Boystown Rallies Against Rauner Before Chicago Pride Parade

The gay-friendly nabe is no fan of the GOP gubernatorial candidate

Anti-Bruce Rauner signs are being plastered around Chicago's Boystown as the gay-friendly neighborhood prepares for the 45th Annual Pride Parade on Sunday.

One such banner features a black-and-white image of the Republican Rauner, running for governor of Illinois, alongside the words: "BRUCE RAUNER on Equal Marriage: 'If I were Governor, I would veto it.'" Another sign put up outside the Halsted Street bar Sidetrack features only his name with a red slash through it.

According to Miller, this was not the stealth handiwork of Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn's campaign but a concerted community effort to rally against the super-rich Winnetka businessman. Sidetrack paid for its own banner.

Same-sex marriage advocates including Democratic state Rep. Greg Harris -- one of the few openly gay members of Illinois' General Assembly -- were planning a "significant announcement regarding Bruce Rauner's record of opposition to marriage equality" on Thursday afternoon, touted a press release.

Rauner hasn't explained where he stands on gay marriage but told a tea party group last year that he would have vetoed the same-sex marriage law and opted to put it to a public referendum instead. Rauner won't be marching in Sunday's parade, but on Friday attempted to clarify his stance.

"I did not advocate for or against marriage equality. It is the law now, I am comfortable with the law, and I have no plan, no recommendation, I am not seeking to overturn that law," Rauner said.

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