IL-Gov. 2018 Megathread

[Former Kentuckian]

If those fundraising numbers are true I might vote for Biss after all.

Illinois Sunshine via the Illinois State Board of Elections shows Biss comfortably ahead of Kennedy in money raised and cash on hand: https://illinoissunshine.org

[Former Kentuckian]

Jeanne Ives held a press conference flanked by state legislators who have endorsed her: http://www.mystateline.com/news/republican-legislators-including-rep-tim-bivins-endorse-ives-for-governor/937543529

In my wildest dreams, I wish for a Daniel Biss/Jeanne Ives showdown lol

[Former Kentuckian]

With redistricting coming up, it's beyond pathetic that national Dems aren't stepping in to stop the Pritzker sh*t show.

Well what are they gonna do to stop him?
He's got the entire state machine and his billions behind him, how could they stop him without throwing everything against him?

They should be throwing everything they have against him.

If Rauner manages to win re-election, Dems have nobody to blame but themselves.

[Former Kentuckian]

Rauner and his primary challenger, State Rep. Jeanne Ives, are both appearing before the Chicago Tribune editorial board today at 11 am (and it will be livestreamed). They'll be questioned together, apparently, so this may be the closest thing to a debate they get since Rauner has declined one with Ives: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-jeanne-ives-editorial-board-20180129-story.html

[Former Kentuckian]

Jeanne Ives has received a $500,000 donation from Richard Uihlein, a former Rauner donor: https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/gop-mega-donor-uihlein-makes-b-line-to-rauner-rival-ives/

[Former Kentuckian]

Editorial from the Chicago Tribune regarding the mini-debate Rauner and Ives had before the newspaper's editorial board in order to win their endorsement:

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Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-governor-rauner-ives-primary-20180129-story.html

[Former Kentuckian]

Pritzker is using imagery of Ives attacking Rauner during the Chicago Tribune debate for a new digital ad: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/01/31/scoop-new-pritzker-ad-stars-surprise-jeanne-ives-gillibrand-to-fundraise-for-marie-newman-rauner-asks-pols-to-unite-behind-a-jobs-agenda-gov-appointee-calls-east-st-louis-s-hole-241851

[Former Kentuckian]

Ives jumps the shark with her new ad against Rauner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d57WlyvHA-I

That is a messsss!

[Former Kentuckian]

It's funny that Ives cancelled an appearance with Bill Whittle because of his past offensive remarks, but then released that horrible commercial lmao

[Former Kentuckian]

Ives just spent another $500,000 on tv ads, bringing the total amount she's spent on ads up to $1.54 million. Pritzker just spent $30,000 on an ad with Chicago's Telemundo affiliate, bringing the amount he's spent on ads up to $25.4 million: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinoisplaybook

In addition, Ives released a new ad, again attacking Rauner for the supposed sanctuary state law (unlike her previous ad, this one is just her talking in front of a black background): https://capitolfax.com/2018/02/09/ives-releases-new-ad-lead-the-charge/

[Former Kentuckian]

What would a Pritzer versus Ives matchup look like if she doesn't say anything else crazy and his ties to corruption keep growing?

I doubt she could win. She's way too Conservative to win statewide.

She's running a very Trumpian campaign, so the results would probably look like Hillary vs Trump in Illinois 2016.

[Former Kentuckian]

Speaking of Pritzker and taxes, the Better Government Association has uncovered some dirt on his own taxes and the way he's shifted money around the world (and how he used "elite tax breaks" so he didn't have to pay taxes. So much for his progressive tax campaign proposal): http://www.pjstar.com/news/20180210/jb-pritzkers-storied-charity-costs-him-little-but-taxpayers-lot

And speaking of past comments and whether they apply now, there's been a lot of talk about Pritzker concerning what he's said about Black Americans: http://abc7chicago.com/politics/pritzker-scandal-highlights-importance-of-black-vote-in-illinois/3049532/

http://abc7chicago.com/politics/pritzker-meets-with-african-american-pastors-to-discuss-fbi-tape/3053707/

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-jb-pritzker-apologizes-african-american-voters-20180206-story.html

https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/j-b-pritzker-continues-apology-tour-at-black-women-of-illinois-forum/

Electing Pritzker would be replacing one dumb*ss with another.

[Former Kentuckian]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-jb-pritzker-bahama-offshore-shell-company-20180313-story.html

I don't know if I could tell anyone to vote for Pritzker in the general and keep my conscience.

