 staffers voted in a collective 221 Democrat primaries to seven Republican ones.

The Better Government Association (BGA), a non-for-profit that touts itself as non-partisan and has raised money from both Republican and Democrat donors in the Chicago area, is operated exclusively by Democrats, the analysis showed. All ten staff members whose voting records were reviewed voted Democrat, including President and CEO David Greising of Evanston, who has voted in eight Democrat primaries and zero Republican ones. 

Greising previously worked as a reporter and business columnist for the Chicago Tribune.

Of 15 staff members analyzed from Block Club Chicago, another self-described "non partisan" non-profit, 14 were Democrats and the one who was not, junior, 27-year old reporter Melody Mercado, voted Republican in a single primary at her parents' home in Belvidere, near Rockford, when she was still in college.

Collectively, the 15 Block Club staffers voted in 32 Democrat primaries to the single one, by Mercado.

Of the 26 who voted in more GOP primaries, eleven were from outside the Chicagoland area. They include Capitol Fax publisher Rich Miller of Springfield, who has voted in five GOP primaries and four Democrat ones. 

The 225 voter files examined included 103 reporters (90 Dem) and 38 editors (35 Dem).

It included 27 television anchor/reporters, all of whom were Democrat voters. They include primary anchors like NBC 5 Chicago's Alison Rosati of Burr Ridge (8 Democrat primaries, vs. two GOP ones) and Rob Stafford (2 Dem/0 GOP), Marion Brooks (9 Dem/0 GOP) and political reporter Mary Ann Ahern (9 Dem/2 GOP).

At ABC 7, anchors Cheryl Burton (15 Dem/0 GOP), Leah Hope (10 Dem/0 GOP) and Ravi Baichwal (1 Dem/0 GOP) are all Democrat voters.

ABC-7 anchor Tanja Babich has voted in one GOP primary and zero Democrat, according to ISBE records. She is married to the son of Democrat U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Springfield).

Sports anchors Ryan Baker of CBS 2 Chicago (3 Dem/0 GOP) and FOX 32's Lou Cannelis (5 Dem/1 GOP) also vote Democrat.

WAND-TV anchor Doug Wolfe (17 Dem/0 GOP) was the most prolifically Democrat voting journalist in the analysis.

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How will Illinois journalists vote on Tuesday? We have a guess.

Prairie State Wire analyzed the voting records of 225 Illinois journalists.

