The Illinois Retired Teachers Association is endorsing Kirk Dillard in the Republican primary for Governor.
The IRTA made the endorsement Wednesday morning in Springfield. This is the first political endorsement the organization has ever made. The association represents about 36-thousand retired teachers in the state.
Dillard's father was an Illinois public school teacher for 40-years. Dillard says the endorsement by the IRTA is huge achievement, especially coming on the heels of the endorsement by the Illinois Education Association. The IEA endorsed Dillard early this month. It represents more than 100,000 elementary and secondary teachers.
Dillard says the endorsement comes at a time when his campaign is gaining momentum. Dillard sited a We Ask America poll conducted this week that shows him gaining ground on GOP front runner Bruce Rauner. The poll of 1,178 likely republican voters shows Rauner with 35.6%, Dillard with 17.3%, Bill Brady with 12.8% and Dan Rutherford with 7.5%. Nearly 27% of those polled were undecided. The poll has a margin of error of 3%.
