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Republicans react to primary wins

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Illinois

* RGA…

The Republican Governors Association released the following statement regarding Illinois Democrats selecting Mike Madigan ally J.B. Pritzker as the Democrat nominee for governor:

“From FBI wiretaps with Rod Blagojevich to backroom deals with Mike Madigan, J.B. Pritzker has revealed himself to be yet another self-serving Illinois political insider,” said RGA Communications Director Jon Thompson. “Illinoisans know that J.B. Pritzker will never stand up to Mike Madigan, and with Mike Madigan’s handpicked candidate for governor on the ballot, this race will be a referendum on the tax-hiking, corrupt political machine that has bankrupted Illinois.

* Rauner campaign…

Governor Rauner released the following statement tonight after winning the Republican nomination to take on JB Pritzker in the general election:

“This primary election was hard fought. I am honored and humbled by this victory because you have given me the chance to win the battle against the corruption that plagues Illinois. I want to congratulate my opponent Jeanne Ives on her campaign. The election in November will be a choice between someone who will stand up to the machine and someone who has long been a part of it. Between someone who will fight for hardworking families and someone who will protect the political insiders. Illinois is home. And home is worth fighting for. No one can do this alone. Let’s focus on the issues we agree on – reducing taxes, growing jobs, and ending corruption through term limits. We have to come together, we have to unite, we have to work as a team to get this done.”

The governor’s victory speech is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:04 am

Comments

One response is full of facts and data andvthe other is Madigan. Although Lipinski held on it was not a good night for the machine but it was dar worse for the republicans.

Comment by illinois manufacturer Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:31 am
Class all the way RGA.

Comment by Lt Guv Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 5:33 am
Does Rauner regret signing HB 40 now? He must know he’s a long shot now.

Comment by Fav Human Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 5:53 am
Rauner came out of the 2014 Primary full of energy, with a cohesive political team he trusted — one prepared to fight. Love them or hate them for other things, they knew how to campaign. They pulled off the impossible — with an upstart candidate in a crowded GOP primary, against an incumbent Machine Democrat in a deep blue state. That was’t just luck.

Rauner comes out of this one, having almost been beaten by a five-month upstart who was managed by fringe hack and proven political failure Proft. The Gov needs to wake up and realize there is a way to win, but throwing more money at c-team mercenaries who don’t know how to win Illinois won’t be it. He might not like it, but he knows who can and needs to beg them back today.

Comment by Morning After Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 6:10 am
Rauner was polling at 30% approval.

Rauner received 52% of the GOP vote yesterday, against a state representative who reminded voters Bruce Rauner isn’t close to being anyone that calls themselves a Republican, and the base Republicans know that Rauner has no desire to govern as a Republican, or even govern in the most general terms.

Rauner’s call to action last night was Republicans and Democrats come together with him and fight.

Make NO mistake.

Rauner’s Call to arms was for Raunerism, and Democrats and Republicans should join Raunerism thoughts of destrying labor, closing state universities, and dismantling social services.

The call to arms was ignoring the GOP base in hopes to fool those willing to trade governance for Raunerism, at the cost of Illinois.

Rauner wants a second term for the following reasons:

The Janus case, RTW in Illinois, take down AFSCME, and if Rauner faces resistance, Illinois will held hostage again by Rauner.

That’s not my speculation.

Rauner told the Tribune this. On purpose. As an answer what a second term would entail.

That should scare Illinois’ most vulnerable, the students wanting to stay in Illinois, and all whose workers who’s wages Rauner wants lowered, and the rights of workers stifled.

Rauner’s speech ignored the GOP, but wants the GOP to “get in line”.

I said, in the end, Ives would get around 43.5 as a candidate against a sitting governor in her own party.

Here’s the reality of Ives outperforming that 43.5.

It has never been how great Ives is or was to voters.

It’s always been about how terrible, how awful, how much of a failure Bruce Rauner is… and Ives outperformed because the more people thought how awful Governor Bruce Rauner is, the chance to humiliate and embarrass Governor Rauber was just too good to pass up.

I was wrong because the voters know that a failed governor can’t be given any more passes. I was wrong because GOP voters were tired with Rauner and going along with a phony. I was wrong because costumes and misleading words are not what the GOP wants anymore.

I was wrong because Rauner isn’t a Republican, and Republicans had enough.

Jim Edgar won his Primary by 50 points.

Bruce Rauner won his Primary by less than 5.

