Volunteers for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner gathered at the new McHenry County GOP Headquarters in Crystal Lake Saturday afternoon.
Not only was Rauner present, but so was his candidate for Lt. Governor, Evelyn Sanguinetti.
“This is our election,” he said.
“This is the year we’re going to win.
“We’re going to best Pat Quinn.
“We’re going to win because of our ground game.
“The reality is that many voters don’t vote in non-Presidential years.
“We’ve got to get our votes out to the polls.
“We are in an economic death spiral.”
Rauner told of being at an airport flying to a Downstate event.
Four TSA officers asked if he was the guy running for Governor.
He said he was.
“We’re all for you,” one of the four said. All four said they were Democrats.
Rauner reported that he is an every Sunday speaker at African-American churches.
When faced with people who admitted to they had “never voted for a Republican in my life,” he asks,
“How’s that working for you?
“Give us a shot.”
The candidate said that he was reaching into every ethnic community.
“We’re going everywhere.”
Then he told of an analysis of the campaign by former New York Times blogger (now on his own) Nate Silver.
His prediction is that Rauner has a “75% chance to win.”
“We’re ahead.”
He reported that he had attended seven rallies on Saturday.
Sanguinetti reported on her early days of campaigning.
She referred to herself as “Queen of the Cold Call.”
She said that when she a sought sales job that clinched her the position.
The Lt. Gov. candidate also pointed out that people opened doors for women “and they let us in their homes.”
“Last time we lost by three votes per precinct,” Rauner explained, vowing the “ground game” would not to let that happen again.
New Jersey Governor Christ Christie, head of the Republican Governors Association, indicated that the RGA will make Illinois one of its top targets.
Rauner’s hope is that Illinois will end its reputation for being the “national headquarters for Big Bad Government.
“This is a transformational moment,” he said before he was off to Libertyville.
I would assume that the 14 is for 2014
So proud of you, Ryan.
Happy 20th Birthday and see you this week.
Your candidate is going to win in Illinois but he needs to start getting some specific plans out rather than speak in generalities or he may lose the independents.
Ronda Goldman
Huntley Trustee
Election Day is November 4, 2014.
No matter what you think of Rauner, it is impossible for him to do worse than Governors elected since 1971.
Both parties have hiked pensions and retiree healthcare benefits and the entire time pensions and retiree healthcare benefits have been underfunded.
It is ludicrous to hike underfunded pensions and retiree healthcare benefits.
Rather, first fully fund the benefits, then consider hiking them.
No matter whom becomes Governor it will take a lot of pain to right the ship.
The current course is completely unsustainable and has been since 1971.
Illinois state government has become a political Banana Republic.
Basic budget and finance principles were not adhered to.