* Bernie…
U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, says he hasn’t decided who to back for governor in the March 20 primary.
“I’m watching it,” he said.
Bost said he doesn’t always agree with Gov. Bruce Rauner’s positions.
“But he and I have a good working relationship,” Bost said. “It’s a rough time right now in the state of Illinois, and there’s some rough situations to be straightened out.”
“I try to advise where I can,” Bost added, “and other than that, I’ve got a whole lot of other problems I’m dealing with.” […]
“I was in leadership when Jeanne Ives came in, and so, I wish her well,” Bost said. “I think that she’s got some very strong ideas and she is real passionate about those ideas.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Gov. Rauner was asked about the four Republican congressmen at a press conference today…
Amanda Vinicky: What are you doing to smooth over relations there? Is that concerning?…
Gov. Rauner: I work for everyone in Illinois. Every day.
Vinicky: Are you smoothing over relations with them?
Rauner: Any other questions? Thanks, everybody.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Pritzker campaign…
“Bruce Rauner is so toxic that a majority of his own party’s Congressional delegation refuses to support him,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “After lying to people right, left, and center and causing irreparable harm to the state, this failed governor is all on his own.”
* Related…
* Roskam rethinks supporting Rauner: U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill., is rethinking his support for Gov. Bruce Rauner given the governor’s recent signature on a bill that expands the public funding of abortion… Roskam, the Ways & Means Tax Policy chairman who is taking a lead role in an effort to overhaul the U.S. tax code, is the highest-ranking elected official in Illinois to potentially pull back from Rauner after the governor signed HB40. The new abortion law — which Rauner had promised to veto — has so infuriated conservatives, they are now talking about drafting a potential primary opponent to challenge Rauner. Roskam said Rauner’s move to sign the bill was “fundamentally out of step” with his congressional district. “I’ve got to reevaluate that and I’ll reevaluate that in the right time,” Roskam said Thursday when asked if he still supported Rauner. “Signing HB40 was a huge mistake on the policy and it was a huge mistake on the politics. The policy, this is the home of Henry Hyde, the author of the Hyde Amendment and I am his successor.”
* Illinois Congressman Shimkus on taxes, Trump and Rauner’s re-election: Shimkus said he is staying out of next year’s Republican gubernatorial primary, and has no plans to endorse any of the likely contenders. Incumbent GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner is expected to face more conservative Republican challengers. Many social conservatives were upset that Rauner signed a bill allowing Medicaid and state-based insurance to cover abortions in some cases. “We thought that he would stay out of some of the socially-divisive issues,” Shimkus said. “He did not.” But the congressman added that he will support the GOP victor in the 2018 general election.
* U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood unsure who he’ll support for governor: “I was and continue to be very disappointed that Governor (Bruce) Rauner signed HB40 allowing taxpayer funded abortions throughout the state of Illinois,” LaHood said in a written response to a question from The State Journal-Register. “I am currently focused on my own re-election to the 18th Congressional District. I plan to wait and see who ends up filing to run for governor before making any decision on an endorsement.” LaHood added in an interview that Rauner has not asked for an endorsement. “I would be happy to meet with him and give him every consideration,” LaHood said. “I believe it was a mistake to sign HB40, and I want assurances moving forward that he’s not going to make this kind of mistake again … because I think that’s going to hurt him.”
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 9:46 am:
“Signing HB40 was a huge mistake on the policy and it was a huge mistake on the politics.”
Rauner lying about it has been a huge part of the problem, as was holding GOP members hostage on the budget, where some members’ backs were against the wall with massive cuts to higher ed funding. How could they have kept any deal with Rauner to trade vetoing a budget and revenue in exchange for his vetoing HB 40 as the state crashed toward junk status?
- cdog - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 9:47 am:
Good to see this discussion, and open-mindedness, in the Republican camps.
Rauner has been a disaster on so many levels.
The sooner the GOP gets this guy down the road, the better.
Focus on one step at a time–he needs to be eliminated in the primary, first.
That action alone will change the trajectory of Illinois forever.
- DarkHorse - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 9:47 am:
You look at these non-endorsements, in totality, and Rauner seems weaker than expected. These Reps seem to fear GOP activists in their district more than they fear Rauner. I think Ives reaches, if not passes, 40% on Primary Day.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 9:47 am:
They are all utter phonies.
Bruce Rauner is a liberal, social agenda, Left, Democrat, running under his bought brand of “Republican”.
I’m embarrassed for them. They are pathetic.
When Rauner defeats Ives they will all get in line and support Rauner, a governor who signed a bill for taxpayer paid abortion, sanctuary state status for Illinois, criminal justice reforms, all as one package a deep blue liberal Democratic governor would give anything as their record.
But…
They will all fall in line.
They will all support Diana Rauner’s new agenda for the brand “ILGOP”
Weak sauce.
