* The Tribune profiles Chad Grimm…

In a close governor’s race where every vote is coveted, Libertarian candidate Chad Grimm is positioned to be a spoiler, but it’s a label he rejects.

“It’s just not true,” Grimm said. “We’ve pulled from Democrats, we’ve pulled from Republicans, we’ve pulled from independents, we’ve kind of pulled from anybody. And if one person’s a spoiler, then why isn’t somebody else a spoiler to me?”

Republicans tried to knock Grimm off the Nov. 4 ballot because they feared he could attract votes that otherwise would have gone to Rauner. But that effort failed, and now voters who don’t like Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn will have two choices. In addition, Grimm could give voters a place to lodge a general protest vote — a sort of pox on either party — after months of TV attack ads by Quinn and Rauner.

Grimm is getting some late help from International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150. State election board records show Grimm reported that the union gave his campaign $30,000 Oct. 8.

* That’s not all they’re doing, as we’ve discussed before. Local 150 just put $200K into the Liberty for Illinois PAC and this piece recently hit the boxes. The color doesn’t display very well on these images, but it’s enough to give you an idea…

       

43 Comments - Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:03 am: LiberalRauner.com - Rauner should have registered that back in 2013. Too late now - OneMan - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:03 am: Yeah dude, because the union agrees with you, that is why they are helping you… - Carl Nyberg - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:07 am: It’s asinine for D/R partisans to complain that “spoilers” exist on the ballot. Go out and earn your votes. There should be a cost for Democrats & Republicans running negative campaigns and/or losing the confidence of the public. - Lil Squeezy - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:09 am: I do love freedom. - SHins - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:13 am: So the IUOE are plowing money in for a guy who wants to move all state workers to a 401K system. And his work history includes actor, failed local candidate and broadcast intern. funny year. - Alex P. Keaton - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:14 am: I’m just curious as to why a Libertarian would be pro-life. Isn’t that contradictory to the fundamental principle of Libertarianism, limited government intrusion in personal life? - Responsa - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:23 am: Week before the election and I’ve not received any mailers from or about Grimm. Have not seen any TV ads, (admittedly have been too busy to watch much TV lately.) Where’s the locus of this effort? - so... - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:26 am: Curious that they don’t mention his support for legalized heroin. - SallyD - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:27 am: That is it in a nutshell. The Libertarian is pro life because Rauner is pro life. - A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:28 am: I got the top one and a Rauner piece yesterday together. Production quality wasn’t even close. Grimm looks like the caricature of the prototype Libertarian confined by the 6×6 velvet rope box at the airport. The other piece pounds the Libertarian approach on a lot of issues that have helped them gain the popularity they enjoy today. The whole idea that unions paid for this remains amazing to me. Too clever by more than half. it’s a weakening gesture for them no matter what happens. - Carroll County - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:29 am: APK, l4l.org “One popular misconception is that libertarianism as a political principle supports choice on abortion. And major elements within the libertarian movement (the Libertarian Party, for example) take abortion-choice stands. Nonetheless, libertarianism’s basic principle is that each of us has the obligation not to aggress against (violate the rights of) anyone else — for any reason (personal, social, or political), however worthy. That is a clearly pro-life principle. Recognizing that, and seeing the abortion-choice drift within the libertarian movement, Libertarians for Life was founded in 1976 to show why abortion is a wrong under justice, not a right.” - A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:32 am: Thanks for clearing that up. Jeesh. - k3 - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:45 am: ‘MURICA!! - Illinois taxpayer - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 11:55 am: Disappointing that the so-called “libertarian” is pro-government on one of the biggest issues of our time. - RMW Stanford - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 12:04 pm: No votes belong to the Democrats or Republicans, it is up for them to go out and earn them. - Downstate Libertarian - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 12:20 pm: APK, the platform, it states “Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration.” Also, many Libertarians who are against abortion, are so due to their belief in the non-aggression principle, - walker - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 12:27 pm: My wife called to me and said “Grimm’s on TV”. But it was something about monsters and potions. - A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 12:41 pm: Walk, lol. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 12:49 pm: A Guy, your Baghdad Bruce act is weak. Rauner fought like crazy to keep Grimm off the ballot and is sending negative direct mail on him. - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 12:49 pm: Freedom isn’t free It costs folks like you and me And if we don’t all chip in We’ll never pay that bill Freedom isn’t free Now there’s a hefty in’ fee And if you don’t throw in your buck ‘o five Who will? - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 12:55 pm: Guy, tell us more about the “production quality” of the Lib piece. I got both pieces as well. They’re exactly the same. — paper stock, finish, everything. Again, you just make things up. - Walter Mitty - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 1:04 pm: Well… If the Union is going all in to support Grimm and not Pat Quinn… I don’t see how anyone could even see the hypocrisy of this effort… Not one bit…Yes, Snark. - Under Further Review - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 1:08 pm: Another jumbo sized postcard for Chad Grimm (courtesy of “Liberty for Illinois” an independent expenditure political action committee) was delivered today. The message is largely the same, but there is a beautiful baby on the card to emphasize that Grimm is: 100% pro-life 100% pro-gun 100% pro-freedom All of the negative information provided is anti-Rauner. Not a word about Quinn. - THEGUN - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 1:22 pm: hard to earn votes when the majority of the public is so stupid - admin - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 1:45 pm: So…because he’s not for legalized heroin. Dope. - A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 1:46 pm: === Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 12:55 pm: Guy, tell us more about the “production quality” of the Lib piece. I got both pieces as well. They’re exactly the same. — paper stock, finish, everything. Again, you just make things up.