Pritzker is such garbage

[Former Kentuckian]

Rauner sounded like quite the grump in that debate.

TBH, I'd be quite a grump if I were Bruce Rauner right now.

I'd be really grumpy too if I spent tens of millions of dollars just to get through a primary and then find out I'm losing by double digits in pretty much every poll, with no real path to reelection. I don't know the exact figures, but he has spend an ungodly sum of money for this.

If I remember correctly his campaign alone has spent something like $45 million, not including PACs and stuff

[Former Kentuckian]

I know yard signs don't mean anything, but I was surprised to actually see a couple of McCann-Merreighn signs while driving through the 13th District this weekend.

[Former Kentuckian]

Yeah, both candidates are atrocious. I'd definitely be voting third-party here.

There are two third party candidates. One is a far right Trumpist and the other is a libertarian who didn't pay his child support and might be a wife beater, so have fun with that...lol.

I'd be solidly on the write-in train here. Hillary Clinton for Illinois governor in 2018!

Yeah, Sam McCann invoked Trump several times in the debate and is running where Jeanne Ives left off. And the Libertarian, Kash Jackson, is a shady figure as you mentioned (in a race full of shady figures).

I'm voting early today and trying to decide between holding my nose and voting for Pritzker (and rationalizing it as a vote for Lt Governor Juliana Stratton since she'll probably end up as Governor once Pritzker gets caught doing something) or writing-in Michelle Obama

[Former Kentuckian]

Yeah, both candidates are atrocious. I'd definitely be voting third-party here.

There are two third party candidates. One is a far right Trumpist and the other is a libertarian who didn't pay his child support and might be a wife beater, so have fun with that...lol.

I'd be solidly on the write-in train here. Hillary Clinton for Illinois governor in 2018!

personally, I'm voting for the far-right Trumpist -- if he breaks 5%, as polls suggest he might, the "Conservative Party" will automatically get a ballot line in every election for the next four years, hopefully consigning the IL GOP to even deeper irrelevance

Rauner is personally keeping the IL GOP alive through his funds, so it makes me wonder what will happen to them after November

[Former Kentuckian]

Yeah, both candidates are atrocious. I'd definitely be voting third-party here.

There are two third party candidates. One is a far right Trumpist and the other is a libertarian who didn't pay his child support and might be a wife beater, so have fun with that...lol.

I'd be solidly on the write-in train here. Hillary Clinton for Illinois governor in 2018!

Yeah, Sam McCann invoked Trump several times in the debate and is running where Jeanne Ives left off. And the Libertarian, Kash Jackson, is a shady figure as you mentioned (in a race full of shady figures).

I'm voting early today and trying to decide between holding my nose and voting for Pritzker (and rationalizing it as a vote for Lt Governor Juliana Stratton since she'll probably end up as Governor once Pritzker gets caught doing something) or writing-in Michelle Obama

Who did you end up voting for?

I voted for Pritzker 😿

[Former Kentuckian]

This is peak Illinois: https://twitter.com/capitolfax/status/1047875974463799297

Almost every race in this state is like this, it seems. Even the McLean County Clerk race is playing out like this:

https://week.com/news/2018/10/01/both-candidates-for-mclean-county-clerk-under-ethical-investigations/

http://www.wglt.org/post/clerks-race-both-sides-stretch-truth-early-voting-delay

[Former Kentuckian]

Sam McCann is airing commercials on TV, but a Rauner-linked group is also airing ads against him: http://www.pjstar.com/news/20181003/conservative-party-gubernatorial-candidate-sam-mccann-launches-tv-ad?template=ampart

[Former Kentuckian]

Sam McCann is airing commercials on TV, but a Rauner-linked group is also airing ads against him: http://www.pjstar.com/news/20181003/conservative-party-gubernatorial-candidate-sam-mccann-launches-tv-ad?template=ampart

Pro-Rauner groups are spending money on this race still? Talk about setting money on fire.

They've also launched an oppo site on McCann: https://www.therealsammccann.com/

[Former Kentuckian]

Hillary Clinton has been in the state campaigning for Pritzker, for some reason. He certainly doesn't need the help and there are other Democratic gubernatorial candidates in blue states that could use her help more (like Ben Jealous and Jay Gonzalez): http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-hillary-clinton-campaigning-for-pritzker-20180930-story.html

[Former Kentuckian]

The Tribune has been acting as a far-left rag for the last few years.

How is endorsing Rauner for reelection acting as a far-left rag? Am I missing something?