Saturday, March 24, 2018

Chicago, IL – Today, Democratic candidates from across Illinois came together at a unity breakfast hosted by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and the Illinois AFL-CIO. At the breakfast, they highlighted the need to take on Bruce Rauner, elect Democrats up and down the ticket, and put Springfield back on the side of working families.

“With the Illinois AFL-CIO and unions across our city and state, with Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, with the passionate Democrats who campaigned for governor, with the strongest statewide ticket Illinois has ever seen, we are united and ready for the fight,” said JB Pritzker. “We’re going to be beat Bruce Rauner. We are going to win up and down the ticket. This is a statewide, grassroots operation ready to pound the pavement in all 102 counties. We are united and we are ready to win.”

“We can continue to let Bruce Rauner divide our state with his poisonous politics filled with hate and divisiveness or we can stand together to create a future abundant with opportunities for all,” said State Representative Juliana Stratton. “JB and I are ready for the fight. It’s going to be a fight like we’ve never seen. And to win it, we need to stand together and fight for Democrats up and down the ticket, in every corner of this state. Together, we’re going to take down our failed governor, Bruce Rauner.”

“Few people can remember an election that generated more grassroots energy and quality candidates than our recent Democratic Primary,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. “Now we need to unite our party and give Illinois voters an opportunity to elect a Democratic governor and Democratic legislative majority that can put our state back on the right track — and elect Democrats at the federal level who can stand up to Donald Trump’s dangerous agenda.”

“With a president in Washington who cannot govern and a governor in Springfield who says he’s not in charge, the Democratic Party is stronger than ever and energized to take back our state and country,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “We are ready to fight for working families, to champion women’s rights, and to keep immigrant families together. With JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton leading our ticket, Democrats are poised to replace Bruce Rauner with leaders that will stand up for ordinary people.”

“Governor Bruce Rauner is a failed Governor who has offered Illinois no real leadership in the last 4 years,” said Congressman Bobby Rush. “I supported Chris Kennedy in the Democratic primary. JB Pritzker is the Democratic nominee and he has my full support. I will do everything within my power to defeat Governor Bruce Rauner. The time to unify is now.”

“Governor Bruce Rauner has failed Illinois because his policies are in conflict with the needs of the people of Illinois,” said Congressman Danny Davis. “I endorsed Chris Kennedy in the Democratic primary. I support JB Pritzker because he ran a great campaign. I support JB 100%. JB proved he can win in Chicago, the collar counties, and downstate Illinois. We need to be united headed into this general election. JB has my full support because I believe he will be a great governor and I am going to do everything I can to get him elected.”

“Bruce Rauner is a failed governor and we’re working together to ensure he and his ticket fail this November,” said State Senator and candidate for Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “While Rauner’s Republican Party is divided, Democrats are uniting behind JB Pritzker, Juliana Stratton, and a strong slate of candidates running statewide. With Democratic enthusiasm growing across our state, we’re ready to win up and down the ballot in 2018.”

“After a long primary season, we have a slate of Democratic candidates of which we can all be proud,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Don Harmon. “I know JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton will put our state back on course, stand up for all Illinoisans, and pass a progressive income tax when we send them to Springfield in November.”

“I congratulate JB Pritzker on winning the Democratic nomination and I will be working hard to defeat Bruce Rauner in November,” said State Representative Ann Williams. “In the coming weeks, I look forward to continuing the conversation about our community’s priorities including gun violence prevention, public education funding, and fighting for progressive values.”

“Having worked with Juliana Stratton to reform our criminal justice system, I am excited to partner with her and JB Pritzker to win back Springfield this November” said Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. “JB will unite our state and together we’re going to beat Bruce Rauner and elect Democrats up and down the ticket.”

“Bruce Rauner failed our state, and so many of our communities felt pain because of that failure,” said Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar. “Democratic voters have spoken and I’m proud to join people across our state coming together to support our nominee. JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton will lead our state in a new direction, and with all of our help, they will beat Bruce Rauner and his divisive agenda and put Springfield back on the side of our communities.”

“Our most important task in November is to defeat Bruce Rauner,” said Cook County Commissioner Chuy Garcia. “That’s why we need to come together to support JB and Juliana.”

“We can all agree that Bruce Rauner is not the leader Illinois needs to protect our environment,”said Sierra Club Illinois Deputy Director Kady McFadden. “With Donald Trump taking apart the EPA, attacking science, and building walls that divide us, the stakes have never been higher. If we stand together, we can create good jobs in clean energy, clean water, and win the healthy future we all want for Illinois.”

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