CHICAGO – In a move that is sure to provoke wrath from the Illinois Republican Party establishment, several influential GOP conservative elected officials stepped forward to publicly support State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) in her bid to oust incumbent Governor Bruce Rauner in the March 20th primary.
State Representatives Tom Morrison (R-Palatine), Peter Breen (R-Lombard), Margo McDermed (R-Frankfort), and Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee), along with Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak, Naperville Township Commissioner Warren Dixon, and Wheatland Township Trustee Raquel Mitchell joined Ives in a press conference to announce their support for the GOP challenger.
The party base is very unhappy with Governor Rauner's first term performance, the endorsers agreed.
"We're talking with Republican voters that – if they know the issues and know what has happened in Springfield – they want new leadership. They want a new standard bearer for our party," Morrison said at the press conference.
Morrison, who went out on a limb in 2014 to back Rauner, said he's disappointed with Governor Rauner.
"When most of the people hear what this governor has done on our issues, they're immediately turned off," Morrison said.
Saying his House colleague Ives has integrity, a high work ethic and the respect of House members on both sides of the aisle, Morrison declared his support for Ives in the primary.
State Sens. Kyle McCarter (R-Vandalia) and Tim Bivins (R-Dixon), along with State Representatives David McSweeney (R-Cary) and Barb Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake) also pledged their support for Ives.
Ives adds the support of her legislative colleagues to a growing list, including Northwest Side GOP Club, Wheatland Township Republican Organization, Fremont Township Republican Organization, Republican Organization of Wheeling Township, Chicago GOP, Batavia Township Republican Organization, Wauconda Township Republican Organization, Republican Assembly of Lake County, and Tax Accountability (Taxpayers United of America).
“It is unprecedented to have legislators in open revolt against a governor from their party," Ives said. “The story here is not just my colleagues who are willing to stand with me, but the dozens and dozens more who are with me, but who don't want to go against the Governor publicly because they have their own elections and other considerations.
"The numbers of legislators endorsing me combined with those who are sitting out the primary is clear and convincing evidence that Governor Rauner has lost the Republican caucuses in both chambers. As more evidence of this fact," she said, "we do have the House Republican Floor Leader here in Rep. Peter Breen."
“We are unified. We all supported Rauner. We all gave him a chance to lead. We all supported the broad strokes of his policy agenda," she said.
“But we quickly learned his words were just words. We learned he didn't want to do the work, both in terms of policy homework and coalition-building. We learned he was content to play press release politics, just like his wine-club buddy, Rahm. And then the betrayals came, one after the other.
“Across the state, Republicans know that the revolution they were promised in 2014 will not be delivered by Bruce Rauner. We are going to come together and defeat Bruce Rauner. Then, with the help of those with me today, we will deliver the revolution Illinoisans were promised in 2014."
Rauner is NOT a disappointment, he’s a TREASONOUS SOB! He’s totally failed to fulfill ANY of his 44 campaign promises and has now made Illinois a sanctuary state; made ALL Illinois taxpayers accessories to murder; taken cash from downstate school districts to bail out the fully incompetent Chicago School District Pension Fund and signed off on a HUGE income tax increase among other things.
I really do not see how she can lose. No matter how much money Rauner throws at here.
I agree Frank
Frank Goudy, do you talk to ANYONE who doesn’t already think like you? Even the most generous polls of REPUBLICAN primary votes have Rauner 40+ points ahead. Get out of your BUBBLE and know the real world.
I hope you’re right Frank. But he’s going to dump in millions on TV, radio and on-line advertising – and as H.L. Mencken said:
“No one ever lost money by underestimating the stupidity of the American people.”
It’s as if only the crazies comment here. You can hate Rauner, I guess, but that perception does not change reality, which is Ives CANNOT win. Why? Because no one knows her! Jeez, do some research, please, okay? Polling has Rauner up by 40 or so points among Republican voters because Ives is utterly unknown (and those that do know her know her to be cra-cra). Without tons of money she can’t introduce herself (as not cra-cra) to the thousands of voting R’s who have never hear of her. #ReadingIsFundamental
Interesting that there’s a growing number of respected lawmakers that are supporting Rep. Ives.
And it’s also interesting how Raunerites – the vast majority of them that are supportive simply because they get a cheap buck from the Governor – do their best to insult those that aren’t on the payroll into voting for their chief checkwriter.
Have you no shame? Really? Money can buy your principles and your loyalty – and your ability to hide behind your anonymous name to make people feel stupid for seeing clearly that your guy will never be re-elected without their votes in the end?
You, folks, are the real losers. How do you look yourself in the mirror?
It’s also interesting that the Raunerites are using the exact same talking points. Also interesting is that they come to a site that they hate, post comments on a site that they hate, and then exclude themselves from being crazy, when in fact they are the nuttiest people of all.
Ives or the Fat Slob will be the next governor. The one person who will not be governor is Not In Charge.
You are quite right.
It was Adolf Hitler versus Franz von Papen in the 1933 German election. They were both more or less fascists, so are we to assume that you would have gone with Hitler, because he was more electable? (He did win the election.)
At what point does one decide to sit it out, rather than back the lessor of two evils? – as it would certainly be the case of Pritzker v. Rauner.
Color me crazy if you’d like, I also know for a fact that Hillary Clinton is the POTUS.
If you haven’t noticed, things are not exactly what they used to be with an ever growing frustrated electorate.
The idea that the only people who support Rauner are on payroll shows how delusional you really are. Maybe people support Rauner because we agree with him? Maybe because we want to win and he has the message and resources.
You sit there blasting anonymous, but where are you? I’m not. You and the other deranged who clearly don’t want to solve problems, just sit there and complain. You and the Ives supporters are trying to spread mutiny and would just sink the ship than save it. You and the other nut-jobs are in fact the real losers.
Wow, I agree with Stevie for once. Rauner can have supporters who aren’t paid. There are plenty of POS, liberal, baby-killing fans in Illinois.
Hey little fellow (or little girl, as the case may be) we note that you frequently use the term, “delusional.”
Wasn’t that term popularized by your friend Barack Obama?
Please, spare us your leftist trolling. You are absurdly transparent.
In the 1932 German Presidential election (March 1 and April 10) there were four major candidates: von Hindenburg, Hitler, the Communist Ernst Thalmann and Theodor Duesterberg and various minor candidates…but NEVER von Papen!
If you agree with Rauner why not just vote for the Fat Slob Pritzker? They don’t disagree on anything. Madigan’s entire social and economic agenda passed with Rauner’s help. We have higher taxes, are no a sanctuary state, are funding taxpayer abortions, and have bailed out the Chicago Public Schools thanks to Rauner. These are things that you and Rauner and Madigan agree with. The Fat Slob Pritzker would pass Madigan’s agenda in the same manner that Rauner has done so.
Hey – Hitler came so close in ’32 that there was a 2nd Election in ’33 and his electoral total was so high, that Hindenberg had no choice but to appoint him Chancellor over von Papen.
After the old General died, Hitler appointed himself President, as well as being Chancellor and assumed total and absolute power.
But conveniently, you avoid the main point – is it better to vote for one fascist over a slightly lessor fascist?
Would you have felt happier voting for Kerensky over Lenin in 1917 Russia?- you smart little historian you!
Bottom line is Rauner and Pritzker are Tweedledee and Tweedledum – and no serious and principled conservative shouldd ever vote for either of them