78 Comments - Anonymous - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:48 am: Rauner has no chance of winning without support from Trump supporters. - wordslinger - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:48 am: Good idea to beat Ives. Bad idea to beat Pritzker. Which election is coming up? - Anonimity - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:48 am: Good idea. Just like the Bears at the end of the game yesterday, Rauner is down, has no timeouts, and only has a “hail mary” of a chance to win this. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:51 am: Probably a good idea. Raunerism is being rejected, might as well try to be a Trumpkin. Rauner’s down 16-22 points. Nothing to lose now. - 47th Ward - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:52 am: I’m not sure I understand the question. Is it a good idea, from Rauner’s political perspective, or from mine? Lol. I think it’s fantastic that Governor Rauner will appear with President Trump. I even hope we get video of Rauner actually saying the works “President” and “Trump” together. Hopefully someone will slip the advance team some of Rauner’s previous remarks about the President and explain Rauner’s reluctance to appear with the leader of the Republican Party. A better QOTD might be, suggest an appropriate nickname President Trump might bestow on Governor Rauner. Finally, if the question is asked of Mrs. Rauner, is this a good idea or a bad idea, what might she say? I assume she won’t be attending. Gee, I wonder why? - Flynn's Mom - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:52 am: Anything to do with Trump, short of arrest, is a bad idea. - Charles Edward Cheese - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:53 am: Tough decision. He clearly did not attend the Granite city event earlier this year. I think at the time it would have done more harm than good. However, he needs the base to show up. This won’t help him in Chicago or in the suburbs, but how much more could it really hurt? - VanillaMan - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:54 am: Bad idea Trump’s gonna ask Rauner, “Where the hell have you been, loser?” - Arsenal - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:54 am: Depends on what the objective is, I suppose, but if it’s to win his election, it’s a bad idea, and that’s how I voted. JB keeps running the anti-Trump play for a reason: it works, Rauner has never shown an ability to stop it. You give JB a chance to say, “I always called Rauner Trump’s silent partner, well, he’s not silent about it anymore.” It will also be juxtaposed with his disappearing act last time Trump was in the state and give the press a process story to talk about- “Rauner, down in the polls, now desperate to be with Trump”. OTOH, if Rauner’s objective is to knit ILGOP back together (maybe as a gift to Tom Ricketts, eh, Greg Hinz?) this is a good start. The Raunerites have lost the battle of the soul of ILGOP. His only hope to keep the party united is to give the MAGAites what they want. - Anon - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:54 am: Good idea for the future Ambassador to Italy. - Anonymous - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:56 am: These are the same rubes who believe that Madigan is to blame for everything. - Pyrman - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:57 am: Good idea—for Democrats up and down the ballot. Trump will help D turnout - Henry Francis - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:57 am: Trump is a powerful figure who is beloved by certain people. The Guv does not have any powerful/beloved figures supporting him. Can’t hurt. (won’t help enough to win) - DuPage Saint - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:57 am: Why not? He will lose anyhow maybe he can pick up a few votes for whatever good it will do him. anyway it is not like he is sticking to his core values because I really don’t think he has any. It will be more interesting to see what Trump has to say about Rauner, if anything. - MG85 - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:57 am: It is a “good idea” in that Rauner needs all the help he can get. The ILGOP base has been furious with Rauner as they see him as the ultimate RINO and not on the Trump Train (gosh, so many metaphors, so little time). That said, he will be far too late for this sort of move. He should have aligned with Trump well before the primary with Jeanne Ives and attempted to shore up his base. Pritzker may well win this race, but Rauner may very well cause a few Illinois Congressmen to lose their seats because no one is excited about getting out to vote for him in places down ballots Republicans need the help. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:57 am: ===Ambassador to Italy.=== I’m glad someone else broke that seal. Yep. It’s an audition for something? Maybe? Ambassador Gidwitz, Ambassador-Designate McCarter… Why not Bruce and Diana. Just gotta audition. - Perrid - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:58 am: I voted “Good idea.” I still don’t think he’ll win, and I don’t think it’ll help Bost much, but Rauner has decided to try to appeal to people further out on the right, instead of appealing to people in the center. So doubling down on Trump makes sense, but again, I don’t think that’s a winning strategy. Then again, I don’t see ANY winning strategy for the guy. - Downstate - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:58 am: Let’s see… We have more job openings than people seeking employment. Manufacturing jobs are returning to the US. America is now a net exporter of energy. Black unemployment is lower than ever before. North Korea and South Korea