It’s not breaking news that Jeanne Ives is running for governor to challenge Bruce Rauner for the Republican nomination, but this week Rep Ives officially announced her candidacy to defeat Bruce Rauner as he seeks the GOP nomination.
Gov Rauner famously ran and was elected on the promise to turn Illinois around from its economic malaise.
But in her speech announcing her candidacy, Rep Ives said, “Gov Rauner didn’t turn us around, he sold us out.”
The breaking point for Rep Ives and many other Republicans, was Gov Rauner signing into law, HB-40, which allows for the use of Illinois tax dollars to pay for abortions.
In front of a gathering of her supporters, Ives said, “If the Republican Party was to renominate Bruce Rauner, we would be handing the race to the Chicago Democrats.”
Ives was introduced by her Lt Gov running mate, former state representative, Richard Morthland, who is both a farmer and an educator, who is a member of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
Ives is seen as a long shot for the nomination, due in part to the Governor’s overwhelming name recognition, and his overwhelming advantage in campaign funds.
But Ives supporters say that Gov Rauner has burned too many bridges with members of the Illinois Republican Party. Many former supporters have now turned their back on Gov Rauner’s campaign for reelection.
They, like Ives feel betrayed by the Governor’s signing of the bill that allows for taxpayer funding of abortions. Conservative radio host, Dan Proft, who himself ran for governor in 2010, has broken with the governor, as have John Tillman, who leads the conservative nonprofit, Illinois Policy Institute. In the wake of the signing of HB-40, Tillman called the governor, “Benedict Rauner.”
So the political argument by those supporting Jeanne Ives, is that Gov Rauner’s millions of campaign funds will do little to help him, as Republicans now know who this man is, and they don’t like him.
The governor’s supporters say he is the only Republican capable of winning statewide, particularly against a candidate like JB Prtizker, who is reportedly worth over $4 Billion.
Rep Ives, is from the Wheaton area, where she served previously on the town council. During the recent legislature, she served on these committees; Appropriations – Elementary & Secondary Education; Cities & Villages; Community College Access & Affordability; Labor & Commerce; Personnel & Pensions; Intermodal Infrastructure; Youth & Young Adults; Juvenile Justice & System-Involved; Substance Abuse Special; Unemployment Insurance Subcommittee; Workforce Reconciliation Subcommittee; and Business Growth & Incentives.
She and her husband are both 1987 graduates of West Point, and the parents of five children.
