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* Count me as a Pat Gauen fan, but on this we’re gonna have to agree to disagree…
My big question for 2018 is whether Rauner, a very rich businessman and not a politician, will want to stick around. This mess cannot be fun for a guy who certainly can afford happier diversions.
It reminds me a bit of Peter Fitzgerald, another rich Republican who in 1999 put his money behind winning what is now to be Duckworth’s Senate seat. He alienated a lot of Republicans, seemed to bore of his prize and just walked away at the end of his term.
And hey, Fitzgerald didn’t need smoke and mirrors to keep the statehouse lights on, or have to wake up every morning and face Madigan.
All true about Fitz. But Rauner seems to love his job, and he clearly relishes this fight with Madigan.
He isn’t going anywhere unless he loses his reelection bid.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:17 pm
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Previous Post: *** UPDATED x2 *** Still no good news on workers comp
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and the citizens of Illinois suffer..
Comment by P Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:22 pm
Rauner claimed $188+ million on his taxes to what… walk away?
Nope. Rauner is here to stay. Let’s just hope the 2nd term is better once he signs the legislative map… or holds the map hostage to destroy Labor… or Social Services.
The good news is while “Dad’s Home State” is entering its 3rd season come January, negotiations are going so well for an additional 2 years (2019 and 2020) and we will hold the option for the next 2 years after.
I guess HBO sees Rauner sticking around too.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:25 pm
I agree. But does Madigan relish his fight with Rauner, an opponent unlike any other for Madigan? I think this protracted fight is getting to Madigan, he seems to be slipping and some in his caucus may well be ready to surrender long before the so-called “Velvet Hammer.”
Comment by Deft Wing Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:26 pm
“He isn’t going anywhere unless he loses his reelection bid.”
Likely not going anywhere should that happen, either. He’s learned how to capture the news cycle, which is more important than governin’ anyway.
Comment by thunderspirit Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:26 pm
I’m glad someone is enjoying himself.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:26 pm
Why buy your way in and spend all that money to give yourself more power during midterms?
He’s already got all the money he needs. The power is an aphrodisiac.
Comment by Winnin' Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:27 pm
It is obvious Rauner is big game hunting.
Comment by Liberty Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:33 pm
Rauner is not going anywhere until he and his fellow 1% get what they want.
Comment by sparky791 Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:38 pm
That’s what I hear as well…
Besides, who’s going to run against both Madigan and Rauner’s cash?
Any suckers, I mean takers?
Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:41 pm
“He isn’t going anywhere unless he loses his reelection bid.”
There is the goalpost. That one cannot be moved by Rauner, no matter how much his income improves between now and then- 3x, 4x, 5x. With Trump heading to DC, money and politics may make people look twice for the next two years and Vote Accordingly in 2018. If all Rauner can accomplish is to be able to buy political parties and campaigns, then he and his ilk will have shown their true colors. And the excuse will not be “Because Madigan”. It will be “Because Rauner Wants It His Way”.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:43 pm
Only a rich, old, white guy would enjoy inflicting so much deliberate pain.
Rauner’s “not going anywhere” and “relishes this stuff” says a lot about Rauner — more than he probably realizes.
Comment by Bobby Catalpa Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:44 pm
On Fitzgerald, would he have stuck around if he had a better relationship with his party?
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:50 pm
Peter Fitzgerald faced a different predicament. He was an opponent of George Ryan. Judy Baar Topinka, in her capacity as Illinois Republican State Party Chair, equivocated about supporting his bid for reelection. Fitzgerald had largely self-funded his first US Senate campaign (defeating the party endorsed candidate) and he was reluctant to do so again. He dropped out.
Indirectly, these events gave an opening to Obama’s campaign for the US Senate.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:53 pm
What job is that exactly? 2 years now and he still won’t perform one of his most basic jobs the state constitution requires the GOVERNOR to do: submit a balanced budget.
Comment by just sayin' Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:53 pm
I have known Pat Gauen for over 35 years and while I always appreciate and respect his perspective, like you Rich, I do not always concur with his take especially this time as it relates to BVR.
Comment by illini Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:54 pm
==He isn’t going anywhere unless he loses his reelection bid.==
At this point our only hope is Obi-Wan.
Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 12:59 pm
—” unless he loses his reelection bid.”—
In my prayers every night.
Comment by Rufus Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:02 pm
He just spent a king’s ransom to win four House seats and a long-coveted Senate seat. Why would he just say “DONE!” after that?! He could put a huge dent in the House majority in two years. Some of the hard-charging GOP candidates will be back and will be at least 50/50 bets to win. He wants to follow through on that. Jesse White’s retirement, Mendoza’s win and the Treasurer’s office all offer opportunities for Rauner-backed ($$$) candidates to contend for statewide offices and build the GOP bench. He is most assuredly running for reelection.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:12 pm
Peter Fitz’s papa slammed the cookie jar closed. And that was that.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:20 pm
I tend to wonder if Rauner has a bet with someone about getting rid of Madigan? Or, changing voting patterns in IL? Or, something that some old, white guys would dream up when they’ve had too much $2,000/bottle wine.