are now speaking with each other. Iran has stopped harassing US ships in the gulf. Overall, I’d say Rauner is wise to get next to Trump. Lot’s of winning. - JEB! - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:58 am: It’s tough to be a non-Trumpian Republican in this state. Quite the trick bag. NO support from Democrats. NO support from Republicans. There is parts of this state where Trump outperformed every GOP candidate for President ever. (Including Reagan). There are other parts where people stand outside a building with the President’s name on it and protest all day. Quite the Conundrum. - Pick a Name - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:59 am: Willy, still think Rauner is down 16-22 points? It’s a good idea to visit with Trump, the area will be packed - wordslinger - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:00 pm: –Just like the Bears at the end of the game yesterday, Rauner is down, has no timeouts, and only has a “hail mary” of a chance to win this.– Yeah, but he’s throwin’ that Hail Mary to the wrong end zone. - @misterjayem - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:00 pm: “Rauner has no chance of winning without support from Trump supporters.” Rauner also has no chance of winning without support from Clinton voters. Bummer. – MrJM - Wow - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:00 pm: Just alienating more suburban women for a few more downstate votes - Ryan - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:01 pm: Why not, what does he have to lose at this point? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:02 pm: ===still think Rauner is down 16-22 points?=== Polling, multiple polls have that as the window, but i know, you “know” ===It’s a good idea to visit with Trump, the area will be packed=== It could be “garbage time” votes, like “garbage time” points in basketball or football, when the outcome is not in question? Maybe? - Chris P. Bacon - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:03 pm: He’s got nothing to lose at this point. Unfortunately for him his abandonment of the President up until now means he hasn’t laid the groundwork. Won’t get the benefit he could have. He’ll still lose by about the same amount. - Pick a Name - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:06 pm: I didn’t ask about the polls, some which are weeks old. I asked if YOU thought Rauner was down 16-22. He won’t win, I’ve said that. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:08 pm: A sitting Governor should always meet with the President whenever they visit Illinois no matter what party they are in or vice versa. Hey Word did you catch that Hail Mary at the Bears game yesterday? One yard short, should Trubisky have taken a knee or played until the whistle blew? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:08 pm: Campaigns are silly things, anyone can win, lol You should ask - Pick A Name - then the two of you can discuss it. - cannon649 - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:14 pm: Trump may not want him there. I may also be a job interview - Other wise “at this point what does it matter” - SOIL M - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:14 pm: Bad idea. There is nothing to be gained by anyone if Rauner appears. What Rauner might possibly pick up in votes down here he will lose in the suburbs. Rauner is not well liked by Republicans down here so he will not help and could actually hurt Bost. So really the only gain that could be seen would be a personal one for Rauner after he is out of office. Let him do job interviews on his own time next year. - Arsenal - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:14 pm: ==still think Rauner is down 16-22 points?== While I’ve always had trouble believing the spread was that wide, I have frankly seen no evidence to dispute it at this point. - Pundent - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:15 pm: I think Rauner is down 16-22 in the polls because that’s what the polls tell us. Is he really down by that amount? Who could possibly know? Whatever percentage he’s down I don’t see how being with out with Trump helps him. There’s a reason that Trump lost Illinois by 16 points and it wasn’t due to downstate voters. He was toxic with suburban voters. You know the voters that Rauner absolutely has to get if he has any chance. - Anonymous - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:16 pm: I voted good idea - at this point, downstate and down ticket R’s need a reason to GOTV, and having the top of the ballot running with President Trump will probably help more than Trump by himself. It won’t win him a race against Pritzker, but even a popular GOP president wouldn’t do that now. - Grandson of Man - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:19 pm: I voted good idea, but Rauner’s between the hard rock of suburban voters and the hard place of Medicaid abortions and sanctuary cities. Rauner could use right wing support, after losing to Ives, but in Illinois where Trump lost by 17 points… Their agenda is basically the same: cutting taxes and regulations for the wealthiest, union busting, repealing the ACA, etc. Trump is a right winger. Lots of people think otherwise. Trump’s former spokesperson Spicer said early on that Trump supports RtW because workers have to sacrifice so “job creators” can make us all prosper. The Lincolnshire local RtW case is making its way through the courts, to the conservative SCOTUS. Trump tweeted his support of the Janus case. - Arsenal - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:19 pm: ==Hey Word did you catch that Hail Mary at the Bears game yesterday?