A campaign ad for Gov. Bruce Rauner featuring embattled Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens will no longer be airing in Illinois, a spokesperson for Rauner said Thursday.
"It was pulled to run the Blago ad and won't be running anymore," said spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski.
News of the ad being pulled follows a bombshell news report as Greitens on Wednesday night acknowledged that he's been "unfaithful" in his marriage. Greitens denied allegations that he blackmailed the woman he had an extramarital affair with to stay quiet.
The Republican governor and his wife released a statement after the St. Louis television station KMOV reported that he had a sexual relationship with his former hairdresser in 2015. The station's report, released late Wednesday after Greitens gave his State of the State address, said the woman's ex-husband alleged Greitens photographed her nude and threatened to publicize the images if she spoke about the affair.
"A few years ago, before Eric was elected Governor, there was a time when he was unfaithful in our marriage," said the statement from Greitens and his wife, Sheena. "This was a deeply personal mistake. Eric took responsibility, and we dealt with this together honestly and privately."
The statement from Greitens and his wife doesn't address the affair specifically or the allegations, but in a separate statement Greitens' attorney, Jim Bennett, said, "There was no blackmail and that claim is false."
The new television ad Rauner's campaign is airing in place of the ad featuring Greitens brings former Gov. Rod Blagojevich into the campaign. Rauner is critical not of his own primary opponent, but instead attacks democratic candidate JB Pritzker. Pritzker was ready and responded with two ads of his own.
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Associated Press writer Jim Salter contributed to this report.
