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The Biggest Election of 2014: Bruce Rauner may take the governorship of America’s worst run state.
National Review ^ | 07/25/2014 | Stephen Moore

Posted on 07/25/2014 3:33:37 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

If you want to know which individual political race has the biggest stakes in 2014, look no further than the Land of Lincoln.

The Illinois governor’s race pits incumbent Pat Quinn, a Democrat, against upstart non-politician Bruce Rauner. Why are the stakes so huge? Because Illinois is arguably the worst-run state in America. It’s a blue state that has been run for many years by corrupt and bungling politicians including Rod Blagojevich, who went to jail for trying to sell a U.S. Senate seat, and Mr. Quinn, who has run the state’s finances into the gutter.

This year shows no improvement. Even as the national employment picture has improved, Illinois actually managed to lose more than 15,000 jobs throughout the first half of 2014. In June of 1998, Illinois had 5.07 million private sector jobs. In June of 2014, Illinois had just 4.98 million. Somehow, Illinois managed to lose jobs during this 16-year time frame.

If Illinois were to elect a reform-minded governor in a deep blue state that’s hemorrhaging cash, it would be a thunderbolt to the political class around the nation. Illinois could become a laboratory experiment about whether conservative ideas can work in a state that has been ruled by teachers’ unions and a self-serving political machine in Springfield and Chicago.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: 2014; brucerauner; illinois
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To: SeekAndFind

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FIllinois_gubernatorial_election%2C_2010&tbnid=4CKew2k2CIkeXM:&docid=J5GhyK0TUjh4cM&h=149&w=100

Illinois is not a blue state. Look at the map of how Illinois voted in 2010. The whole state can’t out vote Chicago/Cook County.


21 posted on 07/25/2014 5:15:19 PM PDT by vickixxxx
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To: Lurker

Prepare a bug out bag.


22 posted on 07/25/2014 5:23:03 PM PDT by patton (“Really? Have you tried chewing cloves?”)
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To: vickixxxx

RE: Illinois is not a blue state. Look at the map of how Illinois voted in 2010. The whole state can’t out vote Chicago/Cook County.

The same can be said of California.

Unfortunately, 3 big cities dominate — San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento (Sand Diego is moderately conservative ).


23 posted on 07/25/2014 6:02:26 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Bruce Rauner may take the governorship of America’s worst run state.

Thus ensuring it'll stay that way.

24 posted on 07/25/2014 6:12:17 PM PDT by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: SeekAndFind
"According to this list, Illinois is only the third worst run state. California tops it."

So...you think California will have open borders for gringos...?

25 posted on 07/25/2014 6:17:22 PM PDT by unread (Rescind the 17th. Amendment...bring the power BACK to the states...!)
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To: patton

Hell no.


26 posted on 07/25/2014 7:01:45 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: Lurker

Yeah - sometimes, there is no fall-back position.


27 posted on 07/25/2014 7:14:36 PM PDT by patton (“Really? Have you tried chewing cloves?”)
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To: SeekAndFind

Ill Democrats must be scurrying around like roaches when the light goes on.


28 posted on 07/25/2014 7:33:41 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (Do The Math)
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To: vickixxxx

You might be interested in this data I’ve compiled, Illinois POTUS and Gubernatorial elections without Cook County

2012

Romney (R) 50.66%

Obama (D) 47.30 %

Johnson (L) 1.25%

2008

Obama (D) 52.77%

McCain (R) 45.49%

2004

Bush (R) 54.22%

Kerry (D) 45.02%

2000

Bush (R) 51.63%

Gore (D) 45.49%

Nader (G) 2.14%

2010 Governor

Brady (R) 56.34%

Quinn (D) 36.23%

Cohen (Ind) 3.57%

Whitney (G) 2.82%

Green (Libertarian) 1.04%

2006 Governor

Topinka (R) 47.01%

Blagovevich (D) 40.53%

Whitney (G) 11.58%

2002 Governor

Jim Ryan (R) 53.5%

Blagovevich (D) 43.48%

Skinner (L) 2.44%


29 posted on 07/25/2014 9:16:32 PM PDT by Impy (Think for yourself)
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To: SeekAndFind

“Illinois could become a laboratory experiment about whether conservative ideas can work in a state that has been ruled by teachers’ unions and a self-serving political machine in Springfield and Chicago”.

I don’t follow IL or WI politics closely (primarily just what I read here and there on FR). But, it seems to me if one replaced Springfield and Chicago with Madison, Wisconsin was a bit of a “laboratory experiment” that showed that conservative ideas could work thanks to Governor Walker.


30 posted on 07/26/2014 4:03:43 AM PDT by Seattle Conservative (God Bless and protect our troops)
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To: Seattle Conservative
RE: that showed that conservative ideas could work thanks to Governor Walker.

Marquette poll: Scott Walker in dead heat with Mary Burke
31 posted on 07/26/2014 5:34:27 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
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To: facedown; vickixxxx

I live near Chicago, and, because of the 2012 election results, I think that Gov. Quinn will get 53% of the vote. In 2012, in IL, Obama got 58%. Democrats gained at least two seats, each, in the U.S. House, state senate, and state house.

Illinois Republicans should concentrate on gaining seats in the U.S. House, state senate, and state house.


32 posted on 07/26/2014 6:23:07 AM PDT by PhilCollins
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To: PhilCollins; MinuteGal

Illinois Republicans should concentrate on gaining seats in the U.S. House, state senate, and state house.”

This is true, however, I do believe Rauner has a good shot at it as so many people in this State are fed up. The question is how will the collar counties surrounding Chicago vote. And Cook County that contains some more conservative and Reagan Dems in towns within it, how will they vote? This area of the State will decide the election.


33 posted on 07/26/2014 11:56:45 AM PDT by flaglady47 (The useful idiots always go first)
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To: flaglady47; MinuteGal

In 2012, Obama got 74% of the vote in Cook Co. He got 54% in McHenry Co., 53% in Lake Co., and 51% in Will Co.


34 posted on 07/26/2014 12:11:44 PM PDT by PhilCollins
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To: PhilCollins; MinuteGal

“In 2012, Obama got 74% of the vote in Cook Co. He got 54% in McHenry Co., 53% in Lake Co., and 51% in Will Co.”

Yes, but he won’t this time I don’t think. Lots of very fed up people in this state. But time will indeed tell. I hope I’m right and you’re wrong, LOL, or else we’re stuck with Quinn again for 4 more years here in IL.

The one caveat is that the Quinn backers and the Dem machine will be pulling out all the stops this mid-term election, and every dirty trick they can think of. Reason being, they want a Dem Governor in office for the next Presidential election to mobilize the troops and to raise money for 2016, not a Pub that wouldn’t.


35 posted on 07/26/2014 12:21:08 PM PDT by flaglady47 (The useful idiots always go first)
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To: flaglady47

There are no “conservative or Reagan dems” in Cook County, but there are moderate Whites with whom the Republicans can win, I think Rauner will do well with them.

I don’t see how how Quinn wins. Outside of Cook county he lost to Brady by 20 points and narrowly won only 3 other heavily democrat counties (while losing even in heavily democrat Rock Island), the numbers Phil posted are Obama’s numbers not Quinn’s, they are totally irrelevant, totally. He’s going to do WORSE this time, not better, and he had to steal it last time. He sure as hell ain’t getting 53% when he got under 47% 4 years ago, that’s ridiculous.

Unlike with the conservative Brady in 2010, the RINO establishment is firmly behind Rauner.


36 posted on 07/30/2014 9:56:08 PM PDT by Impy (Think for yourself)
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