By Shia Kapos

Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. It’s gonna be a heat wave.

Fiserv Forum, the site of the first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle. | Francis Chung/POLITICO

MILWAUKEE — Former President Donald J. Trump is skipping tonight’s first GOP presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, but eight other candidates will take the stage. And they’ve got some Illinois heft with them.

Esther Joy King, who ran twice for Congress in the 17th Congressional District in northwestern Illinois, is here supporting biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

“I was immediately drawn to his boundless energy and love of our country,” King, a U.S. Army Reserves captain, told Playbook. “I’m proud to be supporting his campaign and helping share his message with voters across Illinois.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has Illinois support, too, including from Richard Porter, the Illinois committeeman for the Republican National Committee. Former Republican Attorney General Candidate Tom DeVore will be attending the debate as Porter’s guest. Joan McCarthy Lasonde, who represents the 9th Congressional District on the Illinois Republican Central Committee, will be there, too. And Lisa Wagner, a national fundraiser based in Illinois, is also on team DeSantis.

Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor, has Bill Strong, a notable name in Chicago business and civic circles, in her court. And former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will be cheered on by Ron Gidwitz, another Chicago businessman.

AND GET THIS: RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel’s guest for the debate tonight is Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, a Democrat, whom she plans to introduce to the GOP candidates. Milwaukee will host the Republican National Convention next summer. "He cares about his city and I care about our party, and we are melding those two things,” McDaniel told POLITICO’s Rachael Bade. Full interview here

McDaniel adds: “I want it to be the city that nominates the next president, but he wants this to be a place that people come for tourism, and they see how great of a city this is. … So he's been a great partner. We don't talk about politics, like many families right now. But I think civility is a good thing to have, even when we are on different sides of the aisle.” We wrote about Johnson here.

SPOTTED: White House hopeful and former Congressman Will Hurd (R-Texas), standing next to a Smoothie King in Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport Tuesday, railing against the RNC for keeping him from the debate stage. (The former U.S. rep and Trump critic had been in Chicago for debate prep.)

DEBATE BINGO: Are you watching the GOP debate tonight at 8 p.m. CT on Fox? Join POLITICO for live analysis and bingo! Whoever gets bingo first and posts a screenshot of it to their X/Twitter account (with #politicobingo) or Instagram Story (tag us @politico) will get a shoutout in the next day’s Playbook — and we’ll even send you some POLITICO swag. Get a preview of your board at politico.com/bingo.

CHAT: We’ll have live analysis during the debate

RELATED:

Candidates lash out at RNC after not making debate stage, by POLITICO’s Kierra Frazier, Rachael Bade, Steven Shepard and Kelly Garrity

Inside Vivek Ramaswamy rise, by POLITICO’s Adam Wren

The text-for-pay campaign that got Asa Hutchinson on the debate stage, by POLITICO’s Natalie Allison

A FLURRY OF BOMB THREATS made to libraries in Illinois’ northern suburbs has heightened fears and drawn a strong rebuke from Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who is the state’s chief librarian.

“I strongly condemn these threats of violence and intimidation that are unfortunately becoming all too common at libraries in Illinois and across the nation,” Giannoulias said in a statement after reports of bomb threats.

No bombs have been found, but the threats are being investigated by police.

Communities shaken: Libraries in Morton Grove, Park Ridge, Gurnee, Oak Park and Wilmette have reported receiving threats, prompting Glencoe Public Library, which did not receive a threat, to close its doors, citing a building emergency, according to Pioneer Press.

Giannoulias called the threats an ugly trend connected to the book banning movement that’s been sweeping across the country. Giannoulias’ office recently pushed for book ban legislation that Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law. The new law calls for holding back state funds to libraries that pull books off shelves.

The local ACLU also condemned the threats, saying they are driven by “a small handful of loud voices who seek to ban books,” according to Ed Yohnka, public policy director of the ACLU.

Not just in Illinois: Libraries across the country have been receiving threats, alarming library staff and communities.

From the ACLU: “The language and misinformation driving these book bans sadly lead some to believe that threats of violence are an appropriate response to children’s books they do not like,” said Yohnka.

At the 555 W. Monroe state offices to announce grant funding for women in trades.

No official public events.

No official public events.

If you are Will Hurd, Playbook would like to talk to you about your Chicago stay. Email [email protected]

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— Illinois lands $1.3M federal grant to promote more women in construction industry: “The grant money comes as part of President Joe Biden’s signature $1.2 trillion infrastructure package signed into law almost two years ago and aims to promote gender equity and inclusion in the male-dominated field,” by Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout.

— New program to address 'unintended consequences' of Illinois' disabled veteran exemption: “In 2015, Illinois quit collecting property taxes from disabled veterans. To make up for lost revenue, taxing districts raised rates on other taxpayers, to the dismay of many,” by St. Louis Public Radio’s Will Bauer.

— Crisis pregnancy centers outnumber abortion providers in Illinois by nearly 3 to 1, by WBEZ’s Claire Kurgan and Mawa Iqbal

— Illinois operators warn of day care crisis, by WGN 9’s Ben Bradley

— Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton will chair the new Healing Centered Task Force, created by SB 646 to develop recommendations to bring more coordination and attention to treating young people affected by trauma.

