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Gov. Bruce Rauner said Tuesday that he sought out other people to replace him at the top of the ticket because he wanted to see his reform platform succeed.
Rauner talked about the decision during a news conference where he issued a summary of his term in office.
“It was all a function of me being all in to win for the team for reform,” he said. “This has never been about me. This job has never been something that I’ve particularly sought in and of itself. All I care is that we save our state for our children and our grandchildren … me and my personal situation is irrelevant. All that matters is that the team win and that we get major reforms done and that’s what I’ve been 100 percent committed to every day.”
In an interview with ABC 7 in December, Rauner said he sought out others to take his place. It was later revealed that he asked former state Sen. Karen McConnaughay, Chicago Cubs part-owner Todd Ricketts, and attorney general candidate Erika Harold to take his place under the Republican ticket for governor. They all turned him down.
Rauner went on to lose to Pritzker by 16 points.
The revelation that Rauner wanted someone else to replace him caused an uproar among Republicans across the state, some shocked that he would have stepped aside, others outraged that he fought a long primary battle against conservative Republican lawmaker Rep. Jeanne Ives, only to win by a couple percentage points.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 9:47 am
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Previous Post: Lots of new faces out there
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No one has ever explained how this would actually work. He can’t just step aside and say “now Todd Ricketts” is running in my place, can he?
Comment by Anon E Moose Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 9:49 am
“This has never been about me.”
Ha. Ha. Ha.
Comment by Astute Observation Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 9:56 am
Go team go…..right into the toilet.
Comment by Flynn's Mom Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 9:58 am
To.. the… post.
Here’s the whole ball game in a nutshell.
===…me and my personal situation is irrelevant.===
Ok. There it is.
His personal situation is that he (Rauner), as Danny Kaffee would say… Rauner was “going to lose, and was going to lose huge.”
That’s not great for a brand.
Diana Rauner knows all about brand, as her own emails told us about her concern about… brand.
So… if “me and my personal situation is irrelevant.”… why did you feel the need to be replaced… since… it’s “you and your personal situation” that made winning… impossible…
“Col. Jessup?”
It was that Rauner was going to lose and it was solely because his brand couldn’t take the hit of a humiliating loss, an epic loss not seen for 100 years of incumbents.
Rauner wanted to cut out the middle man, and *be* the man.
Rauner thought he could break Madigan, Democrats, he had a “Democrat partner” vouching for him, as he wanted a compromise to be “if the Dems will destroy labor, He’ll let them vote to raise taxes too.”
I’m not angry Rauner tried to replace himself, as Rauner was never a Republican to begin with, as Rauner tries, embarrassingly to sell he is a Reagan Republican in ideology, while being a Raunerite demanding “no $&@#% problems” from his bought brand.
“… me and my personal situation is irrelevant.”
If that were true, you would’ve ran to win, not look for the nearest exit.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 9:59 am
He can’t just step aside and say “now Todd Ricketts” is running in my place, can he?
[(10 ILCS 5/7-12)]
(9) Any person for whom a petition for nomination, or for committeeperson or for delegate or alternate delegate to a national nominating convention has been filed may cause his name to be withdrawn by request in writing…
I’m no lawyer but that suggests to me that he can at least back out. I haven’t read further to find out if he can have any role in naming a replacement.
Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:01 am
“This has never been about me.”
Wrong. It’s all about this Bruce Rauner.
Bruce Rauner is not in charge, which means he’ll take no responsibility and will cravenly throw others under the bus. That’s what he did with his first staff and what he tried to do to some hapless person who would accept being steamrolled in the election. People were smart to not accept his offer.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:04 am
Bruce Quixote to the end.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:05 am
It’s never been about him? He never actively sought the job? Oh, please!
Some of the strong arm and sleazy tactics that he employed during the 2014 primary make this self-serving statement seem doubly pathetic.
Comment by Practical Politics Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:14 am
It was always about you, Bruce. Right up to the double-digit defeat.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:15 am
I’ve never really bought this story. One, given the mechanics, it did’t make a lot of sense for Rauner to think he could anoint a nominee, either before or after the primary.
Second, Rauner is a proven, chronic liar, so the sincerity of his effort is certainly in question.
At my most generous, I’d say that Rauner considered bailing at times because he feared he might get smoked and humiliated (which he was).
That fear, too, was all about him, as was everything he did during his time on the stage.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:20 am
@Skeptic -
The vacancy would be filled by the State Central Committee.
Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:28 am
Bruce’s Mantra: “Demand the unobtainable, defend the unconscionable, admit no failure, deny responsibility for everything”. This is another example of why he’s no longer Governor.
Comment by revvedup Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:38 am
==I’ve never really bought this story.==
I didn’t, either, and yet, didn’t McConnaughay confirm it?
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:46 am
–I didn’t, either, and yet, didn’t McConnaughay confirm it?–
I don’t doubt that he raised it, I doubt his sincerity of actually following through. He had a habit of saying one thing and doing another.
Plus, as I said above, he was at the very least confused as to his ability to anoint a nominee before or after the primary.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 10:57 am
@JoanP: Thanks, that’s good to know.
Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 11:25 am
He could have just said he wasn’t running again before the primaries and the new candidates would have made themselves known.
Comment by NoGifts Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:02 pm
Why does he believe his “reform platform” would be accepted if he wasn’t there? Your “reform platform” wasn’t passing no matter who was pushing it. He still doesn’t get it.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 2:33 pm
I believe him when he repeatedly says it is not about him.
I also believe it is not about money when the athlete signs a huge contract.
Comment by I Miss Bentohs Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 3:59 pm
Bruce hasn’t learned anything in 4 years.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 3:59 pm
I wonder Rauner did not ask his Lt. Governor to take his place. I think she i add overlooked in discussions on future leaders of the IL GOP.
Comment by Cyprian Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 8:51 pm
–I wonder Rauner did not ask his Lt. Governor to take his place. –
I bet she does, too.
But she never missed a payday.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 9:17 pm