* As noted below, the IL GOP is paying for a new TV ad touting Bruce Rauner’s support of employer birth control coverage. As we’ve already discussed, the IL GOP is also spending big bucks attacking the Libertarian Party candidate Chad Grimm on social issues. Greg Hinz has more…
GOP gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner frequently has said he “has no social agenda” on hot button issues such as gay marriage and abortion, even emphasizing through his wife, Diana Rauner, that he in fact is pro-choice. But in the final days of his campaign, his money is saying something else.
In the past 24 hours, Rauner-funded flyers and robocalls have surfaced that savage another candidate for governor, Libertarian Chad Grimm, for backing same-sex marriage and legal abortion. Republican insiders fear that Mr. Grimm’s small-government message is playing well in conservative sections of the state and could take away votes that otherwise would go to Mr. Rauner.
“Libertarian Chad Grimm’s party supports gay marriage,” says the flyer, which was passed on to me by a Burr Ridge resident who got it in the mail yesterday. A similar phone message that also was also passed on to me says, “His party’s 100 percent pro-choice.”
Both the flyer and the calls were paid for by the Illinois Republican Party.
Mr. Rauner’s campaign, in a statement, denied any responsibility.
“This is not a Bruce Rauner mail piece,” said a spokesman, later extending his comment to cover the robocall after I emailed him a copy. “Bruce doesn’t have a social agenda — he’s pro-choice, comfortable with the existing marriage law and doesn’t seek to change it.”
But it’s impossible to believe that the state party would have send out either communication without the approval from Mr. Rauner. He’s contributed at least $4.5 million to the state party since summer — comprising 80 percent of the party’s total receiptss in the quarter ended Sept. 30. And he largely was responsible for the selection of Tim Schneider as the party’s chairman earlier this year. The previous chairman, Pat Brady, was forced out in part because of a flap over his support for same-sex marriage.
* From the Quinn campaign…
Directly disproving his claim that he “has no social agenda,” Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner is spending millions of dollars attacking reproductive freedom and marriage equality. Crain’s Chicago is reporting that Rauner is bankrolling anti-choice, anti-marriage equality efforts and advertisements. Rauner has sought to hide his beliefs from voters throughout the campaign. Quinn for Illinois communications director Brooke Anderson responded:
“Just days before the election, Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner’s true colors are showing - he really does oppose a woman’s right to choose and equal marriage rights.
“Mr. Rauner cannot be trusted to look out for women’s reproductive freedom and equal marriage rights when in fact he’s spending millions of dollars attacking those freedoms.
“Under Governor Quinn’s leadership, our state has made real progress from enacting marriage equality to one of the strongest pay equity laws in the nation.
“Mr. Rauner’s out-of-touch social agenda would be a setback for women and families in Illinois.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** More from the Quinn campaign…
Quinn for Illinois Media Advisory
**Friday, October 31, 2014**
CHICAGO – Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor Paul Vallas will be joined by women leaders and legislators to discuss Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner’s real position opposing a woman’s right to choose and marriage equality. Crain’s Chicago is reporting that Rauner is bankrolling anti-choice, anti-marriage equality advertisements in the closing days of the campaign.
WHEN: 2 p.m.
WHERE: Personal PAC - 7th Floor
134 N. LaSalle St.
Chicago, 60602
*** UPDATE 2 *** From a press release…
Equality Illinois today condemns Republican nominee for governor Bruce Rauner and the Illinois Republican Party for attacking a rival candidate for supporting marriage equality and women’s rights.
The campaign tactic was funded by Rauner despite his protestations that he has no social agenda, Crain’s Chicago Business reports today.
A flyer and robocalls put out by the Rauner-funded Illinois Republican Party attack Libertarian nominee for governor, Chad Grimm, who Republicans fear will siphon votes from Rauner and help Gov. Pat Quinn win re-election. The article and a copy of the flyer can be seen here: http://tinyurl.com/Rauner-Anti-Gay.
“This is just the latest evidence of Bruce Rauner showing his true conservative social agenda and his opposition to marriage equality for same-sex couples. It is condemnable and unsurprising at the same time,” said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois.
