Republican businessman Bruce Rauner has unseated Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, ending Democrats' 12-year grip on President Barack Obama's home state.
The matchup between the Winnetka venture capitalist and the Chicago Democrat was among the most competitive and costly nationwide. Rauner's win helps the GOP complete a near-sweep of Midwest governorships.
Quinn had pushed issues affecting everyday people. He also reminded voters how he navigated Illinois out of crisis after the two previous governors went to prison. He tried to paint Rauner as an out-of-touch multimillionaire.
Rauner countered by saying a vote for Quinn would support politics as usual.
He began his run with a statewide push for term limits, then focused on a federal lawsuit scrutinizing hiring under Quinn and the incumbent's support for make a tax increase permanent.
