ILGOP Feud Continues – Ives Says Rauner “Never Actually Heard the Message that Was Sent to Him”

While Governor Bruce Rauner claims he’s “unifying” Republicans, state Representative Jeanne Ives blasted the Governor’s lack of rapprochement with the 48% of Republicans that supported her in the primary. Ives went on CLTV and reiterated that they still, a month and a half later, have not spoken:

Reporter: “The Governor says everything is fine between you and him. Let me get your take. Is it all good?” 
Ives: “Listen, I have not spoken with the Governor yet. So, he is doing his thing. And I am continuing to do my thing as a state Representative.”

Rauner’s strategy of ignoring Ives is clearly not working as they continue to fight over the party chairman position and the direction of the Republican Party:

Reporter: “…But isn’t supporting somebody besides Tim Schneider an effort to sort of say we still need to shake things up?”
Ives: “No, it’s actually… Governor Rauner supporting Tim Schneider is basically saying he never actually heard the message that was sent to him on March 20^th… So, he’s alienating the base by propping up Schneider again, and Schneider has failed.”

Ives finished the interview by refusing to commit to helping Rauner.

Reporter: “If the polls look close come November, and Pritzker could pull it out – will that be enough of a scare for you to look at your supporters and say it is ok to vote Rauner?” 
Ives: “I cannot predict what the future is going to look like in a few months. So, we just see what is going on.”

“Bruce Rauner’s sham strategy of claiming that his party was unifying without reaching out to the 48% of Republicans that rejected him is clearly not working,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “It’s been nearly two months since the primary and the only unifying Bruce Rauner has done is getting Independents, Democrats, and Republicans in agreement that he has failed them long enough.”