Rauner Primary Challenge Means He Will Have to Answer for His Lack of Honesty

Rauner Challenger Rep. Jeanne Ives Focusing on Rauner’s Lies to Illinois Voters

 Over the weekend, Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton announced she would begin passing petitions to challenge Governor Bruce Rauner in the Republican primary, just days after Rauner officially announced his reelection bid. In her first few interviews, Rep. Ives went right after one of Rauner’s biggest weaknesses – his aversion to telling the truth. Rep. Ives jumped right in:

• “He’s failed the integrity test. No one in the legislature believes a word he says.”(Link)
• “Meanwhile, Gov. Rauner’s going to spend a lot of his money to convince people that he’s somebody who he isn’t.” (Link)
• (On HB40) “That’s not being honest with folks, especially when you told people you were going to veto it.” (Link)
• “Top political leaders have lied to the people about who they are and what they are going to do – and they continue to make promises we cannot keep.” (Link)

One of the main drivers of a primary challenge came when Rauner was caught trying to play both sides of the abortion debate. Republicans are angry that Rauner lied to them this spring when he promised to veto HB40. (Even the Cardinal got involved!) 

Rauner’s pertinence for spreading falsehoods has already been a factor outside of the primary. For weeks Rauner ran a television ad that took credit for the state’s new education bill, despite the fact he vetoed it and ran his own ads against it. And who could forget the fact that Rauner lied about his grandfather’s place of birth. Or whether he interviewed his then-new bodyman who was quickly fired for inappropriate tweets.

Perhaps Rauner’s biggest lie is that he deserves reelection.

“Bruce Rauner will spin as many tales as possible about his record but the truth is that he failed the people of Illinois,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “During the general and primary, Rauner will have to answer for the continued loss of people and jobs, increased debt, and failure over two-years to pass a budget. Rauner promised a turnaround, but Illinois is only getting worse under this failed leadership.”