2018 Illinois State Fair – Republicans gather for their annual political rally at the State Fair. With the election for Illinois governor in November, Gov Rauner delivers his rallying cry to the Republican loyalists, as he makes his case for reelection to a second term.
In 2014, Gov Rauner became the first Republican elected governor in 12 years. But the failure to pass two state budgets, and his signing into law a bill that provided for taxpayer funding of abortions, as well as a bill that many Republicans say made Illinois a “sanctuary state” has caused a deep divide within the Illinois Republican party. In March, Gov Rauner barely beat back Rep Jeannie Ives, who challenged him for the Republican nomination.
In June, a Republican state senator, Sen Sam McCann, successfully filed enough petition signatures to get on the ballot as a third party candidate, running as a conservative.
These divisions within the party, and the Democratic nominee, JB Pritzker, who is reported to have a networth of $4 billion, means Gov Rauner cannot bury his opponent in advertising, as has been done in past campaigns, when one side held a lopsided edge in campaign funds.