“We’ve exposed his repeated statements against marriage equality when he thought he was only speaking to conservative audiences. Now, there is one more direct evidence of Bruce Rauner money funding an anti-marriage equality mailer,” Cherkasov said. “It is clear for all that Bruce Rauner has no moral compass, and will say anything to win, and that makes him unqualified to be Governor of the Land of Abraham Lincoln.”
* Related…
* Associated Press: Gay marriage, abortion issues take back seat in governor’s race
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 12:35 pm:
Isn’t the Illinois Republican Party bankrolled by Rauner?
And doesn’t the law allow state parties to coordinate with candidates?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 12:40 pm:
Rauner took over the ILGOP.
Rauner owns it.
Like Edgar, like GHR.
Rauner just personally over-paid for it.
Saying Rauner doesn’t own the ILGOP is willfully ignorant to the checks written, the Chairman chosen, and history dating back to 1990 and arguably earlier, but I’ll leave it with Edgar.
- tikkunolam - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 12:49 pm:
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right…
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 12:49 pm:
For crying out loud, Rauner’s claiming he has no control over what the Illinois GOP does? The weekend before the election? How is that possible?
Who, exactly, does he think is stupid enough to believe that?
Why is he promoting Grimm’s positions, anyway? The less publicity Grimm gets, the better.
That crew has gone apey in the final weeks.
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 12:54 pm:
Hypothesis: Rauner doesn’t clearly state his positions on abortion and birth control because he does have presidential ambitions.
Stating a clear pro-abortion rights and pro-contraceptive position would benefit Rauner in this election and future runs in Illinois.
But Rauner doesn’t intend to run his next election in Illinois, he intends to run his next elections in Iowa and New Hampshire.
- The Captain - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 12:54 pm:
This year the Dems are publicly sending mail/calls to conservatives to push Grimm. In 2010 they did the same thing for Labno they just did it quietly and it didn’t work out anywhere near as well as hoped. I’m not sure that the Grimm effort is going to be noticeably more successful than the Labno effort but I guess at least they got Rauner to overreact to it.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 12:57 pm:
===“This is not a Bruce Rauner mail piece,” said a spokesman, later extending his comment to cover the robocall after I emailed him a copy. “Bruce doesn’t have a social agenda — he’s pro-choice, comfortable with the existing marriage law and doesn’t seek to change it.”===
Follow up question: how does Rauner feel about paying for 80% of the anti-Grimm mailer and robo-call?
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 1:06 pm:
==at least they got Rauner to overreact to it. ==
That’s part of enduring big campaigns, isn’t it?
Put the candidate under stress and see how s/he reacts.
- A guy... - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 1:26 pm:
While the intramurals here are fun and interesting, there are matches that count going on elsewhere.
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 1:29 pm:
Never really thought much of the Dems strategy of pushing Chad Grimm until now.
So days before the election Rauner gets caught funding anti-abortion stuff the revelation of which scares moderate/liberal women in this state, and then has to backpedal in a way that will PO the Christian right base of the GOP.
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 1:30 pm:
Where are the matches that count going on and why is the Illinois GOP slumming it in the “intramurals?”
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 1:39 pm:
===While the intramurals here are fun and interesting, there are matches that count going on elsewhere.===
Translation?
Please move along, I can’t really reconcile this even if I pretend.
The Cake won’t bake, alienating Pro-Life GOP stalwarts, while currying favor with Pro-Choice Indies and Dems that can’t be counted as assured “Pluses”
Thus has been the problem since Diana Rauner did the “No Social Agenda” Ad…
Leaking oil, vegetable oil for this unattainable Cake as baking for victory.
- A guy... - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 1:40 pm:
Answer your question with a question Sling; Why is Pat Quinn sending Paul Vallas over to the Personal PAC exec suite to engage in the abortion leader’s summit instead of going himself?
Could it be close enough that Catholics (I am one) might be not so pleased to see him there? The plausible deniability is gone when you enter the belly of the beast. Not to say the risky relationship with Cosgrove isn’t already been established with Pat, but we’re slicing the meat pretty thin at this stage and everything is important.
