Gov. Bruce Rauner's first post-election TV advertisement, costing an estimated $450,000, hit Chicago airwaves Tuesday morning with a message urging support for the governor's pro-business agenda and attacking his opponents.
Titled "Crossroads," the advertisement takes aim at House Speaker Michael Madigan and "the politicians he controls." Rauner and Madigan have locked heads about how to solve the state's financial crisis since the governor entered office in January.
"Illinois is at a crossroads," the advertisement begins. "Mike Madigan and the politicians he controls refuse to change. They're saying 'no' to spending discipline, 'no' to job-creating economic reforms, 'no' to term limits. All they want is higher taxes. Again."
Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton support creating new revenue to cover the nearly $4 billion debt, while Rauner's plan includes freezing property taxes, limiting collective bargaining rights of unions and revising worker compensation laws.
The governor ends the advertisement with echoes of his campaign commercials from last fall, which promised a can-do attitude and a "shake-up" in Springfield.
"Change in Springfield isn't easy, but you didn't send me here to do what's easy," Rauner says. "With your help, I'm going to keep fighting to grow our economy and fix our broken state government."
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The advertisement was paid for by Turnaround Illinois, Inc., the independent expenditure committee formed in April to "support state legislative candidates who support Gov. Rauner's bold and needed reforms and to oppose those who stand in the way."
It is expected to run in Chicago through June 22.
