As they head to the voting booths tomorrow in Illinois, conservatives might want to consider a smattering of things about the incumbent and very non-conservative Republican governor, Bruce Rauner. (Rauner is being challenged by conservative state representative Jeanne Ives, whom National Review has formally endorsed.) Such as . . .
1. The reason that there are overwhelming Democratic numbers in the state legislature may have to do in some part with the fact that Rauner and his wife have raised big bucks for pro-abortion groups such as Personal PAC, which, per this Ives ad, has spent millions to defeat conservative Republicans and elect pro-abortion Democrats.
Last year, in just one donation, the Rauners gave $50,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois for its “Generations Celebrations” gala (“generation” being a strange term to use for an entity engaged in stopping life which has been generated).
2. In August, Rauner signed what infuriated conservatives have labelled a “sanctuary state” law (it protects illegal immigrants from being detained due to their immigration status). Of course, the Ives campaign has a commercial on that.
3. Rauner, as governor, is not in charge. Hey, he said so.
4. Ives wrapped up her final day of campaigning with a Chicago press conference. Her statement (read the entire thing below) begins, “Bruce Rauner is a disgrace. As treacherous and dishonest as he has been as governor. . .”
Wow. Here’s the video of the press conference. What follows is her charged statement, in full (provided by the Ives campaign). All guns were fired. The West Point grad has no intention of taking prisoners. Suggestion: Don a helmet before reading (and maybe play some Steppenwolf).
Transcript of Ives Statement:
Good afternoon.
Bruce Rauner is a disgrace.
As treacherous and dishonest as he has been as governor, he has been worse as a candidate for governor.
He’s entire campaign and the tens of millions of dollars behind it is predicated on a cynical lie to cover his betrayals.
Rauner has such a low opinion of GOP primary voters, he thinks he can scam them with lies about me so brazen even his supporters admit they aren’t true.
His latest about the DGA is the stuff of Area 51 conspiracy theorists.
By Rauner’s tortured logic, he is in cahoots with JB Pritzker who is running ads in the closing days attacking Bruce Rauner.
That’s good for Rauner to be attacked by Pritzker, right? So I should be claiming that Rauner should have to file an in-kind donation for the ads Pritzker is running against him.
Except I won’t do that because I am not a pathological liar.
Except I won’t do that because I have dignity.
Except I won’t do that because it would be so obviously untrue I couldn’t look myself in the mirror.
Bruce Rauner doesn’t suffer from the possession of dignity, self-respect or honor.
The truth is: Rauner has been aided and abetted by the leftist groups he’s financed, like his $50,000 check to Planned Parenthood, or whose policies he’s supported from the outset of this campaign.
It started when Personal PAC posted a video attacking me.
Now it’s the DGA on TV and NARAL in mailboxes attacking me.
That’s why my campaign responded with an ad pointing out the truth that, in fact, it is Rauner and the DGA who share the same policy positions on abortion, sanctuary state, Chicago bailouts and the like.
I’m endorsed by my conservative legislative colleagues here today and others because I’ve been a conservative reformer in Springfield.
I’m endorsed by, among others, the Susan B. Anthony List and National Review, the leading conservative opinion journal in the country for the past 50 years, because I am a tried-and-true conservative.
That’s the truth.
Rauner lies to cover up his betrayals. I tell the truth to drive policy solutions.
That’s the difference between us.
That’s the choice for GOP primary voters tomorrow.
Thank you.