With Bill Daley out of the race for governor, Republicans can focus their attacks on Gov. Pat Quinn.
State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) is eager for a rematch, having lost to Quinn in 2010 by 31,000 votes. “I look forward to the rematch against Pat Quinn. I don’t think there’s anyone that questions that that rematch, were it held today, given the misgivings of the Quinn administration, we’d end up on top by a great number of votes,” he said.
A rematch presumes that Brady wins the Republican primary again – bearing in mind that he won it by 193 votes in 2010 – and that Quinn is in the clear.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who excused herself from the race for governor over the summer, says she’s not getting back in, and the entry of anybody else is unlikely. She says she will support the Democratic nominee for governor.
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Polls show incumbent Governor Pat Quinn still isn't popular with voters. But he may have a clear path in at least getting Democrats' nomination as he seeks another term. In a surprise announcement Monday night, Bill Daley said he's dropping out of the race.
This isn't the first time Quinn has lucked out.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan - who IS popular in polls - long mulled challenging him. But she decided not to, citing a conflict of interest - he dad's the House Speaker.
Then there was talk of state Sen. Kwame Raoul entering the race. He, too, never made the leap, saying that as chair of a legislative pension committee, that must stay his focus.
Through it all, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley said he was going to run. No "if" about it.
But in an interview last night with WGN-TV, Daley said he's been having second thoughts for awhile.
Daley denies that it's because of a floundering campaign; he gave only personal reasons. Even though he's no longer Quinn's opponent ... he kept up his campaign's lashing's of the governor's leadership:
"I hope that change occurs for the people of Illinois. They deserve better from their elected officials than they've gotten, both Democrat and Republican, over the last number of years. I think it's been a terrible commentary on our system in the state - the quality of the leadership statewide."
Daley's campaign says he'll say more at a press conference in Chicago this morning. His decision to drop out leaves Gov. Pat Quinn facing Democrat Tio Hardiman in the primary, unless another candidate joins the fray.
Hardiman is the former head of a Chicago anti-violence group and isn't well known to voters outside of the city.
The GOP field for governor has seen no such winnowing; four candidates are fighting for the Republican nomination.