NameTitleOrganizationDRLivesParty
Tanja BabichAnchorABC-7 Chicago01Chicago-Lincoln ParkGOP
Diane PathieuAnchorABC-7 Chicago01Morton GroveGOP
Dina BairAnchorWGN-TV15WilmetteGOP
Jim DeyColumnistChampaign News-Gazette615ChampaignGOP
Mike KramerEditorPekin Times13East PeoriaGOP
Krista RuchExecutive Sports ProducerCBS2 Chicago01Chicago- AvondaleGOP
Amy JacobsonHostAM 56046Chicago-Lake ViewGOP
Josh JenkeNews AssistantPeoria Journal-Star01BartonvilleGOP
Dave DahlNews DirectorWTAX-AM Springfield16ChathamGOP
Corina CurryNews Director/EditorRockford Register-Star34RockfordGOP
Jamee Garton InskoNews ProducerABC-7 Chicago01Chicago-Horner ParkGOP
Dan McNeileNight EditorBloomington Pantagraph13BloomingtonGOP
Lou KleinbergPhotojournalistCBS2 Chicago45WilmetteGOP
John IdlerPresident & GMABC-7 Chicago01EvanstonGOP
Rich MillerPublisherCapitol Fax45SpringfieldGOP
Susan SarkauskasReporterDaily Herald112BataviaGOP
Melody MercadoReporterBlock Club 01BelvidereGOP
Michelle GallardoReporterABC-7 Chicago14Chicago-LoopGOP
Chuck GoudieReporterABC-7 Chicago114HinsdaleGOP
Alicia FabbreReporterDaily Herald34JolietGOP
Craig WallReporterABC-7 Chicago07NapervilleGOP
Ken De CosterReporterRockford Register-Star311RockfordGOP
Christopher MorricalReporterDanville Commercial-News14RossvilleGOP
Mary SchenkReporterChampaign News-Gazette612SavoyGOP
Dionne MillerSports ReporterABC-7 Chicago02Chicago-EdgebrookGOP
Larry MowryWeatherABC-7 Chicago01WestmontGOP
Alan KrasheskyAnchorABC-7 Chicago11NapervilleEVEN
Ben BradleyAnchorWGN-TV22HinsdaleEVEN
Daron WalkerEditorSpringfield State Journal-Register11SpringfieldEVEN
Kori FinleyReporterChicago Tribune11EvanstonEVEN
Alex MaragosReporterNBC 5 Chicago11Chicago-River NorthEVEN
Phil RogersReporterNBC 5 Chicago33WoodridgeEVEN
Jennifer GravesVP & News DirectorABC-7 Chicago11WilmetteEVEN
Hosea SandersAnchorABC-7 Chicago10Chicago- LoopDEM
Leah HopeAnchorABC-7 Chicago100Chicago-LoopDEM
Cheryl BurtonAnchorABC-7 Chicago150Chicago-South LoopDEM
Ravi BaichwalAnchorABC-7 Chicago10EvanstonDEM
Derrick BlakleyAnchorCBS 2 Chicago (Ret.)131EvanstonDEM
Brad EdwardsAnchorCBS2 Chicago30Chicago-LoopDEM
Roseanne TellezAnchorFOX 3250Chicago-Roscoe VillageDEM
Lou CanellisAnchorFOX 3251Chicago-South LoopDEM
Sylvia PerezAnchorFOX 3220Chicago-StreetervilleDEM
Allison RosatiAnchorNBC 5 Chicago82Burr RidgeDEM
Lisa ChavarriaAnchorNBC 5 Chicago30Chicago- DunningDEM
Mary Ann AhernAnchorNBC 5 Chicago92Chicago-LoopDEM
Marion BrooksAnchorNBC 5 Chicago90Chicago-LoopDEM
Steve DolinskyAnchorNBC 5 Chicago50Chicago-River NorthDEM
Mike BermanAnchorNBC 5 Chicago10Chicago-South LoopDEM
Rob StaffordAnchorNBC 5 Chicago20Chicago-West LoopDEM
Doug WolfeAnchorWAND-TV Decatur170DecaturDEM
Lauren JiggetsAnchorWGN-TV30Chicago-Lincoln ParkDEM
Micah MaterreAnchorWGN-TV90Chicago-Rogers ParkDEM
Dan PonceAnchorWGN-TV71GlencoeDEM
Annamarie SchuttAnchorWIFR-TV Rockford (CBS)10ElginDEM
Brittany HardawayAnchorWREX-TV Rockford (NBC)10SpringfieldDEM
Karen JordanAnchor/ReporterABC-7 Chicago50EvanstonDEM
Candi MeriwetherAssistant Metro EditorChicago Sun-Times80Chicago- Lake MeadowsDEM
Todd WoolmanAssistant News DirectorCBS2 Chicago20Chicago-EdgewaterDEM
Dawna AltesAssistant to the EditorChicago Sun-Times10PlainfieldDEM
Satchel PriceAssistant EditorChicago Sun-Times10Chicago-Wicker ParkDEM
Katelyn HaasAudience Engagement SpecialistChicago Sun-Times10NapervilleDEM