Raunerism will be on the ballot again, this time Dems will have their say on Rauner too, along with Indies that voted in the Dem Primary, Indies that already knew, Rauner is not who they want. The worst Republican governor in America will now fight. Rauner isn’t fighting for Illinois, but will be fighting for his Raunerism, and his vanity, and using costumes and phoniness to do it.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 6:26 am
==He must know he’s a long shot now==

*snicker* I think that requires a level of awareness I fear the man does not possess. And I bet you a dollar if he loses in February his concession speech will have the word Madigan in it

Comment by HangingOn Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 6:30 am
It’s going to be pretty hard for Rauner to tack left. At least to me it seems his “base” or at least 49% of it was ready to abandon him for the longest of shots. Going to be hard to keep them in line while tacking to the center for Moderates.

Seems like in my very amateur opinion that his only option is to convince voters JB is the devil reincarnate, Al Capone, & Blago all rolled together. With 2 billion dollar warchests IL politics is going to look like WW1 trench warfare. As a plus the revenue from attack ads should fund a mini boom in media. YAY! /s

Comment by Maaon born Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:07 am
Disconnect tv. Check
Disconnect from internet. Check
Disconnect phone. Check

Absent driving with blinders on, is there anything else I can do to avoid the political ad onslaught coming soon?

Any business wanting ad time this Fall better book now

Comment by Retired State Guy Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:12 am
Has Rainer always been such a bad public speaker? His speech was painful to watch. Sanguinetti was worse, screaming in Spanish.

Comment by The Way I See It Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:23 am
Rauner won ugly, but advanced. It’s a long way to November. I dont’think Pritzker will make the mistake of measuring the drapes just yet.

It will be interesting to see if Dems and anti-Rauner Republicans get together to pass property tax legislation without the Rauner poison pills this summer.

Ives’ Republican supporters could still give Rauner fits going forward. He’s lied to, bullied and disrespected them too many times, I don’t see that split getting fixed.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:27 am
The Republican primary laid bare divisions in the party. It is almost as bad as 1912 when the party bossed nominated Taft over Roosevelt.

In light of the methods he employed to defeat Ives, it is difficult if not impossible to envision Rauner unifying the Republicans. His primary win may well prove to have been a Pyrrhic victory.

Prepare for one of the ugliest and costliest gubernatorial campaigns in modern memory.

Comment by Practical Politics Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:30 am
Without looking it up, who can name the GOP candidates for SOS, comptroller and treasurer?

There is a price for Rauner buying the GOP for his and only-his personal interest. He’s not a party-builder.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:32 am
@OswegoWillie: I agree with OW, and ask what would have happened if voters could have voted cross-party instead. Would there be crossover voting like in the General Elections pushing Ives to the top? Also, how many traditionally Republican (but anti-Bruces) stayed home because it’s only the primary anyway, and Ives can stay in the race as an “independent Republican”?

Comment by revvedup Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:42 am
Retired State Guy =is there anything else I can do to avoid the political ad onslaught coming soon?=

If you figure it out, please let us know the secret. To make it worse, I’ve never known this far in advance of the general exactly how I’ll vote in every race, top to bottom. It’ll all be just noise from now until November — some of it may be entertaining, but noise nonetheless.

Comment by Flapdoodle Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:43 am
Does Bruce Rauner sign a budget between now and November?

Comment by Hamlets Ghost Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:47 am
===Also, how many traditionally Republican (but anti-Bruces) stayed home because it’s only the primary anyway, and Ives can stay in the race as an “independent Republican”?===

Seems as thought GOP turnout was within the window of what would be expected. Tough to make a case GOP turnout was lower of a significant measure.

The Dems had a more energized turnout, but nothing so energized that the GOP can say they lost usual Indies or other GOP voters staying home.

===what would have happened if voters could have voted cross-party instead. Would there be crossover voting like in the General Elections pushing Ives to the top?===

Really difficult to know with real certainty, with no track record for starters and the diversity of this state with regions having their own tendencies in both primaries and general elections, be they regional concerns or public policies that travel well in one region, not so much in another.

The real question is how much of a slippage will Rauner face in GOP voters, running his ridiculous “Madigan” mantra that with it, almost lost a Primary with GOP voters.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:52 am
Last night was a bit of a guilty pleasure. I can only imagine Rauner sweating out a closer than expected primary. What an embarrassment for an incumbent governor.

Things can change very rapidly in politics, and Pritzker is in for a down and dirty dog fight, but I think the governor is toast.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:55 am
I wonder how much money Rauner wants to put into a campaign that barely beat Ives.

I believe had he not completely fabricated the Ive/Madigan friendship that he likely would have lost. The only reason Ives couldn’t defend is she didn’t have the money like JB will.

Rauner won’t be able to push his money around like a bully now so I believe Rauner Is done.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:57 am
===Does Bruce Rauner sign a budget between now and November?===

You would think he would need to. All governors need signed budgets.

