Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is launching a full-scale Michelle Obama media charm offensive: The Democratic incumbent, rallying big-name supporters ahead of Election Day, has leveraged the First Lady's popularity in her native Chicago for a series of pro-Quinn television and radio ads hitting the airwaves before she emcees a rally in his honor on Tuesday afternoon.
Monday morning, Team Quinn dropped a brand-new spot (view below) wherein Obama urges Chicagoans to hit the polls on Nov. 4. She says: "This is Michelle Obama, and I know Pat Quinn. I've seen that Pat has the courage to do what's right. Now Pat's fighting to raise the minimum wage. He's working to create jobs here at home instead of shipping jobs overseas, and he'll never cut funding for military families or veterans to give a tax break to the wealthy. So for this election, Barack and I are casting our votes for our friend, Pat Quinn."
Obama's speech is reflective of a radio ad released last Wednesday, the same day her husband arrived in the Windy City to headline a Quinn fundraiser.
Quinn, entrenched in a brutal neck-and-neck race against GOP rival Bruce Rauner, is bringing out the big guns as the gubernatorial election draws ever closer.
Obama will stump on Quinn's behalf at about 3 p.m. Tuesday at the University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion. On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton—who grew up in nearby Park Ridge—is expected to publicly endorse the governor at a Chicago event.
Meanwhile, Team Rauner has released a web-only ad that continues its corruption-and-cronyism theme portraying Quinn the heir apparent to imprisoned ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Countering the Obamas' star power, the wealthy Winnetka investor has attracted A-list allies including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and the revered Bears icon known by one name only: Ditka.
