SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Pat Quinn came into office under unusual circumstances after Rod Blagojevich was arrested and run out of office. Now, several candidates are vying for the office the old-fashioned way – through an election.
Quinn will face Comptroller Dan Hynes for the Democratic nomination while the Republican field features six candidates ranging from well-known party figures to some who have never held public office.
Republican hopefuls are former state GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan, state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, Hinsdale businessman Adam Andrzejewski and conservative commentator Dan Proft.
How to tackle the state’s massive $13 billion budget shortfall has been a constant thread in both party’s races. Both Democrats have said some form of a tax increase is needed to chip away at the fiscal woes plaguing the state while Republicans have mostly touted the need to rein in costs.
Hynes wants a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to raise taxes on wealthier Illinoisans. He said he wants a 3.5 percent income tax rate on those making more than $200,000 a year and a 7.5 percent rate on those making more than a $1 million.
Quinn, however, has supported raising the 3 percent income tax rate to 4.5 percent with more exemptions for middle-class families.
Meanwhile, all but two Republicans have said raising taxes would cause more damage. Ryan and Dillard are the lone GOP candidates who haven’t closed the door on a tax increase, saying it would be irresponsible to do so.
All the Republican candidates have vowed to slash government spending but haven’t been clear as to what they would cut or what services taxpayers would have to give up.
On the Democratic side, Hynes and Quinn have tried to pin scandals on one another over the last month. Hynes, for instance, has blasted Quinn for his botched early release program that let violent inmates out after spending a short time in prison.
In response, Quinn has waged attacks against Hynes’ handling of the Burr Oak cemetery scandal where bodies were allegedly dug up and plots resold.
As for controversies on the Republican side, Ryan has been criticized for repeatedly prosecuting two men for murder in the early 1990s while he was DuPage County’s state’s attorney even after doubts arose about the evidence.
Ryan has since apologized. McKenna faced criticism for including his name in a poll he commissioned while head of the state party to gauge support for a possible gubernatorial run. Party leaders later ruled it was wrong of him to do so.
Naperville Republican Bob Schillerstrom dropped out of the race, but too late to remove his name from the ballot.
Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.
If the Democratic Party insists on running Milquetoast McGee in every election, then they shouldn’t be surprised when they lose. I, for one, am not going to come out to vote if my choice is between two corporate lackeys. I’m not interested in GOP-lite. If they want to win, the Democrats had better turn LEFT quickly.
To Law Enforcement thank you for making sure this scum bag dose not getaway with anything, second for your courage and sacrifice. The truth is Rod should be charged under the RICO law which would be more appropriate. Unfortunately law enforcement cannot depend on new Governor Quinn for assistance with changing Illinois law; because Quinn is even a bigger dirt bag than Rod. When will the day come when the Illinois Taxpayers can go to the poles to vote in a qualified canidate, as oppose to vote out a dirt bag like Quinn? Who know’s maybe the taxpayer will get lucky, and Quinn will be victimized by one of the same inmates he released to save money, and the taxpayer will be spared another term!
What administration is Quinn speaking about? The corrupted one he ran with Rod, or is he speaking about the term he continues to corrupt? First of all he has done nothing meaningful to address corruption in Illinois like changing Illinois law to make it easier for law enforcement to investigate corrupted political leaders; instead since taking office, he released over 1000 inmates to save money that resulted in an innocent woman being victimized by one of those same inmates. The office of governor from the prospective of the taxpayer is even more inaccessible now than ever? Please do not take my word for it; just call the governors office for something important and see for yourself. In a ploy to appear fair he signed off on 42 petitions for clemency without outlining what the criteria he used to justified his actions? He has a Prisoner Review Board that is useless, and not in touch with the plight of the re-habilitated taxpayer, whose only purpose is not to be impartial and fair, but to serve at the will of the governor and has done absolutely nothing meaningful to address recidivism in Illinois. No I say to governor Quinn, no I say to more of the same, and no your administration dose not meet the need of the Illinois Taxpayer. When will Illinois get a Governor with Law Enforcement experience which is what Illinois needs right now? Quinn like Rod is a coward with a anti-social personality whose only purpose is to serve their own interest and have no respect for the taxpayer. It is time to get this clown out of office; Quinn, Burris, Mel and every other useless political leader whose only purpose is to extort, corrupt, and abuse power in Illinois.
PS: Thank you to both the Chicago Tribune and Law Enforcement. I look forward to the day when the voter goes to the poles to vote in a qualified candidate, as oppose to vote a clown like Quinn out!