The winner would not care about money obviously but maybe a case of wine that is impossible to buy or something else very strange to us normal people.
Comment by Belle Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:26 pm
Rauner plays a long game. He’s after the map. He’s been incredibly successful at accomplishing his goals so far–digging the budget hole deeper, destroying human services and higher education. In human services, he has laid groundwork for bidding out contracts every year versus the old model of stability in human service providers. That’s the carrot–once there is finally a budget, he’ll be in a position to award major contracts to those who have stayed in favor. Admittedly, his approach is more stick than carrot, but in the long view the carrots will be pretty sweet as well.
Comment by Earnest Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:29 pm
Peter was the son of a millionaire banker — wealth but not as vast as BigBrain. He went out of way to aggravate folks and learned no one cared if he was a senator. He was tapped out.
BigBrain does think this is fun —- when he is not running the “blind trust”
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:33 pm
In my opinion we now have the DEM and GOP versions of Mike Madigan…neither will give in unless the grim reaper steps in…what is the succession plan guys?
Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:40 pm
Even if Rauner loses his re-election bid in 2018, he’s so damn competitive (and rich) that he and his money may just hang around.
Comment by Taser Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:40 pm
That man loves his Gubernatorial vest.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:50 pm
I remember Peter Fitzgerald fell out of favor with the Bush administration. He was on some senate committee that was in a meeting where they were told some items that were TOP SECRET, and they were sworn to secrecy. He slipped up later and said something that was secret information to a reporter. After that, the administration made him feel unwelcome, they wanted him out.
Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 1:50 pm
Why does he have to have his fun on the backs of the poor, disabled and disenfranchised?
Comment by Flynn's mom Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 2:01 pm
LL - see my post above. I think Rauner is wanting to build and fortify a bench. SOS is open during next election, and both the Comptroller and Treasurer’s offices will be in play. Frerichs won by such a razor-thin margin and Mendoza underperformed the statewide spread in a presidential year that both offices are within reach. If we can pick up one or more of those offices then the succession plan sets itself up. I would love to see Adam Kinzinger step up. That would mean giving up his Congressional seat to run but I think it would make sense in several years.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 2:03 pm
–SOS is open during next election,–
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Peter Fitzgerald’s father shut him down. He didn’t want to pay capital gains on cashing out Bank of Montreal stock.
Gov. Rauner obviously doesn’t have that problem.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 2:14 pm
Word - do you think Jesse White will run for reelection?
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 2:28 pm
TS, I know he said last year that he won’t, but I’ll believe he really won’t when he really doesn’t.
He’s the other side of the coin to Chris Kennedy/Bill Daley.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 2:33 pm
Word - good point. We will find out in 10 months. He could get reelected without doing a single thing.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 2:39 pm
Senator Fitzgerald was run out of the Senate by the Illinois Republican Party. Congressman LaHood was a big part of the push. Fitzgerald being wealthy did not go along in the Senate with pushing every corrupt scheme to defraud taxpayers which came along. This upset greatly the earmark for kickback dirt bags. Congressman LaHood ranted if Fitzgerald ran again for Senate, he would contest him. That is why Senator Fitzgerald quit. The Republican Party was too corrupt in Illinois to support him. He was smart and honest. A very bad combination for a politician.
Comment by yeah Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 2:48 pm
===He could get reelected without doing a single thing===
Since 1998.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 2:51 pm
Democrats have to come up with a candidate to beat Rauner.
Comment by Sparky 309 Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 3:16 pm
Fitzgerald didn’t run again because Ray Lahood and the Illinois Republican party were not going to support him, politically or financially. That is the beginning of the story of how we got President Obama.
Comment by NobodysAccountable Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 3:25 pm
Sparky 309- Agreed. In the meantime, that cannot be a distraction from holding Rauner and Co. accountable for their actions and inactions. LIFT has started doing that, and needs to continue that “public education”. I’m sure Rauner never considered the “Trump Factor” for the next two years, either. All of his millions won’t insulate him from that result.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 3:26 pm
- My big question for 2018 is whether Rauner, a very rich businessman and not a politician, will want to stick around. -
He will if he and his very wealthy friends think they can drive down the cost of labor and privatize state universities, public schools, and prisons for billions in profits.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 3:34 pm
So were the LIFT ads just about poisoning Rauner’s brand ahead of 2018? Or did DPI not live up to their end of the plan - were they supposed to tie individual GOP candidates to Rauner but they couldn’t help blathering about sex offenders and assault rifles like they’ve been doing for the past 20 years? The one candidate who was explicitly tied to Rauner - Leslie Munger - did lose, after all.
Comment by Grand Avenue Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 3:45 pm
And days like today are why Rauner loves this stuff. Nothing brings him more pleasure than dealing a blow to “AF-SCAMMY”
Comment by Grand Avenue Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 4:17 pm
I have a hard time believin’ that he will get reelected.
Comment by Just sayin Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 4:34 pm
Think he will enjoy having the 30 billion pound bomb of JB Pritzger dropped on him. I wondered when the old rich would get tired of the nouvoux
Comment by David Tuesday, Nov 15, 16 @ 6:58 pm