* Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Schillerstrom will announce at 11 o’clock today that he’s dropping out of the race and is endorsing Jim Ryan.
Discuss.
I’ll be updating this post with more on the GOP candidates in a bit.
*** UPDATE *** From a press release…
Statement from McKenna for Illinois Spokesman Lance Trover on the Tax and Spenders Teaming Up:
“This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone since Jim Ryan and Bob Schillerstrom teamed with Kirk Dillard to raise taxes on suburban families – it appears now they want to team up and take their tax and spend ways from the suburbs to all Illinois families.”
[ *** End of Update *** ]
…Adding… A quick look at GOP fundraising…
On the Republican side, McKenna is far ahead of the six other primary candidates in fundraising, thanks in part to putting up $1.6 million of his own wealth… McKenna also raised more than $2 million from individuals, companies and groups, giving him a $3.6 million war chest.
State Sen. Kirk Dillard has raised about $800,000 in his bid. The veteran Hinsdale lawmaker also took more than $600,000 in loans.
DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom has raised just more than $700,000, including a $100,000 personal loan to his campaign. Former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan has raised just over half a million dollars.
Downstate candidate state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington also has raised just over half a million dollars since June. Chicago conservative commentator Dan Proft has raised about a quarter of a million dollars in cash and donated goods and services.
Related…
* Facts behind the GOP contest for Ill. governor
* GOP gubernatorial hopefuls tout tort reform
* State’s financial woes take center stage at GOP gubernatorial debate
* Dillard wins Murnane endorsement
* Dillard touts independent thinking in bid for Republican governor nomination
* McKenna has GOP fundraising edge in gov race
* ‘Skip’ Saviano, Ed Sullivan endorse McKenna/Murphy
* Ryan: Deep cuts needed to fix budget
- Nikoli - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 9:59 am:
Its about time Schillerstrom dropped out. The guy was totally playing above his pay grade.
Now if only some of the other not-ready-for-primetime players would follow Bob’s lead…
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 9:59 am:
So at this point we have a four way race between McKenna, Dillard, Ryan and Brady. Being the best known and not moving in the polls, I think Ryan is out. If I had to handicap at this point, I guess I’ll go with an upset by Brady because it would be more interesting. Realistically, who the heck knows. Schillerstrom dropping out will have about as much impact as when he was in the race. Zilch.
- The CARDINAL - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 9:59 am:
He must have been waiting for a better offer than he got from others…he should have left two months ago
- Skeptical Cynic - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 9:59 am:
This should help Jim Ryan solidify an already strong DuPage base.
- George - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:00 am:
I bet Jim Ryan is looking forward to that 2%
- Joe - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:01 am:
This is a non-factor.
1% of Schillerstrom’s support will go to Dillard and the other 1% to Jim Ryan.
- dupage dan - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:02 am:
I don’t know how much this helps Ryan but I hope not much. I hate to say it but McKenna would have a better chance in nov than Ryan. Ryan has so much baggage that he could very well lose to the dem in nov. Even if he had to run against the hapless PQ.
- anon - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:02 am:
This is undeniably a positive development for Jim Ryan. It will be interesting to see the spin. Schillerstrom was a credible candidate, and an effective office holder. The positive for Ryan will be limited, but it’s not “nothing.”
- 47th Ward - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:04 am:
I bet this is causing quite a sh*****storm in Dillard’s office today.
- CircularFiringSquad - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:06 am:
Thank goodness he waited until it was too late to get his name off the ballot….that will creat max voted confusion and do little to really help jimRYAN….Nice job Bob
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:07 am:
Cute, 47. Obscure, but cute.
- Whatever - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:08 am:
Who knew Bob was even still a candidate? That 1% he was polling probably doesn’t have much of an impact.
- AA - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:17 am:
How much money does An-Gee-Eff-Ski have?
He’s the front runner, you know!
- OneMan - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:19 am:
Saw a guy with a Bob sticker this morning on the train. Also guess this means the thing at Bob’s campaign HQ for Saturday is canceled?
Also it’s a bit late to drop out isn’t it?
- Anon - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:19 am:
Boy that Jim Ryan name recognition and poll momentum has sure helped him rake in the money. Seriously, are they even trying or is this whole “campaign” of his a joke? He was completely unprepared and disinterested in the debate the other night. If it’s Jim Ryan vs. Pat Quinn, the winner will be decided based on whose voters are still awake and not in a coma come November.
- wordslinger - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:35 am:
The S-storm spot was funny the first time.
- just sayin' - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:39 am:
Jim Ryan may win this thing. I think it’s down to him and McKenna.