Patrick FinleyBears Staff ReporterChicago Sun-Times21EvanstonDEM
Brendan DenisonBreaking News reporterBloomington Pantagraph30ChampaignDEM
Flynn McRobertsBureau ChiefBloomberg101Chicago-Hyde ParkDEM
Jerry NowickiBureau Chief, SpringfieldCapitol News Illinois20SpringfieldDEM
Allison PettyExecutive EditorLee Enterprises41DecaturDEM
Nykia WrightCEOChicago Sun-Times10Chicago-LoopDEM
Julie BosmanChicago Bureau ChiefThe New York Times20Chicago-EdgewaterDEM
Maudlyne I. IhejirkaChicago Chronicles ColumnistChicago Sun-Times60EvanstonDEM
Jen SabellaExecutive EditorBlock Club 20Chicago- BeverlyDEM
Stephanie LulayExecutive EditorBlock Club 10Chicago- LoopDEM
Tom KacichColumnistChampaign News-Gazette147UrbanaDEM
Neil SteinbergColumnistChicago Sun-Times91NorthbrookDEM
Mark BrownColumnistChicago Sun-Times20Chicago- Buena ParkDEM
Michael SneedColumnistChicago Sun-Times10Chicago- Lake ViewDEM
Jason KnowlesConsumer InvestigatorABC-7 Chicago30Chicago- River NorthDEM
Ryan DenhamContent ManagerNPR Illinois30NormalDEM
Justin LaurenceContributorBlock Club 10River WestDEM
Sophie SherryCST Wire ReporterChicago Sun-Times30Chicago- Logan SquareDEM
Cindy HernandezCST Wire ReporterChicago Sun-Times10ElginDEM
Tiffani JacksonCulture & Diversity ReporterSpringfield State Journal-Register10NormalDEM
Norman ParishDiversity EditorChicago Sun-Times60Oak ParkDEM
Chris De LucaDeputy Managing EditorChicago Sun-Times51Chicago-WrigleyvilleDEM
Renee TrappeDeputy Managing EditorDaily Herald31Des PlainesDEM
John O'NeillDeputy Managing EditorChicago Sun-Times70Oak ParkDEM
Paul SaltzmanDeputy Managing EditorChicago Sun-Times100GlenviewDEM
Steve MillsDeputy Midwest EditorProPublica Illinois110Chicago-Irving ParkDEM
Alice DuBoseDirector of DevelopmentBGA73Chicago-EdgewaterDEM
Bill RuminskiDirector of Metro NewsChicago Sun-Times30CreteDEM
Bryan ZarouDirector of PolicyBGA10DarienDEM
Jeff McMurrayEditorAP20Chicago-Lake ViewDEM
David KidwellEditorBGA30RiversideDEM
Jeff RogersEditorCapitol News Illinois10SpringfieldDEM
Carolyn BroquetEditorCBS2 Chicago150Chicago-Lake ViewDEM
Ann DwyerEditorCrain's90Arlington HeightsDEM
Robert H. SecterEditorCrain's40River ForestDEM
Shia KaposEditorPolitico60Chicago- West RidgeDEM
Monica DaveyEditorThe New York Times30Chicago-Hyde ParkDEM
Dorothy LeavellEditor & PublisherChicago Crusader150Chicago- RoselandDEM
Dan HaleyEditor & PublisherWednesday Journal140BerwynDEM
Joe VinceEditor, New LenoxPatch30New LenoxDEM
Nader IssaEducation ReporterChicago Sun-Times10LombardDEM
Rachel HintonEnterprise ReporterBGA20Chicago-RavenswoodDEM
Richard RoeperEntertainment ColumnistChicago Sun-Times10Chicago- The LoopDEM
Michael RomainEquity EditorWednesday Journal40MaywoodDEM
Colin EvansExecutive ProducerABC-7 Chicago30Chicago-BronzevilleDEM
Chris SelfridgeExecutive ProducerCBS2 Chicago32LemontDEM
Jon SeidelFederal Courts ReporterChicago Sun-Times32Mt. ProspectDEM
Robert ChiaritoFreelance ReporterThe New York Times41Harwood HeightsDEM
Ryan ChiaveriniHostABC-7 Chicago10Chicago-LoopDEM
Ross WeidnerInvestigative ProducerABC-7 Chicago20Chicago- Lincoln ParkDEM
Carol ThompsonInvestigative ProducerCBS2 Chicago30LisleDEM
Casey TonerInvestigative ReporterBGA20Chicago- Lake ViewDEM
Dave NewbartManaging EditorChicago Sun-Times110Chicago- Little ItalyDEM
Laura NeuzilManaging EditorWIFR-TV Rockford (CBS)10DavisDEM
