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Rauner says he’s frustrated as Pritzker begins his closing argument

Wednesday, Oct 31, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner says the state has the best people, the best agriculture, best location and best transportation. But, after four years in office, he is frustrated.

“We should be thriving. But, we have these self-inflicted problems of taxes and corruption and job losses. It’s been strangling us for decades,” Rauner said.

Rauner tells WMBD’s Greg and Dan that the powerful political machine in Chicago, run by Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, keeps pushing back against efforts to fix Illinois’ financial problems.

“We’ve grown 210,000 jobs, cut taxes for families who adopt and disabled veterans. We’ve got historic education funding, made great improvements to Medicaid and criminal justice reform. We’ve made progress, but, there still so much to do,” Rauner said.

* Meanwhile, here’s a Pritzker closing ad…

* Script…

Does Bruce Rauner deserve another four years? The short answer is no. That’s why newspapers across Illinois have endorsed JB Pritzker for governor, calling Pritzker a no-nonsense problem solver who has a record of job creation. JB has the best plan to put Illinois back on its feet, easing property taxes, boosting education and growing jobs. Hope for change rests only with JB Pritzker.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition

Wednesday, Oct 31, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Ives gonna Ives

Wednesday, Oct 31, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rep. Jeanne Ives was asked this about Gov. Rauner on the Big John and Ramblin’ Ray show…

So, you’re going to vote for him, but you’re not endorsing him - Isn’t that kind of a distinction without a difference?”

* Her response…

I imagine it would be, but an endorsement would be like a strong appeal for this guy to have four more years, and, look, I feel like part of being a Republican, quite frankly, and being in that contest against him. But you know, I will vote for him. He won fair and square, I guess. But you know, I can’t stand on the stage and endorse somebody who’s done some of the stuff he’s done. And you’re right it’s a distinction without a difference, but that’s where I stand.

And after bemoaning the negative attacks this election cycle against Republicans, Rep. Ives went on to say that a grand jury should be empaneled to indict Pritzker, his wife and his brother-in-law over that property tax thing.

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New Rauner digital ad talks about his hardscrabble upbringing in Deerfield

Wednesday, Oct 31, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Today, the Rauner campaign is releasing a new digital video featuring Governor Bruce Rauner outside his childhood home in Deerfield.

In the video, Bruce talks about his old home, growing up in the neighborhood, and fond memories with his family and friends. Bruce says it’s these kind of wonderful neighborhoods with great schools that we need to have all across Illinois and he’s fighting hard to lower taxes so every community can thrive and grow.

* I was just messing with the governor a bit with that headline. I actually like this video…

* Script…

This is the house I grew up in here in Deerfield. I have very fond memories of this house. Two-and-half bedrooms. My little baby sister had the tiny room, my two cousins and I shared a room. About 10-by-10, it was a pretty wild place, not a lot of sleeping going on in there.

But wonderful neighborhood. That was the Claremore’s house, that was the Baker’s house. Every house had between three and six kids in it. Lot of fun memories playing with everybody. My mom in the evenings to get us back home for dinner, she used to come outside, she got a boat horn, and squeeze and blow it out the back kitchen door. Every kid on the block in the neighborhood knew it was dinner time when my mom blew the boat horn, so we’d all run home and go get dinner.

This is what we want in every community in the state of Illinois. Wonderful neighborhoods for children with outstanding schools. And we need to make sure government is efficient so we can bring down the property taxes. I know even back then my parents used to talk about property taxes. They’ve always been higher, and boy they’ve grown a lot in Illinois. We need to find ways to bring those down, that’s what we’re working for every day.