You’d also think a budget using the “Madigan Tax” to run his state agencies, pay social services, fund higher education would make his narrative that taxes are too high moot and make himself look ridiculous, and Rauner can’t afford to be made to look ridiculous… even though Rauner wears costumes every day and purposely talks like a rube with an Ivy League education, but I digress… so how can Rauner sign a budget when that budget validates the “Madigan Tax” with Rauner’s own signature?

I think he vetoes everything, again, “pleads” to be overridden, and leaves Springfield complaining about the Tax, a sham budget, term limits, and Madigan…

… all that already has him polling at 30% approval and winning his own primary by less than 5 points.

Steep hill that Rauner has, and that just the budget. Now throw in Trump and the midterm.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:59 am
I do wonder how many pro-life Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District crossed over to support Lipinski? I wonder if this impacted the gubernatorial primary race on the Republican side ever so slightly.

Comment by Practical Politics Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:16 am
Bruce is going to have to come up with something besides the Madigan attack. “Madigan’s hand-picked candidate” (his words) handily won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination and “Madigan’s favorite legislator” (Ives) performed beyond everyone’s expectations. Time to pull something else out of the trick bag.

Comment by ??? Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:20 am
There’s a lot of tapes out there yet to be played and someone in DOJ or the Court leaking them to the Trib. We’re going to hear Pritzker lots. This may not be the slam dunk for him some think. Cliff Kelly on WGN last night the only guy I’ve heard ask how these tapes still under Court Order get played. It’s a question Pritzker should be asking.

Comment by Bill Baar Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:23 am
Interesting how Rauner won Adams county, home to the Quincy Veterans Home- and he won it comfortably.

Comment by People Over Parties Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:25 am
An incumbent governor who wins renomination by a paltry 4 percent? I bet that’s a record low in 200 years of Illinois history. It reveals how soft his support is in his own party. By contrast, Pritzker’s win by 19 points in a multi-candidate field suggests he has more Big Mo than Rauner.

Comment by anon2 Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:26 am
===Interesting how Rauner won Adams county, home to the Quincy Veterans Home- and he won it comfortably.===

How about Sangamon?

To your point, how about university counties?

Rauner won’t fund state universities, yet…

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:26 am
So Bruce Rauner’s entire campaign strategy was trying anyone and everyone to Mike Madigan. He barely beat Ives and despite his participation in the Democrat primary appears to have had no influence on that race. Pritzker emerged emboldened, not weakened and Rauner has to find someway to bring together a very divided party. The “Madigan” campaign didn’t resonate with either party. It does make you wonder if there is a plan b.

Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:35 am
Republicans in those counties preferred Rauner over Ives. General may go different.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:36 am
===There’s a lot of tapes out there yet to be played and someone in DOJ or the Court leaking them to the Trib.===

Funny you said that, Pat Brady let “slip” (“oops did i say that”) the same thought.

Pritzker still got 45%+ of the vote in a Dem Primary, a three way Primary.

Rauner has base issues that with tapes or not, Rauner called upon Republicans and Dems to take up his fight, not conservatives to be their champion come November.

If there are tapes, they’ll come out. If not, they won’t.

This “tapes” worry was asked and answered, Rauner’s Republican credentials, as always, are up for discussion.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:36 am
Right now, as it stands, Rauner won by three points. It’s somewhat worse than I thought. I thought he’d win by like seven. He’s limping into the next battle.

What a night, last night and even today, with internet crashes/heavy traffic. I tried posting comments, but of course it wasn’t happening.

JB smoked, did much better than I thought. He won almost every county, last I checked. I see the ground game he’s building on social media. That’s how to do it.

JB’s speech was great last night. He is bringing marijuana legalization, progressive income tax, education funding, union rights and health insurance expansion (among other issues) into the forefront, as primary policy positions.

My favorite part of JB’s speech was when he said he’s not perfect, unlike Rauner, who never admits he’s wrong, and when he said he won’t wear costumes or ride Harleys (not that I could imagine it).

My most gratifying result was Raunerite Dunkin losing. Voters of his district know a sellout, and being a Raunerite cost him.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:38 am
===How about Sangamon?===

Rauner won Sangamon. Also won counties home to U of I, Illinois State, Eastern and Western.

Comment by People Over Parties Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:50 am
===Rauner won Sangamon. Also won counties home to U of I, Illinois State, Eastern and Western.===

Yep.

Zero sympathy until November if Rauner decides to close a state university or make things more difficult in the state agencies.

Like labor in 2014.

Two in five Labor Households in the general voted Rauner.

How’d that go?

If the silver lining for Rauner is Rauner carried the county where 13 died at the Veterans’ Home… that ain’t a great silver lining.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:54 am
==Disconnect tv. Check
Disconnect from internet. Check
Disconnect phone. Check

Absent driving with blinders on, is there anything else I can do to avoid the political ad onslaught coming soon?

