Governor's Race Heats Up
By Staff in News on Sep 25, 2009 4:40PM
With the recent announcement by Republican Andrew McKenna that he's entering the fray for Governor in next year's election, the Illinois gubernatorial election is heating up. With the primary election on February 2nd 2010 quickly approaching, plenty of candidates have stepped up to fight for the right to lead Illinois. Here is a quick run down of some of the major candidates:
Democrats
Pat Quinn: Quinn assumed the post in January when Rod Blagojevich was removed from office. At present, Quinn has the ear of Mayor Daley and the support of many Chicago aldermen, along with endorsements from both the SEIU and the Teamsters. He's been having a tough time with the state budget, but promises to bring jobs to Illinois through tourism and extend unemployment benefits to help shore up the state economy.
Dan Hynes: Hynes has been Illinois Comptroller since 1998 and has already outlined several initiatives on digging Illinois out of its estimated $11 billion deficit. Hynes has the endorsement of former US Senator Adlai Stevenson III as well as several unions including the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters. Hynes recently released a meaty budget plan (PDF) and is a supporter of gay marriage rights, saying “"If two committed adults want to express their love and their commitment to each other through marriage, I believe they should be allowed to under civil law.”
William “Dock” Walls III: Former aid to the late Mayor Harold Washington, Dock Walls' platform includes “Smart Economy Initiatives” such as rewarding retailers who maintain low prices and a four day work week for state employees.
Check out the GOP and Green Party candidates after the jump.
Republicans
Andrew McKenna: Former Illinois Republican Party chair McKenna will formerly launch his campaign in October, promising to be “an announcement of epic proportions.” McKenna said that “it's time to put our house in order,” siting a culture of corruption and mindless irresponsibility towards taxes and spending in Illinois.
Kirk Dillard: Dillard currently represents the 24th district in the Illinois Senate and has been a player in Illinois politics for many years, most notably as the chief of staff for former governor Jim Edgar. Dillard said that Illinois has become a “deadbeat state” and plans to curtail Illinois spending by creating a “destination economy.”
Bill Brady: Brady ran for governor in the last election, finishing third in the Republican primary. He represents the 44th district in the Illinois Senate and already has the endorsement of a dozen other Republican legislators. Brady bills himself as a “common sense conservative,” supports big businesses and sponsored a Illinois constitutional amendment that would allow recall elections.
Dan Proft: Proft is a well known political commentator in Illinois, appearing in a variety of conservative publications and on WLS-AM 890. He's also acted as a consultant for numerous political campaigns and was Cicero's town spokesperson. Proft's campaign is for people who “play by the rules” and claims that “Illinois isn't broken. It's fixed.”
Green Party
Rich Whitney: Whitney ran as the Green Party candidate in 2006 and managed to pull in 10% of votes in the election. Chicagoist interviewed Rich in 2006.
Post by: Aaron Michael