This race is not going to be about social issues. Poll after poll has said that. (preemptive strike, look them up yourself). There’s a very quantifiable group that they’ll matter to on both sides. How big is one vs. the other. (I’m not sure) It’s a sideshow because the only real money on the Dem side are the hard left groups. If they want the money and support, the group picks the message. It’s going on all over and “I” believe it’s hurting their own candidates.
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 1:48 pm:
A Guy, I can’t follow what you’re trying to say, but it appears to be a lot.
All three campaigns sure are focusing in the final days on those social issues that don’t matter.
Guess they can’t find your polls, either.
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 1:53 pm:
Risky relationship with cosgrove? You mean the relationship that delivered Pat’s win over doctrinaire Catholic Bill Brady in 2010?
- haverford - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 1:58 pm:
A guy - because you send your attack dog to do the attacking - especially in the final days of the campaign. Quinn has already started his positive close. Pretty basic campaign stuff.
- MikeMacD - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 2:08 pm:
Unless I hear him say that he is adamantly, adamantly opposed or in favor of something, I find it hard to characterize Mr. Rauner’s position on an issue.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 2:08 pm:
A Guy, my guess is Quinn is sending Vallas to remind everyone that Rauner also has a running mate who is well prepared to speak about her views on abortion, birth control, marriage equality, etc.
Where is Evelyn these days? Does she have anything to add to this discussion?
- Jose Abreu's next homer - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 2:13 pm:
I walked by 134 N LaSalle just now. There’s no line to hear Vallas speak. Do enough people know who he is?
- Cable Line Beer Gardener - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 2:13 pm:
As a cradle Episcopalian I find Rauner’s stance on social issues very peculiar. It is said he is one but he sure doesn’t seem typical, unless he is pandering to the RC and fundamentalists which is not very Episcopalian.
- A guy... - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 2:20 pm:
47, I think you’re pretty clear on Evelyn’s position. I think Pat’s skipping a tour in the belly. His dad (a wonderful and brilliant guy) was an employee of the Archdiocese of Chicago as the Superintendent of all of the Archdiocese Catholic Cemeteries. It wasn’t a casual relationship with the Church. I think he’s hedging his bets in a close race.
Slinger, there’s only responses to social issues mailers because that’s what the Dem mailers and Cosgrove have been literally pounding for the past few weeks. They’re going back to the well hard and deep because the money that’s paying for it comes from the Left side of the Left. If it were the other side, they’d be called “extremists”. That’s just how it goes.
hisgirlTGIF, yeah, that’s the guy.
Haver, thanks for the lesson. I’ll put it in my tablet. It’s back to the basics for me.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 2:22 pm:
I am clear on Evelyn’s position. It’s too bad that most Illinois voters aren’t. Why is that A Guy? Why did Rauner choose her and then put her in the witness protection program down the stretch?
Does he regret his choice?
- How Ironic - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 2:26 pm:
@47th Ward, did Rauner ‘bury’ his running mate?
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 2:41 pm:
Guy, the spin is weaker than usual. I’ve gotten two mailers from Rauner on “no social agenda” (whatever that means). Many of his spots have said the same thing since the primary.
Now they’re bankrolling mailers on Grimms positions (why, I don’t know).
They seem to think the issues matter.
- Under Further Review - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 3:09 pm:
Bernard Cherkasov may be define the meaning of the new term “sore winner” in opposition to the traditional “sore loser” label. Newsflash: SSM passed and was enacted into law. Your side won with two votes to spare in the General Assembly.
Congratulations, now move on already. Your constant shilling for the Democratic Party on this subject is becoming ridiculous. The fact that the legislation did not pass unanimously is not indicative a sinister conspiracy to repeal the law.
I think that the mail responses to the distorted and misleading union sponsored postcards for Grimm is an obvious and ineffectual attempt to gain a few votes by the Republican candidate.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 3:10 pm:
===I think Pat’s skipping a tour in the belly. His dad (a wonderful and brilliant guy) was an employee of the Archdiocese of Chicago as the Superintendent of all of the Archdiocese Catholic Cemeteries. It wasn’t a casual relationship with the Church. I think he’s hedging his bets in a close race.===
Now you speak to Vallas?
Who don’t you speak for?
