* Pantagraph…
Several dozen people crammed inside the Stripmasters break room to hear Rauner speak for about 10 minutes. Calling November “the most important election of my lifetime,” Rauner stressed the importance of voting for GOP candidates down the ballot.
Well, yeah. Understandable because he appears to be very much on the bubble right now. I’d say the same if I was him, but maybe not out loud to a group of people.
* Back to the governor…
Electing more Republicans would make it possible to enact more measures that Rauner has long supported, such as term limits for elected officials, he said.
“We’re going to work our tails off to pick up at least two seats in the Senate and pick up nine seats in the House of Representatives,” Rauner said. “Mike Madigan will be gone!”
He hasn’t yet contributed any money to the Senate Republicans this cycle. Just sayin…
…Adding… Oops…
* Coverage roundup for the governor’s latest tour…
* Gov. Rauner shares views during Shelbyville visit: Rauner’s main point, which he mentioned several times, was his hope to get rid of corruption brought on by corrupt Chicago politicians. … Rauner encourages voters to, “Get Erika Herold in as Attorney General, because she’ll help prosecute corruption and investigate unethical behavior.”
* Governor Rauner stops in Macomb: He urged voters to make Illinois a Republican-majority state, saying it was “the only way” to effect meaningful change. “We have a Democratic Party that’s taken over the state (and) one-party rule for decades: Madigan, Blagojevich, Quinn - the whole crowd - and they’ve almost bankrupted us, morally as well as financially,” he said. “We can’t have that. Democracy doesn’t work on a one-party basis.”
* Rauner rallies Republican supporters with barbecue, barbs in Decatur: Asked about Scranton’s previous remarks, Rauner said he has been endorsed by “every business group and every small business owner in the state.”
* Rauner signs pair of higher-education bills in stop at Papa Del’s: “Yay, Papa Del’s pizza,” Rauner said.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 11:56 am:
–Calling November “the most important election of my lifetime,”–
For Rauner and Rauner-only, maybe, if he’s a howlin’ narcissist.
- Duopoly - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 11:59 am:
“the most important election of my lifetime,”
No sweat for the guy who’s “never failed at anything”
- supplied_demand - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:00 pm:
For a one-party state, we sure have had a lot of Republican Governors. 29 of the past 41 years to be exact.
- Southern_Dawg - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:04 pm:
“one-party rule for decades”– here we go again. Dems did not take over the senate and governor until 2003. So only from 03-15 was there a one-party control. That’s not decades. Since 2015 it is once again divided control. However, that doesn’t compute with Rauner not being in charge. I guess he doesn’t realize he won in 2015.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:04 pm:
Asked about Scranton’s previous remarks, Rauner said he has been endorsed by “every business group and every small business owner in the state.”
***
And (drumroll)…. the role for best Pinocchio goes to Rauner… once again. I’d really like to see the proof of that “tall fact”.
- Southern_Dawg - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:05 pm:
Correction: I meant he won in 2014. He took office in 2015. You get my point.
- Real - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:15 pm:
Yeah ok. Rauner wants us to believe he is attempting to buy an election for term limits. He isn’t even experienced enough do his own job nor does he know how government works but he wants us to believe term limits will be effective for the legislative branch.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:19 pm:
===“the most important election of my lifetime,” ===
I’ve been successful at everything I’ve ever done… so losing here would be a failure.
So, yep. It’s important.
- Thomas Paine - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:20 pm:
Most important election of his lifetime? Could he be more self-centered?
Most important US election was probably Kennedy-Nixon, when he was three.
But I would think Gorbachev’s election to secretary general of the Politburo in 1995 was most important in the world, followed closely by John Paul II.
- Real - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:22 pm:
Rauner’s going to get one of those term limits he keeps talking about this November. He thinks voters need a term limit law? We got rid of Munger, Dunkin, and soon it will be Rauner.
- Fixer - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:25 pm:
There are about a dozen small business owners I can think of off the top of my head in the Bloomington-Normal area that aren’t endorsing him. Guess they didn’t get the memo.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:31 pm:
BTIA(TM), now that the Macomb County Voice has weighed in, what does the Lincoln County Gazette have to say?