It’s phony Republicans like these that allowed a Democrat to enter and own the ILGOP.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 9:50 am:
The GOP is in the majority in Congress. Incumbents have plenty of ways to raise big money without Rauner, and the time for serious primary challengers is just about up.
- Ray del Camino - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 9:51 am:
With all due respect, OW (and you are due much), no Democrat in the land would run with Rauner’s anti-union, pro-business, hedge-fund, vulture capital agenda. Call him a non-Republican, call him a libertarian, call him a wolf in sheep’s clothing–pick one–but you can’t call him a Democrat.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 9:57 am:
==These Reps seem to fear GOP activists in their district more than they fear Rauner.==
It’s not a brand-new thing for Republicans to fear far-right activists more than party leadership, though it is a bit surprising to see that applied to an incumbent Governor.
I again think asking every Republican in the state where they stand on this magnifies Ives’ challenge beyond what it actually merits, but there’s no stopping that now.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:03 am:
- Ray del Camino -
===…no Democrat in the land would run with Rauner’s anti-union, pro-business, hedge-fund, vulture capital agenda.===
This is all “on me”, using short hand to make a point.
Usually I’ll go deeper, and this is usually how I preface it…
Here’s my take in totality from the past…
===- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 7, 17 @ 11:11 am
…It was described here in comments that HB40 was a bill that was so liberal that it couldn’t get passed and signed in “California”, and yet Rauner signed it clean.
Rauner is more liberal than a California democrat when it comes to a social agenda… while starving social services like Catholic Charities.
That’s why Rauner practices Raunerism, which is about hurting the state’s most vulnerable to destroy organized labor… and have a social agenda more liberal (ironically) than a costal limousine democrat, including signing taxpayer funded abortion.
Whew.===
My apologies. I’ll remember to be more complete.
OW
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:03 am:
Political success (to a politician) is continued re-election. For that to happen, being a phony, glad-handed, fundaholic is required. It is the art of politics to say/do nothing with a forceful projection that (falsely) displays ‘leadership’. There are exceptions, but they usually don’t last too long.
- David - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:04 am:
Letting marginal republicans in and clinging to them is not just an Illinois problem.
- Ahoy! - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:05 am:
The Hyde Amendment is old and outdated. These old white men need to either embrace the future or ride off into the sunset.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:14 am:
And McHenry County Republicans are waiting to see if Governor Rauner vetoes House Bill 171, which would give Jack Franks more power over the McHenry County Board than Mike Madigan has over the Illinois House.
That’s because it would allow Franks as County Board Chairman to assign all the Republicans to committeess, as well as appoint all the Committee Chairmen.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:16 am:
What is a ‘real Republican’ these days?
- Retired Educator - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:18 am:
When sitting U.S. Congressman are running from the guy, there may be a problem. His disregard for the National GOP platform is appalling. Rauner is in deep trouble. If he is not beat in the primary, he will really struggle in the general election. I predict that he goes bye-bye.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:20 am:
===What is a ‘real Republican’ these days?===
I know that Republicans would pay bills that are due, didn’t want to purposely lower wages, or close state universities.
Start there, after picking a name.
- Jocko - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:22 am:
Ray @ 9:51a
I would argue that Bruce…like Trump…is a Democrat that “got theirs” and is acting accordingly. They remind me of IL Baby Boomers who rail against taxing retirement income above 75K.
- Collinsville Kevin - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:24 am:
Who would want an endorsement from Bost anyhow?
- Real - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:26 am:
Ow stop calling Rauner a democrat. I never seen a democrat with Rauner policy positions.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:33 am:
- Real -
I clarified, I stand by my clarification.
Warped as it is, Rauner is as far left leaning a Democrat on social agenda items as a Democrat can be…
… less the destroying of organized labor, social services, and the want of closing higher education institutions..,
Raunerism is a warped Democratic view that twists the “good” Dems see and destroying enough to make it about the money and hurting those most in need.
Warped.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:47 am:
Willy I agree with your points, and I’d bet we could agree on more. But Trump has upended the notion of ‘traditional’ as we know it. Upended and corrupted. Today I read he has falsely claimed his grandfather was from Sweden - just like another huckster we know.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:00 am:
Re-evaluate, rethink, reassure… Yep, Rauner’s going to bend over backward to accommodate Roskum, Shimkus, and LaHood’s concerns. Rauner doesn’t need their support. He doesn’t need their endorsements. He has Rauner Bucks to “fight” with, a closet full of vests, and his “economic and educational” agenda. Illinois’ DC Beltwayers are of no concern of his. After all, how many of them show up at those North Shore parties??? /s
- James Knell - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:18 am:
It couldn’t have happened to a richer guy.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:36 am:
=Rauner is as far left leaning a Democrat on social agenda items as a Democrat can be…=
Rauner is neither Republican or Democrat. He makes calculated decisions that further his narrow interests. He has no social agenda per se, he merely sees using social issues as a means to an end.
