Thursday, March 29, 2018

Chicago, IL – Political commentators are making it clear that Bruce Rauner has a tough shot at re-election after his party is in shambles with last Tuesday’s primary results. NPR Illinois took an in-depth look at what the failed governor faces ahead on the campaign trail:

NPR Illinois: Rauner’s Uphill Climb To A Second Term

Commentary: Insights from the 2018 primary election

“Is this embattled Republican governor toast?” — Natasha Korecki, Politico

“Is Gov. Bruce Rauner a lame duck limping?” — Chuck Sweeny, Rockford Register Star

“Illinois Gov Bruce Rauner is dead meat” — Dennis Byrne, ChicagoNow

November 6 is still quite a ways away, but as the writers and pundits suggest, Gov. Bruce Rauner has a long uphill climb in front of him if he hopes to convince Illinois voters to give him a second term after narrowly escaping Rep. Jeanne Ives’ upset bid in the GOP primary. […]

For those keeping score at home, that’s two big strikes against Rauner:

— A likely national Democratic wave, boosting Pritzker and other candidates of a unified party.

— Ugly divisions within Republican ranks, especially among more conservative voters who took Rauner at this word that he had no social agenda when he first ran in 2014 and also among partisans who think governors shouldn’t lie to legislators or churchmen. Trust is easy to lose, but next to impossible to regain.

An equally difficult challenge for the governor will be to convince voters that four more years will be any more productive for the state and its citizenry than the last three. Rauner’s mantra in 2014 was simple– Pat Quinn is a failed governor. Yet Illinois is worse off in many respects after three-plus years of Rauner. The state’s budget deficit is larger, its bond ratings worse, its social service safety net shredded and universities threatened by a 736-day budget stalemate.

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