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 governors 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. Its 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 states 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 thats 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 ...
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.
Prepare a bug out bag.
RE: Illinois is not a blue state. Look at the map of how Illinois voted in 2010. The whole state cant 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 ).
Thus ensuring it'll stay that way.
So...you think California will have open borders for gringos...?
Hell no.
Yeah - sometimes, there is no fall-back position.
Ill Democrats must be scurrying around like roaches when the light goes on.
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%
“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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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