Steve WarmbirManging EditorChicago Sun-Times30Chicago-Ravenswood GardensDEM
George PapajohnMidwest EditorProPublica Illinois30GlenviewDEM
Ryan BakerMorning News AnchorCBS2 Chicago30GlenviewDEM
Kelley BowlesNews ProducerCBS2 Chicago20Chicago-Norwood ParkDEM
Chrissy AmayaNews WriterCBS2 Chicago10Chicago-River WestDEM
Hannah BouffordNewsletter EditorBlock Club 10LibertyvilleDEM
Blanca RiosNewswriter/Digital ProducerABC-7 Chicago30Chicago-South LoopDEM
Jonah MeadowsNorth Shore EditorPatch30Chicago-Tri-TaylorDEM
Tim CainOpinion EditorLee Enterprises10DecaturDEM
Lana Hinshaw-KlannPhotographerCBS2 Chicago60BataviaDEM
Matt DayhoffPhotojournalistPeoria Journal-Star20WashingtonDEM
Thomas J. TurneyPhotojournalistSpringfield State Journal-Register10BrightonDEM
Jon HansenPodcast Executive ProducerBlock Club 20Roscoe VillageDEM
Andy KravetzPolice ReporterPeoria Journal-Star32PeoriaDEM
Geoffrey CubbagePolicy AnalystBGA20Chicago-WinnemacDEM
Tina SfondelesPolitical ReporterChicago Sun-Times10Chicago-RavenswoodDEM
Scott FornekPolitics EditorChicago Sun-Times160Chicago- West LawnDEM
David GreisingPresident & CEOBGA80EvanstonDEM
Dylan Van SickleProducerCBS2 Chicago20Chicago- Lake ViewDEM
John OwensProgramming ProducerABC-7 Chicago110Chicago- EdgewaterDEM
Bettina ChangPublisherCity Bureau20Chicago- BucktownDEM
Shamus ToomeyPublisher/Co-FounderBlock Club 120EvanstonDEM
Terrell BrownReporterABC-7 Chicago20Chicago- Jackson ParkDEM
Eric HorngReporterABC-7 Chicago50Chicago- River NorthDEM
Evelyn HolmesReporterABC-7 Chicago50Chicago- South LoopDEM
Sarah SchulteReporterABC-7 Chicago80Chicago-Lincoln ParkDEM
Judy HsuReporterABC-7 Chicago40Chicago-River NorthDEM
Liz NagyReporterABC-7 Chicago10Chicago-South LoopDEM
John GarciaReporterABC-7 Chicago10South BarringtonDEM
Sophia TareenReporterAP20Chicago- GreektownDEM
Monica EngReporterAxios Chicago40Chicago-Lake ViewDEM
Jake WittichReporterBlock Club 20Chicago- EdgewaterDEM
Quinn MyersReporterBlock Club 20Chicago- Ukranian VillageDEM
Joe WardReporterBlock Club 30Chicago-BridgeportDEM
Ariel Parrella-AureliReporterBlock Club 10Chicago-Logan SquareDEM
Pascal SabinoReporterBlock Club 10Chicago-PilsenDEM
Jamie Nesbitt GoldenReporterBlock Club 30Hyde ParkDEM
Jason GrottoReporterBloomberg10Chicago-Ukranian VillageDEM
Beth HundsdorferReporterCapitol News Illinois70HighlandDEM
Peter HancockReporterCapitol News Illinois10SpringfieldDEM
Sarah MansurReporterCapitol News Illinois10SpringfieldDEM
Charlie De MarReporterCBS2 Chicago10Chicago- LoopDEM
Jermont TerryReporterCBS2 Chicago10Chicago- Morgan ParkDEM
Dorothy TuckerReporterCBS2 Chicago110Chicago-KenwoodDEM
Yana KunichoffReporterChalkbeat30Chicago- Albany ParkDEM
Ethan SimmonsReporterChampaign News-Gazette20ChampaignDEM
Dave RoederReporterChicago Sun-Times170Chicago-Rogers ParkDEM
Tim NovakReporterChicago Sun-Times120Chicago- Lake ViewDEM
Stephanie ZimmermannReporterChicago Sun-Times120Chicago- RavenswoodDEM
Brett ChaseReporterChicago Sun-Times60Chicago- Lincoln SquareDEM
Maureen O'DonnellReporterChicago Sun-Times60EvanstonDEM
Sandra GuyReporterChicago Sun-Times50Chicago-South LoopDEM
Mitchell ArmentroutReporterChicago Sun-Times30BurbankDEM
Mitch DudekReporterChicago Sun-Times30Chicago- Irving ParkDEM
David StruettReporterChicago Sun-Times30Chicago-Logan SquareDEM
Matt HendricksonReporterChicago Sun-Times30Chicago-PilsenDEM
