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Party Leaders Pick Gov Candidates

Even as Cook County Democrats were making their choice for next year's race for Governor, some of the Illinois Republican party's deepest-pocketed donors are abandoning candidates they previously supported and directing their money to the only newcomer in the 2014 governor's race.

Some Republicans are backing Bruce Rauner, a billionaire venture capitalist who collected more than double what his closest rival raised in the second quarter.

Money doesn't guarantee victory, particularly in primaries. But if the pattern holds it could make it difficult for state Sens. Bill Brady and Kirk Dillard and state Treasurer Dan Rutherford.

Ron Gidwitz is one of the wealthy business people backing Rauner. In 2010, he contributed more than $300,000 to Dillard.

But he says several of the GOP's biggest donors are frustrated with previous losses and want a new strategy in 2014: Someone pro-business who's not part of the Springfield establishment.
 

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