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IEA/ISRA endorsement/polling fallout continues

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Illinois

* Predictably, Jack Roeser is not happy with Sen. Kirk Dillard’s acceptance of the IEA’s endorsement…

Roeser said Dillard “assured” him that he would fight for pension reform, stand up to the unions and support additional charter schools or voucher legislation. “If he retreats from all that stuff,” Roeser says, “I will not aid him.”

And the aid is considerable. Roeser says he is putting $250,000 into Dillard’s campaign, not to mention his personal endorsement to potentially thousands of supporters. […]

IEA spokesman Charles McBarron said it is understood Dillard and the union don’t see eye-to-eye on all pension reform plans.

Dillard says he hasn’t changed his position on pensions. In a Daily Herald survey, he supports lowering benefits for incoming teachers - a plan opposed by the unions. But he also pledged to “protect the benefits of current participants.” […]

“Why take money from these guys if they don’t know what … he is planning for?” Roeser said.

But the Dillard campaign released its IEA questionnaire over the weekend and he was apparently on record supporting a two-tiered pension system…

Mr. Dillard circled “yes” when asked if he favors a two-track pension system, and didn’t otherwise amend that answer. But while he circled “no” when asked about raising the income tax or implementing a graduated income tax, he did say schools would get more money if he was governor because “I will reprioritize state spending (and) cut waste and fraud.”

Then, he added, “This must be done before any new revenue sources are explored.” He did not indicate on the questionnaire how much waste, fraud and reprioritization must be found — nor how long it will take to find it.

A top Dillard strategist added that IEA is with Mr. Dillard not because he’s with them on their issues but because other candidates are at the conservative extreme, and because Mr. Dillard is going to win the primary and the union wants to stay on his good side.

We don’t know what was said off the record, of course, or through back channels. Also, Roeser isn’t yet backing away from Dillard.

* Meanwhile, the fallout is continuing on a poll released by Dillard’s campaign over the weekend…

…Republican candidate Kirk Dillard’s campaign is crowing about an automated poll it recently commissioned, which shows Dillard leading the crowded field with 22.4 percent, with Andy McKenna and Jim Ryan at distant 13.5 and 10.3 percent, respectively.

If that’s true, it would signal a remarkable turnaround from five weeks ago, when the Trib poll showed Ryan leading the pack with 26 percent and Dillard running fourth at 9 percent.

Ryan’s people, of course, aren’t buying it. “There’s no way that Dillard or McKenna have dramatically flipped the race upside down in just a couple weeks,” Ryan spokesman Dan Curry wrote in an angry email to reporters entitled, “Attack of the Phony Polls.”

And what do the McKenna people think of all this? House Republican leader Tom Cross, a McKenna supporter, cited yet another poll from who-knows-where, which he said shows (you guessed it) that McKenna is far ahead of the pack.

* And then there was the Illinois State Rifle Association endorsement of Kirk Dillard, which brought this press release response from Sen. Bill Brady’s campaign…

And, just like he double talked on taxes, Kirk Dillard, who did a commercial for Barack Obama, told the Associated Press he “could support allowing concealed-carry” depending on how the legislation was written, proper training and thorough background checks.

The bottom line is, Senator Brady is the only candidate with a proven and clear record of supporting the Second Amendment, and he will continue to do so when he is elected Governor.

You can read more about the IEA/ISRA endorsements and the polling story by clicking here and here.

* Related…

* Gambling issues divide GOP governor candidates

* All 7 GOP gubernatorial candidates to attend debate

* GOP hopefuls barnstorm across suburbs

* JS Endorsement: Illinois governor - Republican Kirk Dillard

* Hynes for Dems, Brady for GOP

* Teachers union backs Democrat Hynes, Republican Dillard in governor’s race

* Biggert backs Kirk Dillard’s bid for governor

* McKenna a study in contrasts

* Profile: Illinois State Sen. Bill Brady runs for the GOP nomination for governor

* Cole, Turner for lieutenant gov

* Cole receives endorsement from Sun-Times

* Mike Lawrence: Pattern lieutenant governor’s role after that of veep

* Candidates for lieutenant governor putting major dollars into campaign

* Candidates see new importance in lieutenant governor’s office

* JS Endorsement: Illinois comptroller - Republican Topinka

* Treasurer candidates spar over college fund losses

* Bill Brady touts ag tax breaks, competitiveness at campaign stop

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:07 am

Comments

Dillard’s campaign is starting to show some real energy. Good thing he got the first $250K upfront.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:27 am
It is very clear that Dillard is emerging as the Republican who can unite various factions of the party.