- Huh? - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:38 pm:
“the most important election of my lifetime,”
You can nurse your wounded pride on a $10,000 bottle of wine, while sitting at new Italian house.
- Levois - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 12:41 pm:
I don’t know if Rauner is the right one to turn Illinois into a Republican or “purple” state.
- Noname - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:03 pm:
I doubt that the small businesses such as the childcare facility owners, the drug treatment center owners, the mental health facility owners, the owners of construction companies that build roads and bridges, the vendors who supply the schools and universities (and on and on) would say they endorse Rauner. I own one of those small businesses.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:04 pm:
=“We have a Democratic Party that’s taken over the state (and) one-party rule for decades: Madigan, Blagojevich, Quinn - the whole crowd - and they’ve almost bankrupted us, morally as well as financially,”=
So Rauner is a…gulp…Democrat??
Never mind, he isn’t in charge.
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:09 pm:
===Rauner said he has been endorsed by “every business group and every small business owner in the state.”===
Better take my name off that list, Gov. I certainly didn’t endorse you.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:18 pm:
===He hasn’t yet contributed any money to the Senate Republicans this cycle. Just sayin…===
… which is why I have greater hope with Leader Brady.
Mr. Barickman? Well…
- Jocko - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:18 pm:
Bruce is hoping his epitaph reads, “I outlived Mike Madigan and was given the opportunity to bend the state of Illinois to my will.”
- a drop in - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:24 pm:
“…and they’ve almost bankrupted us, morally….
That’s a great line for a spit take. Almost lost my coffee.
- Flynn's Mom - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:29 pm:
Has Chicago County weighed in yet?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:33 pm:
How many times is he going to get caught in a lie before people stop supporting him.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:34 pm:
It’s a pretty darn important election for Illinoisans as well. Four more years of Rauner failure and destruction of social services, higher education, etc. That’s why Rauner needs to be sent packing to Italy. They will not care that he’s not in charge.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:38 pm:
Rauner is right, but it’s entirely his fault that it is.
If he governed, we wouldn’t be on the verge of electing a Democrat promising unicorn rides to the moon.
You had your chance Bruce and you proved that bankrupted and broken government ran by Democrats isn’t as bad as you being governor.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:54 pm:
Yep. It’s his last chance to stop a tax increase (progressive income tax) on himself and his buddies. Might not be able to afford his wine club fees if that happens.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 1:59 pm:
== For a one-party state, we sure have had a lot of Republican Governors. 29 of the past 41 years to be exact. ==
I think we can safely say Illinous voters prefer a divided government as opposed to one party rule.
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 2:05 pm:
==the most important election of my lifetime==
Are you sure this isn’t just another misspelling by the BTIA, and what the Guv was supposed to say was “the most impotent election of my lifetime”?
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 2:30 pm:
The reason it’s the most important election of your lifetime is because you failed miserably as a governor.
And now you’re gonna lose by double digits.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 2:53 pm:
“”This is one of the most important elections in Illinois history”
Bruce Rauner - 2014
So now, it’s really really important?
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 3:50 pm:
==I think we can safely say Illinous voters prefer a divided government as opposed to one party rule.==
Not this year
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
Unless I missed it, small businessman Papa Del Monti didn’t endorse Rauner when he used Pop’s place for his bill signing yesterday. Oh, and what a surprise Chapin Rose knows his way around a pizza joint.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 5:11 pm:
===Rauner said he has been endorsed by “every business group and every small business owner in the state.”===
Expect the further and longer he’s down in the polls, the crazier the talk from him will get.
- Huh? - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 8:55 pm:
“Illinois voters prefer a functional government as opposed to a governor who promotes a destructive and personal agenda.” Fixed it for you.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Aug 22, 18 @ 10:39 pm:
“Yay, Papa Del’s pizza,” Rauner said.”
At last I agree wholeheartedly with Bruce.