== LP, only you would compare Rauner’s strategy to a game the Bears lost and mean it in a good way. - Jibba - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:21 pm: Trump polls better than Rauner, so yes. Will it help him win? No. - Pick a Name - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:22 pm: JB just dropped another $15 mil in his campaign, total is now a whopping $161 mil. For a guy up 16-22 points, you would think he would donate the $15 mil or give it to the hotel workers. - RNUG - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:22 pm: Good idea in downstate Illinois. Would vote different if it was Cook or the collars. - GOPgal - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:26 pm: Wonder if the President’s people heard what Rauner said about Trump on Chicago radio (WLS) just a few days ago. This kind of undermining of the President, based on some really misleading and taken out of context statements and actions, really infuriates Trump supporters. http://www.wlsam.com/2018/10/18/rauner-pritzker-is-a-mercedes-marxist/ “I think some of the rhetoric and some of the personal behavior, you know, it’s just not appropriate, it’s just wrong. I called him out on his comments about the tragedy in Charlottesville. I called him out on some of the language he’s used to refer to women he’s interacted with in various ways, it’s just wrong. I also thought it was wrong to separate families at the border.” - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:26 pm: ===For a guy up 16-22 points, you would think he would donate the $15 mil or give it to the hotel workers.=== When you’re worth (now) $3.2 billion, 5% of your net worth… spend as you see fit. A millionaire doing the same thing is a $50,000 sports car. I have no idea how they plan to spend $15 million in, now, 15 days, so… - Arsenal - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:29 pm: ==For a guy up 16-22 points, you would think he would donate the $15 mil or give it to the hotel workers.== No need to mess with a strategy that’s working. - Blue Dog Dem - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:30 pm: Great for Bost. Irrelevant for Rauner. FYI. Pork rinds on OldBlue for all Capfax attendees. - Arsenal - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:30 pm: ==I have no idea how they plan to spend $15 million in, now, 15 days, so…== I get the feeling Kwame Raoul, 4 Congressional candidates, and multitudes of state House candidates have some ideas, lol. - @misterjayem - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:31 pm: Any Trump visuals that Rauner can use to turn-out his leaning voters downstate, Pritzker can also use to turn-out his leaning voters in the collar counties. This is terrible, terrible news for Peter Roskam. – MrJM - wordslinger - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:33 pm: –Hey Word did you catch that Hail Mary at the Bears game yesterday?– No, that was Kevin White. So, the former first rounder has two more catches than me so far this year. –One yard short, should Trubisky have taken a knee or played until the whistle blew?– Try reading for comprehension, Comrade Zuppke. I didn’t say Rauner shouldn’t throw a Hail Mary, just that he was throwin’ to the wrong end zone. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:34 pm: ===I get the feeling Kwame Raoul, 4 Congressional candidates, and multitudes of state House candidates have some ideas, lol.=== :) A tad tongue in cheek by me. Back to the question, Rauner is polling in the margin of error downstate, so hedging with Trump here, it may make a tightening with downstate, at the total cost of the suburbs. The city numbers were, as measurable formulas go, Rauner’s most on target. That’s how warped Raunerism is. So, as an audition, a chance to have a better downstate night, at the cost of his non-existent constituency, yeah, show up. - wordslinger - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:37 pm: –Overall, I’d say Rauner is wise to get next to Trump. Lot’s of winning.– Spoken like a BTIA(TM) prodigy. Keep up the good work. I think you’re terrific. - Annonin' - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:38 pm: We voted “good” because it will be good for JB. Do they plan to drag the GOPie AG candidate there too? There will be plenty of good pictures of GovJunk standin’ in the background with the mopey look he has now perfected. Should be a special moment. - King Louis XVI - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:40 pm: —Would vote different if it was Cook or the collars.— Trump polls better there than Rauner, too. - Wensicia - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:49 pm: No, Rauner can’t win, so why abase yourself? - Pot calling kettle - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:49 pm: Good. For JB’s campaign to become Governor and for Rauner’s campaign to become ambassador to Italy (or some other country). - Blue Dog Dem - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:50 pm: Word. I have a MAGA hat for you. Custom fitted if you like. Size? Sorry I only have camo left. - anon - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:51 pm: i voted no. there are simply no good ideas left for rauner. - Robert the Bruce - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:58 pm: With my tin foil hat on, it is a good idea. Private equity folks love having an exit strategy, and Rauner sure seems like his exit strategy is a national role, as he tilts toward Trump. Does he want Commerce? Labor? - Responsa - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:03 pm: I voted “good idea”. Remember to look again at the Illinois county map of the 2016 election to see why this is so. The blue counties are few, however they have the huge population totals that will probably get JB elected. But the red counties that went for Trump dominated the geography of the state. The visual impact of that map is stunning. There are a lot of them and by all accounts Trump remains popular there. The rally with Trump and Bost (and Rauner) will give a level of validation and recognition to all the R voters statewide who feel their voices are usually lost in this state. They will have a rollicking good time at the rally if nothing else. https://www.politico.com/2016-election/results/map/president/illinois/ - Blue Dog Dem - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:04 pm: Robert the Bruce. Considering Rauners cozy relation with unions, a position on the NLRB seems appropriate. