* Bruce Rauner isn’t the only guy running pro-choice ads on Chicago-area cable TV…
Tom Cross, the Republican candidate for State Treasurer, is running a television ad in which he plainly states that he’s “pro-choice, pro-stem cell research,” and “proud” of being a deciding vote to legalize same sex marriage in Illinois.
It is unclear the scope of the ad buy. However, it is running on the Food Network, which boasts a 62% female viewer demographic with a household income $75,000+.
The Cross campaign has yet to make the ad publicly available, according to Illinois Review.
* And this’ll probably make some GOP heads explode, but Cross shared an endorsement with his Democratic rival today…
The Equality Illinois Political Action Committee (Equality Illinois PAC) today endorses the re-election of Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, Secretary of State Jesse White and Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka in the Nov. 4 General Election.
With no incumbent in the race for treasurer, Equality Illinois PAC, endorses both candidates, state Rep. Tom Cross, a Republican, and state Sen. Mike Frerichs, a Democrat.
Notice they went with Topinka over Sheila Simon. They explained in the press release that they side with incumbents who are with them.
* Meanwhile, from the Tribune editorial board meeting…
Cross, a partner at a Joliet-based law firm, has said he hopes to use the bully pulpit of the treasurer’s office as a means to encourage the General Assembly to approve a balanced budget and could sue. Frerichs called Cross out Monday, saying any citizen could do that and there’s nothing in the Illinois Constitution that gives the treasurer responsibility to do so.
“Every lawyer I’ve consulted says the … treasurer has no special standing,” Frerichs said.
Cross maintained that a lawsuit “is one way to hold the General Assembly and/or the governor accountable,” he said.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:02 pm:
–Cross, a partner at a Joliet-based law firm, has said he hopes to use the bully pulpit of the treasurer’s office as a means to encourage the General Assembly to approve a balanced budget and could sue.–
That’s not writing, it’s typing.
- walker - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:04 pm:
Cross is the fiscal conservative, social liberal, that many in both parties claim, but few achieve.
Standing or no, the suit thing is good politics.
- Shore - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:40 pm:
sheila simon’s campaigns have so bad you almost wonder if they’ve been run by Illinois Republican operatives. her father had one of the best reputations and I’ve seen nothing from her in 5 years to suggest despite all the connections/good will his legacy brought her she’s been able to remotely capitalize on them.
cross has done with Rutherford tried to do and what’ll probably get him to squeak through which is to embrace chicago social liberalism, take that off the table and then try to win in suburbs by hanging the states fiscal and economic issues on his opponent. I’m not sure he’s really a social moderate but give him credit for succeeding in pulling it off.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 2:52 pm:
Awaiting the Sheila Simon rant about how she should have gotten the endorsement.
- Put the Fun in unfunded - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:01 pm:
I don’t see the point of endorsing opposing candidates. If E.I. is looking for the candidate that took the biggest risk for them, they should have just endorsed Cross.
- ??? - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:09 pm:
@Put the Fun - I agree; an endorsement doesn’t seem like it would mean much if both candidates got them.
- Jimmy - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 3:15 pm:
There are 3 Republicans in this state that are pro-choice and pro-gay marriage and they are all running statewide! Win or lose, Illinois will not have a social agenda!
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:13 pm:
PFU:
Actually, supporting gay marriage is a pretty easy vote in suburban Chicago, particularly for a 22 year imcumbent.
- Coffee Cup - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:15 pm:
I am afraid that Tom’s flip-flop on same-sex marriage and the gay issues just as he was leaving the state legislature to run for Treasurer will cost him a significant portion of his Republican base. I understood why he did it (to appeal to liberal Democrats & Independents) but the fact that he changed positions on an issue to get himself elected Treasurer didn’t go down with many of his former followers. I have heard a significant number of them say that they felt like they were double-crossed by Cross. They said they won’t vote for Tom. They may not vote for his opponent but they refuse to vote for Tom. It should make for an interesting election night. Then, we will actually see how many of these Republican “former” Cross-supporters will back up what they have threatened to do.
- Gooner - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:26 pm:
Coffee Cup,
Your post shows why I’m always tempted to donate to right wing causes.
They do a better job of electing Dems than most Dems.
- Barney - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 4:55 pm:
YDD:
An easy vote, huh? in the middle of a statewide GOP primary. We obviously have different world views.
- walker - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 5:00 pm:
Cross has been one of the more “liberal” members of his caucus, on social issues, for years. Long before wanting to run for another office.
Curiously, Madigan has also been one of the more “conservative” of his caucus on other issues.
That’s why the national labels or assumptions never work well describing Illinois politicians.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 5:37 pm:
Barney:
A statewide primary against a guy no one outside of DuPage had ever heard of, with no money.
A political no-brainer, particularly when you look at statewide polling on the issue.
The GOP has been treating conservatives like rubes since 1980, why stop now?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 5:54 pm:
Walker: that is malarkey.
Cross has been reliably pro-choice, but that was about it.
Susie Bassi, Beth Coulson and Sandy Pihos were moderates, and Cross turned his back on them.