With little more than two weeks to go in the GOP gubernatorial primary, the biggest opponent facing frontrunner Bruce Rauner is perhaps government unions.
While unions swore they are out to only injure any front-runner in the GOP primary, their influence is no doubt powerful in this race.
They’ve launched their third TV ad against Rauner, sharpening accusations involving nursing homes. Rauner, meanwhile, responded with three of his own ads — one attacking state Sen. Kirk Dillard, one hitting state Sen. Bill Brady and a third that promotes his candidacy. (Watch all of those ads by clicking here.)
The AFL-CIO also filed an ethics complaint against Rauner, sayine he’s violating state code because he’s donated to his own campaign after doing business with the state.
Who’s up? Once again, that has to go to Dillard. On Sunday, the Hinsdale Republican nabbed the Illinois Federation of Teachers endorsement, presumably which could come with some financial help as well as urging its 100,000 members to go out and hit the polls. He’s up with radio ads and last week, the Sun-Times reported that Don Tracy, the brother-in-law of Dillard’s running mate, launched an independent expenditure PAC.
Who’s Down? Gov. Pat Quinn. Yes, he’s a Democrat but last week just wasn’t a good one for Quinn. His handpicked DCFS chief, Arthur Bishop, resigned after a Sun-Times/WBEZ investigation exposing Bishop’s background.
Quinn returned tainted campaign cash he had received from the Douglas County Democratic Party after the revelation that an employee with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources “had received $14,000 from Foresight Energy Services of St. Louis, which operates four mines in Illinois,” in his political fund, according to the Quad-City Times. He also was criticized for bungling the state’s anti-violence program.
With the focus about to shift to a general election race, this doesn’t put Quinn in the strongest position.
