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    Gov. JB Pritzker speaks ahead of President Joe Biden at an event in Chicago in June 2023. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

    Chicago will play host to a presidential nomination for the 26th time this week and add to the city’s rich political history, which has included influential convention moments that nominated Abraham Lincoln, produced some of America’s fiercest political fights and the dark cloud of riots in 1968 the city has never forgotten.  

    In addition to the new American history set to be written at the United Center this week, Illinois Democrats are also hoping to share a blueprint for passing Democratic policies as Gov. JB Pritzker takes on one of the most important political roles of his career as host governor and keynote speaker.  

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    The stage for the 2024 Democratic National Convention at the United Center is pictured last week. [Courtesy of DNC Host Committee]

    While the big speeches from presidents, party superstars and the Democrats’ current nominees, Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will be the main attractions at this year’s Democratic National Convention (DNC), Chicago and Cook County’s local leaders will be featured at multiple events happening throughout the convention week that might fly under the radar. Here’s a roundup of some of what’s scheduled.

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    U.S. Palestinian Community Network national chair Hatem Abudayyeh speaks to reporters about the March on the DNC coalition's protest plans on April 13, 2024. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

    The coalition of groups planning to march near the United Center during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) later this month is still engaged in a legal battle with the city over securing a permitted route for potentially tens of thousands of people seeking to decry the party’s complicity in Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip and call for the end of military aid, along with other progressive policy goals.

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    The Democratic Party of Illinois 

    The Democratic Party of Illinois will launch their 2024 campaign plan on Tuesday that focuses on winning down-ballot races at all levels of government as part of the party’s growing efforts to expand victories to local offices.  

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    Gov. JB Pritzker takes the stage on election night in 2022 after winning a second term as governor. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]  

    Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker refused to rule out trying to replace President Joe Biden on the ticket if Biden were to decide to drop out of the race when asked by reporters Tuesday.  

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    The John Deere pavilion in Moline. [Illinois Office of Tourism]

    About 600 Illinois and Iowa John Deere employees are set to lose their jobs this summer as the agriculture giant cuts back production and transfers jobs out of the country.  

    The Moline-based company also sits in the heart of Illinois’ 17th Congressional District — the state’s only competitive congressional district where voters demand moderacy from candidates and economic issues are closely watched by heartland residents. 

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    The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in a corruption case against a former Portage, Indiana mayor that could have implications for former Speaker Mike Madigan’s corruption trial. And former Illinois Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger announced who he will vote for in the presidential election.  

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    Chicago Bears CEO Kevin Warren, right, speaks at a Lincoln Forum even at the Union League Club of Chicago on Tuesday. [FOX-32] 

    A new publicly funded stadium for the Chicago Bears was the most talked about potential piece of legislation during the Illinois General Assembly’s spring session and was also one of the most unlikely to see a vote.  

    Speaking to the Lincoln Forum in Chicago on Tuesday, Bears CEO Kevin Warren acknowledged funding priorities that Illinois elected officials have said take precedence over an NFL stadium but reiterated his commitment to forging ahead in the coming months to convince the state to give the NFL’s charter franchise money for a new home.  

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    Senate Minority Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove). [Illinois Senate Republicans] 

    Senate Minority Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) believes Illinois Republicans took a “big step forward” this spring to win over voters in November as Republicans pushed to move the needle on Prisoner Review Board reform and growing dissent among Democrats over the budget.  

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    City Hall is pictured in this file photo. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

    Budget Director Annette Guzman and Chief Operating Officer John Roberson told members of the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations Monday that Chicago has spent 40 percent of the federal COVID-19 relief funds that are meant to go to myriad community initiatives across the city. 

    Officials also noted a few steps the mayoral administration has taken to speed up spending to meet the city’s goal of using all the nearly $1.9 billion at the city’s disposal before it’s clawed back by the federal government.