Dillard, Rutherford Choose Campaign Dance Partners
By aaroncynic in News on Sep 3, 2013 4:25PM
Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford (left) and state Sen. Kirk Dillard.
Republican gubernatorial hopefuls state Sen. Kirk Dillard and Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford each announced running mates as petitions for next year's primary elections began to circulate. According to the Bloomington Pantagraph, both men made their announcements via social media, with Dillard announcing Rep. Jil Tracy via an Instagram video and Rutherford using Twitter to announce attorney Steve Kim. Dillard and Tracy will begin a five city tour today with stops in Quincy, Marion, Springfield, Peoria and Rockford.
Mystateline reports Dillard said “I am so proud to be standing alongside such an experienced and hard-working legislator. Jil earned her undergraduate and law degrees from Southern Illinois University and knows and loves this state as much as I do.” Tracy has been in the Illinois House since 2006 and serves on the task force investigating state pensions. “This state is of out of balance,” said Tracy. “A decade of one-party rule has left Illinois reeling. We're going to roll our sleeves up and begin the process of rebuilding Illinois.”
Meanwhile, Rutherford spent Monday Tweeting clues about his Kim. “He comes from having been on the statewide stage before,” Rutherford said. Kim challenged Lisa Madigan in 2010. Neither man talked platform specifics, but Kim said as an Asian-American, he would be able to reach out to a diverse electorate. Like most other GOP hopefuls, Kim also said he would improve business in Illinois, telling the Pantagraph “I understand how to create jobs. “I strongly believe the climate in Illinois is not right now best suited for jobs and economic growth. We can change that.”
Dillard and Rutherford are the first of Illinois’ gubernatorial candidates to announce running mates. GOP challenger Bruce Rauner and Democrats Pat Quinn and Bill Daley all told ABC7 they weren’t in a hurry to choose a partner, while Bill Brady said it would be a few more weeks before he makes an announcement.