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:05 pm: ===Remember to look again at the Illinois county map of the 2016 election to see why this is so. The blue counties are few, however they have the huge population totals that will probably get JB elected. But the red counties that went for Trump dominated the geography of the state.=== You win elections for governor with more votes, not more counties… as you admit… … so what’s the point? To feel good? Yeah, ok. - Cheryl44 - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:21 pm: My only request is for Trump to call him a loser to his face. - Notorious RBG - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:25 pm: Voted good: for JB, for Illinois when Rauner loses, and for Rauner in either trying to shore up his base (though it will be too little too late) or getting an appointment in the Trump campaign once he loses. - wordslinger - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:49 pm: BDD, it’s not my day to feed your need for attention. Check with your caretaker as to who drew the short straw. - Anon221 - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:53 pm: Might be a good idea to gin up votes, but when you run the Rauner answer through his translation device, “I look forward to getting together with the president if we can…”, you get, “But I’ll be really, really busy in Chicago that day.” - wordslinger - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:54 pm: –But the red counties that went for Trump dominated the geography of the state. The visual impact of that map is stunning.– LOL, not if you have a clue. - Responsa - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:55 pm: ==… You win elections for governor with more votes, not more counties… as you admit…so what’s the point?== The point of the Prez coming to Illinois is not for the Pritzker- Rauner race. But you already knew that. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:57 pm: ===The point of the Prez coming to Illinois is not for the Pritzker- Rauner race. But you already knew that.=== That district is drawn, like all congressional districts, by population, not counties. Red, Blue, Purple, or… Counties don’t vote. - Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:58 pm: ===dominated the geography of the state=== Which is mostly empty. - wordslinger - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 2:08 pm: –The point of the Prez coming to Illinois is not for the Pritzker- Rauner race. But you already knew that.– The question of the post was about the Rauner/Pritzker race. But, apparently, you didn’t read that. Perhaps you were still too stunned by all those wide-open-spaces, shiny red counties on the map. That would explain a lot. - Huh? - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 2:27 pm: “he hopes “to be able to join the president” Code for previously scheduled event in Winthrop Harbor. - Truthseeker - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 2:29 pm: The area that Trump dominated is not empty for Bost. He wins . . . . .again. - Huh? - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 2:30 pm: Why on earth would the toxic governor of Illinois who has spent the last 2 years running away from the toxic president sudden make an “U” turn and embrace he who must not be named? - El Conquistador - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 2:36 pm: Demonstrating his new found abilities to work across the aisle, Raunner goes desperate and allies with far right loons Trump and Walsh…. - I Miss Bentohs - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 2:49 pm: Bost wants to be with Trump. Does Bost want to be with Rauner? I mean, I am not even sure he would be invited/welcomed. - Blue Dog Dem - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 3:47 pm: Bruce didnt care enough to visit the 2000 steel workers in Granite last time. Why should he show up this time? He might be able to hood wink some independent suburban womenfolk, but he sure as heck cant put one over on the men and women of steel. - Colin O'Scopy - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 4:04 pm: Rauner meeting with Trump might actually damage Trump. - Blue Dog Dem - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 4:22 pm: I totally missed the part where Rauner wanted to talk to the President about immigration. Please governor, the people of southern Illinois are dying to know what ya mean by that. - Grandson of Man - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 4:29 pm: “I totally missed the part where Rauner wanted to talk to the President about immigration” I wonder if Rauner will bring up Medicaid abortions. - Anonymous - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 6:34 pm: As if you didn’t have enough good reasons to vote against Rauner. - Last Bull Moose - Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 6:38 pm: Boat should tell Rauner to stay away. Bruce is contagious. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.