Personally I think attacking him solely on HB40 is short sighted as it suggests that you support all of the willful destruction that he’s engaged in but can’t accept his decision on this singular issue. Put another way if not for HB40 none of these characters would have any problems with anything that Rauner has done.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 11:45 am:
===Rauner is neither Republican or Democrat===
Which I make clear, often. Rauner is a Raunerite.
Raunerism, on a social agenda scale, is as far left leaning as and Democrat can go, given Rauner’s choices…
===He makes calculated decisions that further his narrow interests. He has no social agenda per se, he merely sees using social issues as a means to an end.===
You can’t discount two very important facts that emerged with this tactic…
1) Rauner chose the liberal, Democratic tact.
2) Diana Rauner’s personal credibility in choices like HB40 far outweighed even misleading a Catholic Cardinal.
Rates Raunerism.
===Personally I think attacking him solely on HB40 is short sighted as it suggests that you support all of the willful destruction that he’s engaged in but can’t accept his decision on this singular issue. Put another way if not for HB40 none of these characters would have any problems with anything that Rauner has done.===
That is the flat-out, utter phoniness.
That’s the phony I speak, as ridiculous statements from the likes of congressmen, Mr. Barickman, Mr. Oberweis… there is a failing to grasp that hurting social services, especially for Misters Barickman and Oberweis were totally fine, starving higher ed, that was fine too… but HB40.
The phony is framed around embarrassing themselves, but never distancing themselves.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:01 pm:
OW - I think calling it Raunerism or calling him a Raunerite is the right approach.
There’s a lot of phony behavior on display these days as the parties try to contort themselves to accept immoral behavior and decisions to further their political purposes. The best way for the Republican party to heal itself is to put characters like Rauner, Trump, and Roy Moore out on the islands that they belong on.
Any short term political gains that the party may hope to realize will be more than off-set by the long term damage inflicted.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:08 pm:
If Rauner wasn’t a bad governor, he’d get endorsements.
Rauner is a failure so completely other Illinois GOP elected officials treat him like he’s a complete failure.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:09 pm:
=Rauner is more liberal than a California democrat when it comes to a social agenda… while starving social services like Catholic Charities.=
This. This is so utterly bizarre and completely true. Like he is at war with his own beliefs.
The explanation comes in that he is totally about money and is willing to subordinate his soul to mammon.
OW- you said it in your first post, “phonies”. That is it in a single word.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:10 pm:
=His disregard for the National GOP platform is appalling.=
Isn’t that exactly what has happened with Trump as well? At this point I don’t think there is a national platform.
With respect.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
=If Rauner wasn’t a bad governor, he’d get endorsements.=
No. What these comments make clear is that Rauner isn’t getting support based on a singular issue. In fact, they underscore that HB40 alone is the only determining factor and even that doesn’t make him a “bad governor” as many of these same individuals would support him in a general election.
Put another way, if HB40 wasn’t in the mix they’d all be fine in getting behind him. HB40 doesn’t in and of itself make Rauner a bad governor, it simply makes the individuals quoted in the article hypocrites.
- Ambassador Abe - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:24 pm:
How is this a pass? He simply said “I’m watching it”. A little overblown.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 12:53 pm:
Er - no.
Rauner isn’t a good governor and these guys are using SB40 to justify their non-endorsement. Rauner signed SB40 because he is a bad governor.
Without SB40, they’d have created another excuse to not endorse Rauner.
Why?
That’s right,
because Rauner is a bad governor.
- Downstate43 - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 1:50 pm:
== - Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 10:16 am:
What is a ‘real Republican’ these days? ==
I honestly do not know anymore. The state and national GOP are a walking, talking political cartoon. Personally, I’m drifting more Libertarian, even though I have serious problems with their platform, to the extent “they” have one. I’m just so fed up with the GOP, I don’t know who else to vote for - a “blue dog” (D) could get my vote, but they’re getting to be as hard to find as moderate Republicans. I agree w/ OW that Rauner practices Raunerism, not anything resembling either party’s politics. Raunerism is politics for self and those like you.
- Pundent - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 2:32 pm:
=Without SB40, they’d have created another excuse to not endorse Rauner.=
Not a chance. And when they come back next year and support Rauner in the general I’ll remind you again of what hypocrites they are.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 2:36 pm:
===And when they come back next year and support Rauner in the general…===
This is why Bost, et al, they will be all smiles and giggles with Rauner.
Utter phonies right now.
Thinking it is a big push back against Rauner is a mistake. All this is is the pretending. After April, they will be so “excited” to support Bruce Rauner.
No kudos for phoniness. Sorry.
- ecommerce business analyst - Tuesday, Nov 28, 17 @ 9:18 pm:
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