Day 15: “No Love Lost” Between Ives and Rauner Could Mean Trouble for Rauner’s Reelection

As days stretch into weeks, it’s becoming obvious that Governor Bruce Rauner and state Representative Jeanne Ives will not bury the hatchet any time soon. What’s less obvious is just how much damage their feud will do to Rauner’s reelection bid.
As an unpopular incumbent running in a blue state with Democrats voting in record numbers, Rauner needs every last one of the 48% of Republican voters who backed Ives. But Rauner’s divisive primary campaign may be turning off those very same voters. Her running mate recently agreed that there was “no love lost” between the two camps, and other prominent Ives supporters did not stop criticizing the Governor after his marginal victory. And still, Rauner has not reached out to Ives’ supporters.

“Bruce Rauner lied to and betrayed his own party and is now ignoring the 48% of Republicans that voted against him entirely,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “It is no surprise that Jeanne Ives and her supporters are saying they have no love lost for the failed governor, and that spells trouble in November for the most vulnerable incumbent in the nation.”