=== Since you asked, I would include the photography and the layout into that term. Bulletin: so does the industry, but heaven forbid I have any experience with anything. Not a hot picture of the dude. Looks a lot like a frat boy to me. I wouldn’t have used it. They’re a little pinched on content, but hey, a better effort was possible given the sudden windfall of cash. It wasn’t disruptive in a way that makes a splash. But, you know more, so we’ll stick with that. Did you think this guy wouldn’t get any direct mail pounding him? Hey he’s a union guy, isn’t he? Or wait, he isn’t. Just their money. I’d do what I could to get that message out. Being cynical with the pro lifers isn’t a great strategy, but again…you know more. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 1:55 pm: A Guy, you’re hilarious. I’m looking at them both right now. They’re the same, mr. Art director. THEGUN, interesting handle. What are you trying to communicate there, big fella? - BobInPeoria - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 2:05 pm: WHY would a good union local(from suburban Cook County) give $200K to a Libertarian candidate of IL Governor? Hmmmmmmm!?! I don’t think that they’ve given up on the Illinois Democratic Party……….. Maybe the union brothers & sisters of IOUE Local 150 might start asking some questions about why they aren’t giving all their $$$ to Democrats any more…. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 2:16 pm: It’s hard to judge the “Pro-Freedom” card when he doesn’t tell us how “Pro-Freedom” Quinn and Rauner are. I mean, what if they are only 99% “Pro-Freedom.” This is important information. - Nearly Normal - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 2:27 pm: Gee, I feel left out. No Grimm mailer received yet. I did get two anti-Grimm mailers from the Illinois Republican party last week. The mailer with the siren on it cites Rich from July 18, 2014. Today, I got a phone call from the Repubs that was word-for-word off of the anti-Grimm mailers but got sound effects–a siren. - hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 2:30 pm: The Chad Grimm supports legalizing heroin robocalls just keep on coming. We get it guys. - Jeff Trigg - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 2:34 pm: fyi, since I see it mentioned all the time in comments here, but you scare mongers should probably realize that heroin is already legal and available in many forms, very much unlike marijuana which is in Schedule 1. Neither Quinn nor Rauner has said anything about wanting to put heroin or other opiate based drugs into Schedule 1, so if you are truly scared about legal heroin you may want to ask Quinn and Rauner about their stances on legal opiates like heroin, and then stop being ignorant hypocrites. Quinn and Rauner are for legal heroin, as are President Obama and Bush before him. Michael Madigan and Jim Durkin are also for legal heroin. Funny how its only mentioned to demonize Grimm and libertarians. - Joe Blow - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 3:12 pm: I’ve received two mailers from Grimm in the past week. - A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 3:31 pm: === Demoralized - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 2:16 pm: It’s hard to judge the “Pro-Freedom” card when he doesn’t tell us how “Pro-Freedom” Quinn and Rauner are. I mean, what if they are only 99% “Pro-Freedom.” This is important information.==== Direct all inquiries to Slinger. If he’s not there ask for his assistant; Leo Burnett. - railrat - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 3:37 pm: I sure hope mailers have “union bug” on them can someone verify? lets see here a labor union that supports a candidate (presumably) against prevailing wage, minimum wage, jobsite safety standards, supports tort reform , workers compensation reform, public sector pension reform, against card check, PLA’s (project labor agreements)and this is the “message” a labor leader sends the working class? - Put the Fun in unfunded - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 4:51 pm: Some people appear to be confused about the concept. Local 150 does not believe that Grimm is going to win. They are trying to defeat Rauner by siphoning off votes from the conservative base. - A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 5:16 pm: Yeah, thanks for clearing that up. - railrat - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 5:25 pm: “Put the fun” some people get the concept but when I assume if you belong to a trade union the message from your ‘leadership” driven home at every turn is; Prevailing wages, pension security, card check rights for organizing, protection of works comp and tort laws? could some people be assuming the conservative trade unions members are intuitive enough to understand “siphoning off” votes? I kind of doubt it, my thought is they are more concerned more about a paycheck and fringes for the family. My opinion is you have a narcissistic labor leader paranoid he will lose his paid positions ie. the toll way board and other patronage appointments. It’s more about the win than the results. So different than the organization his predecessor left him. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 5:33 pm: Can we all have a round of applause for Railrat? Because wherever he goes, whatever he does, people burst out in applause. Ask him, he’ll tell you. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 5:45 pm: Most of the people voting for Grimm will be conservative Independents. If someone is 100% pro-life and 100% pro-gun and they don’t vote in GOP primaries, they already have a problem with the GOP. So spoiler? No. Most elections, they just don’t have somewhere else really to go. - MIMI - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 9:02 pm: I know more than one Republican who is repulsed by Rauner and are considering voting Grimm and like other very conservative republican may just vote for Quinn to stick to Rauner. - anonano - Tuesday, Oct 28, 14 @ 9:36 pm: MIMI—and I know dems who can’t stand Quinn and are voting for Rauner. It happens like this every election. - BobInPeoria - Wednesday, Oct 29, 14 @ 12:08 am: “Put the Fun”—-Yes, I got it the first time, sir……Sometimes, mocking and cynicism do not translate well online. My comments were meant to be taken in that manner. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.