— Republican state Rep. Brad Stephens of Rosemont has been appointed by House Minority Leader Tony McCombie to serve on the Illinois Works Review Panel. Stephens was nominated alongside state Rep. Dan Ugaste, a Geneva Republican.

— MANSION MOVES: There’s a compromise on the so-called “mansion tax” to raise real estate taxes on pricey homes to help the homeless, which was a signature proposal in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign.

From the Sun-Times: The new plan would “generate $100 million in annual revenue to combat homelessness, but in a way that will reduce the tax for homes sold for less than $1 million,” reports Fran Spielman.

Drum roll: Businesses might even like it.

— Quantum report: Chicago and the broader region is positioned to become a quantum hub, according to a report issued today by World Business. Chicagoland’s Quantum Ecosystem report says Illinois' quantum startups raked in $33.2 million across 27 deals since 2017, second only to California.

Setting up shop in Chicago: EeroQ, qBraid and Quantopticon as well as Infleqtion, which has acquired local startup Super.tech. World Business Chicago says site visits to the region are forthcoming by the National Science Foundation as it considers funding of the Quantum Crossroads Regional Innovation Engine project.

— HEAD-TURNER: Ken Williams, Rick Hahn fired as White Sox vice president, general manager, by Sun-Times’ Daryl Van Schouwen

— Highland Park High parents say students are evading weapons detection systems, call for enhanced security measures, by Sun-Times’ Allison Novelo

— Winnetka to add warning signs, fences to block off Elder Beach due to dangers; concern over drowning victim, by Pioneer Press’ Alex Hulvalchick

— SPOTTED: Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele led a keynote presentation for the Appraisal Institute’s annual Nuts and Bolts of Tax Appeal event at DePaul University.

— Watch for Michael Rabbitt to announce he’s challenging incumbent Ald. Jim Gardiner in the 2024 Democratic Primary for 45th Ward committeeperson. Rabbitt, a Northwest Side community leader, ran against incumbent state Rep. Mike Kelly in the 2022 Democratic Primary, earning 48 percent of the vote.

— Adam M. Beaty has filed paperwork to run as a Republican against state Rep. Anthony DeLuca, a Democrat from Chicago Heights, according to the State Board of Elections.

— Wife of ex-top aide to Madigan says he was ‘very sullen, very depressed ... as if he was lost’ after being sacked: “Witnesses in the perjury trial of Tim Mapes have said they found his forced resignation in June 2018 to be surprising, unexpected, traumatic. But Tuesday, jurors heard Mapes’ wife describe how he handled being fired amid a #MeToo wave at the Capitol,” by Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel.

— Chicago Chop House owners agree to pay investor Sean Conlon after cutting him out of 2017 deal to buy restaurant, by Tribune’s Robert Channick

Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of the first episodes in September – click here.

We asked how you handle flights sitting in the middle seat.

State Rep. Suzanne Ness: “I claim the arm rests on each side right away!”

Lucas Hawley: “By being skinny as a stick since birth.”

Charles Keller: “Sleep.”

Reid McCollum: “The middle seat entitles you to both armrests, so that means you have room for a drink in each hand to cope with being stuck.”

What’s the best ice cream store in Illinois? Email [email protected]

— Prosecutors: Trump Mar-a-Lago security aide flipped after changing lawyers, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein

— ‘Get out of my house!’ Video shows 98-year-old mother of Kansas newspaper publisher upset amid raid, by The Associated Press’ John Hanna and Jim Salter. VIDEO

— Schools shrug off cheating concerns and embrace AI, by POLITICO’s Blake Jones, Madina Toure and Juan Perez Jr.

— Alex Rodriguez has joined the Sun-Times as its new politics and government editor, returning to the paper after more than 20 years with the Chicago Tribune. At the Trib, Rodriguez was a member of the paper’s editorial board and before that was a foreign correspondent, serving as Moscow Bureau Chief. In 1999, he worked at the Sun-Times as the paper’s deputy metro editor. Rodriguez’s appointment comes as longtime Sun-Times politics editor Scott Fornek moves to a new position as assistant news editor.   

— Veronica Herrero is now president of City Colleges of Chicago Foundation with the official title of executive vice chancellor: chief institutional advancement officer and chief of staff. She's been with City Colleges as chief of strategy and staff.

TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to state Matthew Beaudet for correctly answering that Jamaica, Australia, Canada, the U.K. (Scotland, England, Ireland), Barbados, the Virgin Islands and South Africa all have municipalities Springfield.

TODAY’s QUESTION: What was the first Illinois-based TV show to be picked-up by a national network? Email [email protected]

State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, former state Sen. Dale Righter, Brunswick Group partner Patti Solis Doyle, former Trump administration aide Richard Chalkey, governor’s adviser on special projects Ryan Croke, Equity Collaborative founder Chasity Wells-Armstrong and comms consultant Joyce Winnecke, civic leader Carol Prins, PR and media consultant Shawn Taylor and journalists Charlie Madigan and Meribah Knight.

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