Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

McCann now says he won’t run

Posted in:

Illinois

* From a press release…

Senator Sam McCann issued the following statement today:

“I am humbled and honored. However, despite rumors to the contrary, I am not an independent party candidate for governor.

As we focus on the 2014 elections, I look forward to continue working with my party leadership and Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno to make the party bigger and better with the ultimate goal of making our state better and stronger. I will continue to be a voice for my constituents and a voice for all those who want and deserve to be heard as we seek new leadership in Illinois.

Illinois needs and deserves better representation at the top. We must close the chapter on the state government regime that has led Illinois to record high unemployment, record high taxes and record high debt.”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 4:41 pm

Comments

What a glowing Rauner endorsement.

Comment by Jimmy CrackCorn Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 4:48 pm
Welp, that was fun.

Rauner has issues with some in My Party. Maybe referring to 1/3 of the GA GOP could be a reason.

Being Tom Hagen could be a reason.

Courting more Democrats than Republicans after the Unity Breakfast could be a reason.

Rauner being a Raunerite and not a Republican could be a reason.

Lots of reasons, I guess…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 4:55 pm
That Sam I am, that Sam I am, I do like green eggs and ham. He either is smart or got smart pretty quickly here. He didn’t offend the people who “wished him in” or the people he’s got to work with. He walked a tight rope here and succeeded. Fortunately it was only 5 feet above the ground.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 5:04 pm
Shrtst. Cmpn. Vr.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 5:20 pm
And yet, much longer than it should have been, YDD.

Comment by Getting Their Dues Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 5:28 pm
I’m trying to remember my favorite part of the McCann campaign. It’s probably way back at the beginning, when he was just a little known back-bencher in the state senate. So much has changed since then. Seems like that was a million years ago now. Well, before lunch anyway.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 5:29 pm
Why has he been letting good people volunteer their time getting petitions? It’s been happening for awhile and he knew it.

Comment by too obvious Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 5:30 pm
I think his statewide name ID went from nil to zero, so it was a crafty political move when you put it in those terms…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 5:33 pm
47th Ward showing again why he won the golden horseshoe.

Too funny, dude.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 5:39 pm
Too obvious,
Because he’s been playing both sides. And from what I hear not being fully honest with either side.

Comment by Getting Their Dues Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 5:41 pm
Sam McCan’t win, so he’s not running I guess…

Comment by A modest proposal Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 5:49 pm
Well done - 47th Ward -!

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 6:14 pm
This is like the Donald Sterling saga out in LA, but without the money. Maybe he could change his mind again.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 6:48 pm
Did he forget Rauner’s name or something? Definitely a back of the hand there.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 7:05 pm
If I had a choice to vote for somebody who wasn’t Rauner or Quinn, I might do it even if that person wasn’t particularly qualified. The other two are both poison in my book. Guessing quite a few voters might feel the same.

Comment by Excessively Rabid Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 7:14 pm
His candidacy for Governor lasted almost as long as his enlistment in the Marine Corps

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 8:23 pm
==His candidacy for Governor lasted almost as long as his enlistment in the Marine Corps==

Yeesh, the dude dropped out. I know you did all that oppo research that you are very proud of, Mr. Anonymous, but you Rauner people need to learn how to drop a grudge. First D-Lard, now this guy is on your weekly hit list.

Comment by Jimmy CrackCorn Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 9:07 pm
Looking forward to seeing McCann’s A-1’s these next 5 days.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 9:11 pm
Jimmy CrackCorn,

Sorry don’t see that as a Rauner thing, that whole deal strikes me as the type of thing that some people would never, ever let you forget…

Comment by Oneman Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 9:19 pm
It’s the CliffsNotes version of the Bill Daley campaign for gov.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 9:50 pm
bummer, i like McCann. Given who just beat Cantor, McCann could have had a chance. weird things afoot.

Comment by kimaye Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 9:56 pm
Again, no decent candidate out there.

Comment by persecuted Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 10:15 pm
– but you Rauner people need to learn how to drop a grudge. First D-Lard, now this guy is on your weekly hit list.–

Could be an Achilles heel. Unforced error with D-Lard. In victory, magnanimity.

No need to honk off GOP bulls at the same time you’re touting your Democratic Party cred in TV spots.

