As summer begins to wind down and we ease into the autumn months ahead, I am beginning to smell the distinct aroma of the fall brawl of Illinois politricks and what may be a major beat down in the governor’s race. And if the early endorsements are any indication (minus any last-minute bombshells), then Governor Bruce Rauner should be very worried in his bid for re-election and for good reason.
Former President Barack Obama has weighed in with a ringing endorsement of Democratic nominee J.B. Pritzker, as have U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Democrats.
Meanwhile, Rauner, if he were a dancer, would be in full running man mode, running away from his record as well as from the current occupant of the White House. During Trump’s recent appearance at Granite City Steel, Rauner was conspicuously and unapologetically MIA. Pritzker quickly called Rauner out, saying, “It seems to me the governor is avoiding spending any time with the president. He’s obviously avoiding Trump.”
Pritzker is right. What sitting Republican governor would avoid a photo op with a sitting Republican president, in front of a crowd of American steel workers? It’s the stuff that campaign literature is made of. Perhaps Rauner is afraid of the optics of such an appearance, especially in a blue state like Illinois, compounded by his abysmal record as governor. Trump lost Illinois during the presidential election, and Rauner has enough problems without carrying the Donald’s baggage too.
In fact, even the leading conservative magazine The National Review referred to Rauner as the “worst Republican governor in America.” And as much as Rauner quickly scapegoats state Rep. Michael Madigan, the speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, as derailing his agenda, the governor’s record speaks volumes about his ineptitude.
Consider that during his tenure Rauner presided over a state budget stalemate that lasted for 2 ½ years, racked up $16 billion in unpaid bills, halted afterschool programs for the poor, closed mental health and rehabilitation facilities statewide, and cut funding to institutions of higher education, causing many to teeter on the brink of closure.
Rauner can’t run on his record, so his only option is to run away from it. His billionaire pedigree as an equity investor doesn’t resonate with workers in the state. He comes across as aloof and detached from the kitchen-table issues impacting Illinois voters.
On the other hand, Pritzker, also a billionaire, has a history of creating jobs through his high-tech Chicago business incubator, which is credited for creating 7,000 jobs and causing Chicago to become known as “Silicon Prairie.”
Additionally, Pritzker has a history of public service, is passionate about expanding childcare and early childhood education, and is an advocate of a $15-an-hour minimum wage, taxing recreational marijuana to generate approximately $700 million per year, and pushing through a progressive income tax that would raise taxes on the wealthiest residents.
If all of these variables come into play, then J.B. Pritzker is likely to be elected as the new occupant of the Illinois governor’s mansion come November.
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com; Twitter@JamesTIngram.
