by Brian J. Kurtz, Ford & Harrison LLP
The headline grabber in Illinois was Republican Mark Kirk’s defeat over Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic contender for the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama.
Giannoulias, a close friend of President Obama, would have offered firm support for the President’s agenda in the Senate. In contrast, Senator-elect Kirk’s victory was won with a Tea Party-ish platform that emphasized less spending and no tax increases.
Meanwhile in state government, by the morning after the election, Illinois was still unsure who had clinched the gubernatorial race. Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn, who was appointed to the office after the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich, was leading Republican Bill Brady by less than 10,000 votes. As of press time, Brady had not conceded, instead opting to wait for the state to count all the absentee and overseas ballots.
Over the past two years, Illinois employers have been swamped with employee-friendly state laws, including legislation on wage theft, misclassification, and background checks. A Quinn reelection, which seems likely, may mean more of the same.
Brian J. Kurtz is an attorney with Ford & Harrison LLP in Chicago and a frequent contributor to Illinois Employment Law Letter. He can be reached at (312) 332-0777.