* Rauner campaign…

Hey, all-

Yesterday, Politico reported that the Pritzker campaign will spend double whatever the Rauner campaign spends. They quote a Pritzker source saying, “For every dollar he spends, we’re ready to spend two.”

Who says that?

The Pritzker campaign is claiming that their budget won’t be built around what’s most effective. Instead, they just want to arrogantly brag about their wealth.

“Based off his conversations with Blagojevich, Pritzker has already shown a willingness to try to buy political office.” -Will Allison, Rauner campaign spokesman

The Pritzker campaign’s messaging machine is usually tight as a drum, but that one somehow got through. It’s not a good look. I assume someone was just doing some tough-guy, hyperbolic bragging.

Partisans may cheer it on (and since his new ad leaves much to be desired, he could use that), but as Will alludes to, the vow is impractical. I mean, if Rauner puts 10,000 points on Chicago TV then Pritzker is gonna push 20,000 just because he’s got the dough? Ridiculous. Not to mention that such selfish spending could drown out or even potentially crowd out other Democratic candidates - particularly must-win Democratic congressional candidates.

But, hey, if this means that if Rauner spends $4 million on Erika Harold then Pritzker will spend $8 million on Kwame Raoul, I’m sure there won’t be any loud objections from the Raoul campaign.

Also, it is a bit rich that the Rauner campaign is upset about somebody else trying to buy an election.

* I asked Galia Slayen at the Pritzker campaign for a response and this is what she sent…

Our campaign is focused on doing what is necessary to communicate that JB will bring real change to Illinois, beat Bruce Rauner and end his failed time as governor, while also helping turn out Democrats up and down the ballot. If this failed governor wants to ask “who says that,” we suggest taking a look at these:

• On his role as governor: “I’m not in charge, I’m trying to get to be in charge.”
• On his leadership style: “Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change.”
• On if he voted for Donald Trump: “We need to focus. Focus, Amanda, is a good thing.”
• On Quincy: “Our team did exactly what they should have done, exactly when they should have done it” and “these things happen.”
• “Not every job should be in America.”
• On the budget crisis he created: “Well one of the challenges is for our human services and it’s intolerable that they have been hurt, it’s not right.”
• On spending the tax increase he opposed: “Isn’t that disingenuous?” Rauner: “Not at all…”
• Before firing his whole staff… again: “So, we’re, we have a lot of folks in the administration, we’re building the Best Team in America to turn the government around.”
• On not denouncing David Duke as a racist: “But you won’t call him racist?” Rauner: “No place.”
• On the right to choose: “I am the strongest supporter of candidates for office who are pro-life. Nobody has worked harder to elect pro-life Republicans than I have.”
• On letting voters know where he stands: “I have no obligation to comment on every possible policy change in Washington, DC. I never have and never will.”
• On gay marriage: “So gay marriage, I have not supported it, I will not advocate for it.”
• On lowering the minimum wage: “I will advocate moving the Illinois minimum wage back to the national minimum wage.”
• On proudly shutting down the government: “I may have to take a strike and shut down the government for a few weeks and kind of regroup with these contracts. That’s a possibility. I don’t know any politicians who’d be willing to do that. I won’t be happy to do that, but I will do it proudly.”
• On calling Ives: Rauner said they spoke “right after the election,” but Ives spokeswoman said that Rauner “is not telling the truth” and “what he is saying happened did not happen.”
• On chocolate milk: “I’ll drink it, I’ll be proud to…it’s really really good, to it. Diversity!”

*** UPDATE *** The latest Comcast cable TV buy report shows Rauner spending $241,380 on ads over 11 days while Pritzker is dropping $177,719 over five days.