He earned the ISRA endorsement and Brady is upset. Dillard actually sponsored a concealed carry bill while Brady did not. Dillard signed an amicus brief to help fight the Chicago gun ban. The endorsement makes sense and hurts Brady.

Dillard’s survey and repeated statements clearly shows his support for a new pension system.

He has the momentum and the opponents are throwing knives like crazy.

Comment by 4 percent Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:29 am
At this point the only poll I would trust on the GOP side is a media poll and then I would think twice.

With the date and everything else I am thinking Proft’s and Adreweski’s numbers in polling will be lower than they will see on election day.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:38 am
Dillard & Roeser were a weird marriage. I say were because I can see Roeser pulling his usual crap by taking his ball, going home and then subtly “endorsing” a Democrat. His track record when it comes to candidates is generally awful, and Wordslinger is correct: it was very good for the Dillard folks to secure Roeser’s cash before they secured the IEA cash.

The IEA has to be pragmatic. They certainly realize a Republican can win in November, and any Republican governor will push for pension reform. They question for them has to be which candidates (if any) would be the least of 7 evils. Dillard’s track record and service under Edgar obviously showed the IEA that he can handle any problems and negotiations that arise.

And the IEA backing of Hynes is helpful as well.

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:42 am
anyone else think the Dem’s Lt. Gov. race is a disaster about to happen? I’ve gotten mail from Scott Lee Cohen, and he’s on the radio lots. Turner is up on radio, and Link with a you can barely hear him at the end commercial, but they are not out there that
much. in the fall people will remember that the Gov. can go out and the successor is important. i’m a Dem on the Gov/Lt. Gov vote and I’m wondering and worried.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:42 am
The IEA isn’t being pragmatic. Dillard needed the cash, he offered them what they wanted.

The calculation isn’t hard here, guys.

Comment by John Bambenek Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:42 am
Mr. Dillard you are NO Jim Edgar. Keep speaking out of both sides of your mouth.

Comment by A matter of trust Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:53 am
One radio or television ad by an opponent reminding voters about that television commercial Kirk Dillard did in 2008 touting his pal Barack Obama for President, and Kirk Dillard is toast in this GOP primary.

Comment by just sayin' Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:14 pm
In looking at polls, it’s hard to compare Dillard’s internal with the Trib poll. Different methodologies, etc. What it more telling is if Dillard’s internals are showing a consistent trend of upward movement. Dillard’s people claim they are.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Ryan’s numbers are weakening. The high point of his campaign was the day he announced.

Comment by Abe Froman Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:27 pm
Amazing that Dillard’s polling theories are getting any media attention at all. The ONLY polls that have shown him out of single digits are his own. It’s ludicrous. As someone else here pointed out, hopefully someone will have the stones and the resources to let primary voters know about the Obama ad.

Comment by Amuzing Myself Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:46 pm
…becoming a joke with the Edgar over use…

With who? I would guess that many people are seeing that for the first time. I would guess that those viewers are reacting favorably. Perhaps that explains the great polling numbers Dillard enjoys.

Comment by Joe from Joliet Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 2:41 pm
John, any politician can bend to the will of a group the size of the IEA. For all we could have predicted, all 7 GOP candidates may have decided to answer questions the way the IEA wanted and then the IEA would have had a real pickle. They didn’t, obviously, but even if they had the IEA knew they had a known commodity in Dillard.

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 3:22 pm
Dillard has to get 80 g’s from Gidwitz because he couldn’t raise it. He took 250000 from uncle jack because he has no ground forces. Jack will bite him unless he (Dillard) does what he promised, he won’t/can’t and still get the money from the IEA. I have been across the state in the last few weeks; there are NO signs for Dillard he has no ground forces and his fund raising stinks.
I hear the web wars are being won by the new guy a few thousand a day. Thousands of signs and thousands of vol’s working the field. Jack went with him because he wants a panel of rich guys getting together and picking the GOP candidates Gidwitz got to him and told him he would agree if Jack went with Dillard. Easy! To bad it won’t work the tea parties and 9/11 people threw a wrench into the plans

Comment by votegetter Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 6:52 pm