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Rauner Stuck in Pickle as Opponent Comes Out Strong for Trump

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Rauner Still Has Not Even Said if He Voted for President Trump

Governor Bruce Rauner’s caught in a political pickle. Last night, his primary opponent, State Rep. Jeanne Ives, addressed a crowd of Trump fans and declared her support for the President. Northern Public Radio wrote that Ives said she voted for Trump and “still strongly supports him.” WNIJ quoted Ives further: 

“I believe in the policies that he’s implemented to date. I believe in following our federal laws. I believe in arresting illegal immigration so that we can support workers in our state first.”

The clarity of Ives’ support for Trump stands in contrast to Bruce Rauner’s non-answers on his party’s leader. In May, he infamously dodged basic questions like “did you vote for President Trump.” He refuses to delve into federal policy questions, like health care and immigration, despite the consequences for Illinois. And even to Fox News’ Bret Baier, Rauner would not give a straight answer:

“BAIER:  Is President Trump a good president?

RAUNER:  I could tell you this, my job as Governor is to work with every President and every Congress, and I worked with President Obama, I work with President Trump, I work with the members of Congress.  I represent the people of Illinois and I want to make sure their interests are looked out after at Washington D.C.” 

The Republican Governor of Maryland said he would not welcome Trump’s help on the campaign trail, while Iowa’s Governor left the door open. Does Rauner want President Trump’s help in his reelection? Did he even vote for him?

“If Bruce Rauner had only been honest with the people of Illinois from the start, he would not find himself in this pickle,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “But Rauner’s refusal to answer basic questions about Donald Trump is just another example of his failure to show leadership. Rauner needs to come clean to the voters of Illinois and say where he stands on President Trump, because his silence is only going to cost Illinois families in the end.”