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Illinois Ed Boards Slam on Rauner for Campaigning During Budget Crisis
Rockford Register Star: ‘It may damage his chances of re-election’
Last week, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner embarked on a two-day statewide tour, which he insisted had nothing to do with a re-election campaign.
But Illinois newspapers aren’t buying it. Several editorial boards usually supportive of Rauner thought he should quit campaigning and get back to work.
Here are some highlights:
Decatur Herald & Review: Rauner should be talking with lawmakers, not campaigning
“He insists no, saying the tour, which was funded by his campaign, ‘has nothing to do with the election’ in November 2018. We’re not that naïve. We think the whole thing highlights what’s fundamentally backwards about how the budget impasse is being handled by our elected officials. Rauner is on a PR blitz instead of what he should be doing full time – working with Democratic lawmakers to find common ground.”
Rockford Register Star: Rauner’s makin’ the rounds instead of governin’
“We really don’t see this as a time for campaigning by the state’s chief executive. In fact, we think that it may damage his chances of re-election even more than if the state still doesn’t have a budget when he launches his campaign next year.
[…]
This dog-and-pony show is not playing in Illinois. Get off the campaign trail, governor. We’ll talk to you about re-election next year. Come see us when you have a record to run on.” –
Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette: ‘Tour bears a remarkable resemblance to hustling for votes’
“As for Gov. Bruce Rauner, he’s been on a two-day, campaign-style swing of eight cities, including Peoria on Tuesday and Champaign on Wednesday. His staff stated Rauner is ‘traveling the state to talk about the need for a balanced budget with reforms.’ But his tour bears a remarkable resemblance to hustling for votes while pressing his budget and legislative agenda.”
Governor Rauner’s thinly veiled campaign tour didn’t fool anyone. While schools continue to close, nurses get laid off, and domestic violence shelters go unfunded, Rauner chooses to promote himself.
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