Dillard had a good chance but he threw it away when he accepted the IEA endorsement. He got the votes of the 3 teachers who pull a Republican ballot in a primary, and disgusted the Republican voters who actually might have voted for him.
Dillard just seems hardwired to do goofy things.
- anon - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:47 am:
I’m sorry to see Bob get out of the race. Not surprised, just sorry to see him go. Classy guy.
- Team Sleep - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:48 am:
Sometimes, slating is not a horrible idea…
- Will County Woman - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 11:03 am:
Bob it’s ashame that you waited this long. the last rasmussen poll had him at 2 % which was no change from the one prior to that. He knew he was going nowhere yet waited.
adam a and dan proft have stayed in too long as well. both will be disappointed, but something tells me not surprised feb 2 at 8 p.m. when its official that the lost.
contrary to what a previous poster suggests, brady will not surge. too bad becsuse he’s work hard and was the first out to announce.
- Scooby - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 11:06 am:
He took his vanity campaign this far, why drop out now?
- just sayin' - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 11:09 am:
I just got a McKenna campaign robocall that mostly hit Dillard for raising taxes and “supporting Barack Obama for President.”
Wonder if that’s a sign Dillard might be ahead in the new WGN/Trib poll that’s officially coming out tonight. Maybe McKenna got a tip.
In any case, I do think the Obama connection could sink Dillard all by itself if his opponents stay on it. There are few people in the world Republicans despise more than Obama right now.
Thanks for your help Kirk Dillard.
- John Bambenek - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 11:29 am:
Brady is now polling last place with Bob out. Proft doing slightly better than last place.
- Jake from Elwood - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 11:35 am:
Smilin’ Bob gave up the DuPage chairmanship to run for Governor. Welcome to the public sector. His meager support will likely be split between Dillard and Ryan.
- Jake from Elwood - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 11:35 am:
Smilin’ Bob gave up the DuPage chairmanship to run for Governor. Welcome to the private sector. His meager support will likely be split between Dillard and Ryan.
- Segatari - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 11:46 am:
Jim Ryan should not get the nomination - there’s no reason to bring anyone connected to George Ryan back and plus he’s got big negatives.
Andy McKenna I don’t care for either because he’s responsible for the state GOP doing so poorly in 2006. I find he funny he pushes himself as a conservative when he was pushing left leaning candidates.
Take note it’s NOT a four man race…the other names not mentioned are actively running ads.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 11:56 am:
Anyone polling in single digits at this time of the campaign, needs to drop out. This prevents any further humiliation, and enforces a view that the candidate isn’t stupid or blind. There isn’t a problem with losing a campaign, but there is a problem with losing a campaign where every indicator clearly showed you never had a chance, but ignored them.
Good man Bob!
Now it is time for the other nobodies to start dropping out to demonstrate their intelligence and humility.
- Team Sleep - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 12:05 pm:
John B, if Bill Brady is polling that low, that is truly sad. What a waste of time, energy & cash for nothing.
- Jackson - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 12:08 pm:
McKenna has no chance of fixing this State’s fiscal mess with just cuts. He’s just pandering to GOP voters, most of whom he could have cared less about when at the ILGOP.
- Amuzing Myself - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 1:38 pm:
JB: Keep dreaming.
- Conservative Republican - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 2:30 pm:
JB and Team Sleep: Sorry, chumps, but Brady is polling in double digits, even leading the field in some surveys. And since some Schillerstrom supporters are DuPagers who already don’t prefer Cook Countians, Dillard, and Ryan, will break for him. Brady will surge in the home stretch.
- 4 percent - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 3:24 pm:
Dillard is skyrocketing. Crain’s Chicago Business just endorsed him this afternoon (I guess his daddy couldn’t buy their endorsement like the Tribune).
He is endorsed by the IL Rifle Association, Family PAC, Civil Justice advocates, multiple newspapers (the only candidate endorsed by more than 1 newspaper I believe), and many others.
McKenna is going negative and Brady is off the reservation (anger management classes needed) which is a clear sign that Dillard is surging.
- Will County Woman - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 3:40 pm:
Over Andy the “businessman and outsider” ????
I’ll have to check out what Crain’s wrote.
- Fed Up - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 4:23 pm:
Is there bad blood between Schillerstrom & Dillard?
- PalosParkBob - Friday, Jan 22, 10 @ 10:53 pm:
4 percent, don’t forget the IEA endorsement. That essentially means he has no intention of taking the necessary actions to reform the skyrocketing costs of union public education and the devastating and unnecessaryly huge pension obligations GIVEN by the state, not negotiated.
When the IEA endorsed him, he lost me and most other serious public education reform activists.