===His dad (a wonderful and brilliant guy) was an employee of the Archdiocese of Chicago as the Superintendent of all of the Archdiocese Catholic Cemeteries.===
Lots of liberty there…lots.
- Under Further Review - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 3:37 pm:
@A Guy:
The leaders of the various political action committees have to keep the fires burning in order to keep the donor dollars rolling in. It helps to have a threat, real or imagined, to keep raising funds.
Some of the “activists” derive a substantial amount of income from their committees as salaried employees.
- walker - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 3:40 pm:
A guy goes back to basics. For him I’m guessing that’s getting supporters to the polls. Me too. Too late in the day to be counting on competing issue ads. Just my opinion. Am often wrong. Back to basics.
- Buzz Fugazi - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 3:57 pm:
Furthermore, I want to belatedly acknowledge all those who tragically lost their lives while playing the Every Time Bruce Says “Pat Quinn” Drinking Game during the televised debates and over the course of this campaign.
- A guy... - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 5:14 pm:
=== 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 2:22 pm:
I am clear on Evelyn’s position. It’s too bad that most Illinois voters aren’t. Why is that A Guy? Why did Rauner choose her and then put her in the witness protection program down the stretch?
Does he regret his choice?===
Cuarenta Siete, No. Se habla espanol? Por que no se habla, tu eres una persona no puede habla con Evelyn. Su vive en Aurora, Blue Island, Elgin, Pilsen, Humboldt Park, Rockford o otra pueblos con mucho Latino’s? No? Que. Lo siento. Ciao!
- Under Further Review - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 5:19 pm:
More mixed messages, another giant postcard from “Liberty for Illinois” attacking Rauner for being “Pro Choice.”
- A guy... - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 5:20 pm:
=== walker - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 3:40 pm:
A guy goes back to basics. For him I’m guessing that’s getting supporters to the polls. Me too. Too late in the day to be counting on competing issue ads. Just my opinion. Am often wrong. Back to basics.====
Walk, we are simpatico!
UFR, we agree. I salute your outstanding intellect.
Willy, Yes. I speak for everyone. You may have gleaned my family and I have some history with the Quinn’s. They’re a wonderful family. Being a Catholic at Personal PAC is not an easy thing in the parishes of Chicago and the suburbs. Even pro-choice Catholics aren’t going to identify with PP out loud. It’s a risk. Pat appears not to be taking it. Paul has been more invisible than Evelyn IMHO. As it should be. Can your poop music about the 5th largest state and LGs. This is all about the top of the ticket. It’s a varsity game now Wilbur.
Slinger, Better??
- Joe Blow - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 5:43 pm:
I’ve received four Grimm mailings in the past week (two today) and all are negative attack ads on Rauner. None attacked Quinn. It’s pretty obvious that Grimm is on the Quinn payroll.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 31, 14 @ 6:50 pm:
=== You may have gleaned my family and I have some history with the Quinn’s.===
While you may have history, don’t think they ever asked ya to speak for them. Quinn has a whole Press Shop for that.
===Paul has been more invisible than Evelyn IMHO.===
Not even close. Paul has been on front of microphones more these 10 days, than Slip and Sue has been all Election, period. Ask around, lol.
===Can your poop music about the 5th largest state and LGs. This is all about the top of the ticket. It’s a varsity game now Wilbur.===
Evelyn “Slip and Sue” Sanguinetti isn’t qualified. It’s pathetic you think she is.
Oh it’s varsity, and Slip and Sue hasn’t been on one play. lol.
- ItsDawnInMountProspect - Tuesday, Nov 4, 14 @ 1:53 pm:
HE ALMOST GOT ME. After much thought and a little research I, a liberal democrat, had convinced myself that Mr. Rauner was the only way to (hopefully) dispose ourselves of Michael Madigan, a personal priority. I felt good about independent of the Democratic party and its truly negative campaign. Then a thought struck me….social issues (not fiscal)and I decided to do a little more research. This led me to the late mailer flap. This guy is playing to his base. I’m not a politician, just a political junkie but in my opinion the mailer was a BIG mistake. Every swing voter out there that learns of the mailer will swing right back the other way and that is what I am doing.