Emmanuel CamarilloReporterChicago Sun-Times20Chicago- PilsenDEM
Stefano EspositoReporterChicago Sun-Times20Chicago- Portage ParkDEM
Tom SchubaReporterChicago Sun-Times20Chicago-Noble SquareDEM
Fran SpielmanReporterChicago Sun-Times20Lake ForestDEM
Elvia MalagonReporterChicago Sun-Times10Chicago-PilsenDEM
Anne CostabileReporterChicago Sun-Times10Chicago-Wicker ParkDEM
Michael HawthorneReporterChicago Tribune40Chicago-BucktownDEM
Gregory PrattReporterChicago Tribune10Chicago-Heart of ItalyDEM
John ByrneReporterChicago Tribune70Chicago-Irving ParkDEM
Robert ChannickReporterChicago Tribune100GlencoeDEM
Patrick M. O'ConnellReporterChicago Tribune31LibertyvilleDEM
Steve JohnsonReporterChicago Tribune90Oak ParkDEM
Greg HinzReporterCrain's160Chicago- BoystownDEM
Christopher PlacekReporterDaily Herald53Chicago-Jefferson ParkDEM
Lauren RohrReporterDaily Herald21South ElginDEM
Jonah NinkReporterDaily Herald10St. CharlesDEM
Jennifer BaileyReporterDanville Commercial-News61DanvilleDEM
Dane PlackoReporterFOX 3240Park RidgeDEM
Michael J. FlanneryReporterFOX 32 Chicago121Chicago-BeverlyDEM
Charlie WojciechowskiReporterNBC 5 Chicago60Chicago- StreetervilleDEM
Christian FarrReporterNBC-5 Chicago40EvanstonDEM
Leslie RenkenReporterPeoria Journal-Star40PeoriaDEM
Natasha KoreckiReporterPolitico61BarringtonDEM
Duaa EldeibReporterProPublica Illinois20BarringtonDEM
Melissa SanchezReporterProPublica Illinois30Chicago- CraginDEM
Jodi S. CohenReporterProPublica Illinois90Chicago- North CenterDEM
Mick DumkeReporterProPublica Illinois91Chicago- Rogers ParkDEM
Jeff KolkeyReporterRockford Register-Star61RockfordDEM
Chris GreenReporterRockford Register-Star10RockfordDEM
Kristen SchorschReporterWBEZ30Chicago- Budlong WoodsDEM
Patrick K. SmithReporterWBEZ20Chicago- Logan SquareDEM
Lourdes DuarteReporterWGN-TV20Chicago-Gold CoastDEM
Patrick ElwoodReporterWGN-TV30Evergreen ParkDEM
Heather CheroneReporterWTTW-TV30Park RidgeDEM
Samantha ChatmanReporter/AnchorABC-7 Chicago10Chicago-South LoopDEM
Colin BoyleReporter/PhotographerBlock Club 10Chicago- DePaulDEM
Alex NitkinSolutions ReporterBGA30Chicago-WinnemacDEM
Jim RoseSports AnchorABC-7 Chicago30Chicago- Wicker ParkDEM
Rick TelanderSports ColumnistChicago Sun-Times30HighwoodDEM
Wes HuettSports EditorPeoria Journal-Star40WashingtonDEM
Mark PotashSports Staff ReporterChicago Sun-Times100Arlington HeightsDEM
Mike MiletichSpringfield Bureau ChiefWGEM-TV Quincy20SpringfieldDEM
Mitch ArmentroutStaff ReporterChicago Sun-Times30BurbankDEM
Stacey SheridanStaff WriterWednesday Journal10Chicago-Lake ViewDEM
Brendan MooreState Government ReporterLee Enterprises10SpringfieldDEM
Roz VaronTrafficABC-7 Chicago80River ForestDEM
Marta Carreira-SlabeVice ChairBGA31Chicago- BridgeportDEM
Tyler LaRiviereVisual JournalistChicago Sun-Times10Chicago- EdgewaterDEM
Ashlee RezinVisual JournalistChicago Sun-Times10Chicago-Rogers ParkDEM
Lauren FitzPatrickWatchdogs Staff ReporterChicago Sun-Times71Chicago- Irving ParkDEM
Robert HerguthWatchdogs Staff ReporterChicago Sun-Times31Park RidgeDEM
Phil SchwarzWeatherABC-7 Chicago20ElmhurstDEM
Dan HaarWire Desk EditorChicago Sun-Times100Villa ParkDEM
Beth GodvikWriter/ProducerCBS2 Chicago100Chicago-Portage ParkDEM

Source: Illinois State Board of Elections; Data tracked is from 1980-2020 primaries

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