Black Ministers Endorse Rauner for Governor

Rauner picks up several minority endorsements, answers questions about hiring at private equity firm

A group of Chicago-area black ministers announced Monday they are supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner in the upcoming election.

The ministers, who have traditionally voted for Democrats, say the promises made four years ago by Gov. Pat Quinn have not been addressed.

"Are we better off today than we were five years ago? The answer is no," Dr. Willie Nelson said.

"Bruce, we're going to give you our trust. And I know you're going to prove faithful, just like you always have," Pastor Corey Brooks said.

Rauner says he's earned that trust by using his substantial private money to fund black schools and educational programs.

But at Monday's news conference, Rauner was peppered with questions about minority hiring when he led the private equity firm GTCR. Quinn is running a radio ad that claims Rauner left the firm without hiring a single black professional.

"We have had African Americans at my firm and I hired many of them. I've been gone from the firm for several years, I can't comment today," Rauner said.

But Quinn's campaign said they posted GTCR's diversity numbers in July 2012, months before Rauner left the firm.

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