Rauner is kind of wobbly when left to his own devices. Minimum wage, gay marriage, union workers, COLAs, income tax, constant promises of “comprehensive, detailed plans.”

When you’re a private sector salesman, you can weasel-word to attempt to please the audience you’re talking to.

The problem is, as a candidate, everything you say is being recorded and will be shared with people you wouldn’t want to hear it.

Like the man said, you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 10, 14 @ 11:17 pm
There is an opening for a candidate here. The Eric Cantor defeat shows this. If Cantor isn’t acceptable to tea party types, how can Bruce Rauner be?

Comment by low level Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 6:35 am
@low level:

I don’t think Cantor’s problem was ideological, I think it was moral: voters perceived him as just too much of an insider.

It is hard to imagine you are gonna find a third party candidate who is going to run outside of Rauner and still be viable.

A spoiler, sure. But not a winner.

Now, if you could convince Edgar to run as an independent….jK!

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 7:10 am
==Sorry don’t see that as a Rauner thing, that whole deal strikes me as the type of thing that some people would never, ever let you forget…==

Bingo. It’s not “oppo research”, it’s being from his district and remembering what this guy tried to pull on his way up. It’s not a small matter to a lot of people who already know, and wouldn’t be a small matter to a lot of people in a Statewide campaign

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 7:34 am
- wordslinger - really hits a great number of points I believe as well.

This selling of Democratic credentials is just sucking the air out of his GOP backing by establishment party followers.

Being a salesman, is similar to being a politician, but in politics, everything you say, stays with you forever.

And spite, the Tom Hagen style of working with people too, is not a recipe to win, but a good way to subtract support, not gain it.

The Rauner cake is clear; more Democrats, more moderates, and expecting establishment GOP members to be lemmings, and Conservative GOP members need to “be quiet, and get in line…or else!”

That is real.

That is the cake, being “sold”, at the expense of establishment GOP voters like me, and Conservative GOP members like McCann….with no GOTV to run a base of voters… that Rauner’s Crew can’t pinpoint as it’s starting point.

Wonder what the 22 corrupt GOP GA members think? I would ask them, but Rauner won’t tell us who they are.

Great stuff - wordslinger -, I follow you, great insight.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 7:52 am
We need “better representation at the top”… not “a new Governor” or even “change in leadership”? Ouch.

Comment by Snucka Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 8:17 am
If he pulled a R ballot in the primary could he have still ran? I thought once declared you can’t change parties to run under a different umbrella?

Comment by DuPage Bard Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 8:24 am
YDD- yes, a spoiler. It seems many Repubs are not happy with Bruce. A third party person could draw just enough off. Not to win, certainly.

Good point on Cantor insider, but it was ideological in the sense that he was seen as moving too far left on immigration.

Comment by low level Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 9:08 am
Then again, maybe I’m just misreading the whole thing. This is a very weird election cycle.

OW - thoughts? I’d love to hear your take. Room for another candidate to appear that would attract those unhappy with Bruce the uniter?

Comment by low level Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 9:12 am
- low level -,

Here is my thoughts on why I am leaving the Guv’s race;

https://capitolfax.com/2014/06/10/mccann-pushing-petitions/

As to a third party or another Conservative running, Rauner is running away from Conservatives now, so running a 3rd party or just a Conservative will probably help more than hurt Rauner…today.

Rauner’s Crew’s worse fear is the one-on-one, versus a fly in the ointment, if they had to really choose their poison.

The question would be more alienated by Quinn or alienated by Rauner. The Unions know that too. The Teachers know that too. All of Quinn’s coalition know that too.

I stand by my personal Comments as to my handling of both Rauner and Quinn and my vote as of today.

Hope that helps, - low level -, appreciate your “ask”, but a 3rd candidate, period, today, “helps” more than hurts Rauner…today.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 9:29 am
===If Cantor isn’t acceptable to tea party types, how can Bruce Rauner be? ===

They loved him in the primary.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 9:35 am
=== ===If Cantor isn’t acceptable to tea party types, how can Bruce Rauner be? ===

They loved him in the primary.===

Which is the example of why education of a candidate matters, and with only 10% negatives for Rauner, the Tea Party found their “Guy”…lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 11, 14 @ 9:42 am