Any business wanting ad time this Fall better book now==

TV - I don’t watch live tv outside of sporting events. Everything else is streaming with few to no ads
Internet - use an adblocker and judiciously unblock ads on the sites you do want to support
Phone - use a Google Voice number and/or screen all calls

I didn’t get anything election-related over my phone…if I don’t know the number, I don’t answer, and if it’s important, they can leave a message (which is immediately transcribed and texted to me via google voice. I think I saw maybe 2-3 total TV ads this election season…one being that horrible Ives ad during the super bowl. As for online, I really only came across a few ads here or there, but since they’re just static images mostly, they’re fairly easy to ignore.

Comment by West-Central Worrier Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:54 am
Rauner can’t unsign HB40 and kept calling Ives a fringe candidate, so I don’t know how he unites the party. Only solace was he looked a little less smug than usual in his “victory” speech.

Comment by Hysteria Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 8:59 am
For the first time in two decades, I didn’t vote in the primary. I was all set to, even driving over to the voting place. But the more I thought it over, my decision was less and less about choosing who I could support, and more about who I simply couldn’t support. And the larger number of those in the negative side completely overwhelmed the smaller number on the positive.

When it came to it - and I found myself finding only or two (possibly) candidates for an office that I had no problem with (not support - just accept as a nominee), I realized I had no business casting a ballot this year. Voting may be a right, but with it comes the responsibility to choose wisely and then own your choices.

I hope the general provides me with better options.

Comment by Name Withheld Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 9:05 am
Just saw a digital ad, Rauner in his farmer costume:

–”Bruce Rauner is uniting Illinois for a better future.”–

I don’t think Baghdad Bob could have peddled that with a straight face after reviewing last night’s totals.

Seriously, which way can this guy go? He can’t go right, not enough votes and they don’t trust him. A dead sprint to the middle, totally cutting off Ives voters? That’s a Hail Mary, to say the least.

I’m guessing he’ll just go negative, toilets and off-shore accounts, all the time. He simply cannot offer a positive reason to vote for him.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 9:08 am
Republicans in those counties may not have voted for either of them. Some by crossing party lines, others by leaving the selection blank or staying home. Ives was not a great candidate - and still took 48% of the vote. I don’t know where we can find candidates that are both qualified to govern and appeal to the majority of voters. If we had found one, maybe the outcome would have been reversed. I found myself hoping for Ives, even though I couldn’t vote for her. The reason was I was sure she couldn’t win in the general.

Comment by Thoughts Matter Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 9:20 am
What struck me, and I’ve tuned out the phony Rauner, and the phony Rauner riffs…

What stuck me was the sitting governor of Illinois, regardless of party, insinuated unless he (Rauner) wins, “turn off the lights” and Illinois is doomed.

The man said he’s not in charge now.

We send him back, to “keep the lights on” and all…

Rauner hasn’t signed a budget… to keep any lights on… in any state government building yet.

That’s how warped Raunerism is.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 9:21 am
The only path to victory I see for Rauner is if a popular African-American runs as an independent to peel off votes from Pritzker.

Comment by Angry Republican Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 9:36 am
What a difference three weeks makes!

I just looked at the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Poll that had Rauner +20.

Was the methodology of the poll suspect or did Ives gain that much ground in three weeks?

Comment by Practical Politics Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 9:46 am
Watched most of Lynn Sweet’s streaming show last night while following returns on my laptop and was struck by how out of touch Rauner’s advisor Anne Kavanagh seemed with claims about Erika Harold appealing to suburban moderates and talking up the Rauner downstate ground game. Props to her though I guess appearing at all on a tough night for her candidate amd being honest about Ives being more conservative than Bruce.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 10:20 am
Incumbents don’t “win” with results like this.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 10:33 am
Now that afscme can endorse Pritzker
My gloves are off
Honeybear
Is going to get ugly.
So much suffering has been visited
On so many
I attend them each day
If you have not been affected
You have a privilege that
The majority in this state don’t.
51% of our children need free or reduced price lunch
Over a million effected by loss of help
Thousands of jobs lost
Veterans killed by negligence, as cost savings
If you haven’t been affected
You are lucky.

I’m going to rage for them.
Rauner has hurt
Rauner has ruined
So many people

Now that the Trib is falling
Maybe they will report it
God bless Rich for doing so

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 10:33 am
Re: Rauner winning college towns over Ives - not sure what there is to deduce from that other than those voters are likely less responsive to bigotry and more pro-choice. It’s not like Ives campaigned or took strong stances as a legislator to protect jobs in college towns

Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 10:46 am
“OW” no second bite at the apple in Ill.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 5:25 pm
===“OW” no second bite at the apple in Ill.===

Nope. No second bite. Sore loser law.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 5:42 pm