Race for Illinois Governor Continues to Heat Up

The 2018 race for governor continued to heat up Tuesday, with new ads and a campaign fundraiser among the elements of the campaigns that are raising eyebrows.

While many voters may not make a decision until closer to the March 2018 primary election, the Democratic campaign for governor has been busy for months.

Chicago attorney and chair of the Police Accountability Task Force Lori Lightfoot endorsed Chris Kennedy on Tuesday, just as the Democrat released his first television ad.

"It's just not enough to say to people this is what we are against," Lightfoot said. "We gotta be for something."

"If people want more of the same, if they like what they're getting from government, if they think the current leadership is the leadership they want in the future, well, they have a choice - they should support J.B. Pritzker," Kennedy added.

Meanwhile, Pritzker - who has spent more than $15 million on the race so far, received another endorsement Tuesday, this one from the Northwestern Illinois Building Trades.

However, yet another Democrat, state Sen. Daniel Biss, released a digital ad comparing Pritzker to President Donald Trump because the billionaire heir to the Hyatt fortune has not released his income tax returns.

"I can just say that I'm surprised that when seven months ago he told us he would, I didn't think we'd be having this conversation in November, but here we are and the people of Illinois need to know," Biss said Tuesday.

Kennedy said he will release his taxes on Nov. 27, the day he files his petitions, while a spokesman for Pritzker said he will also release his financial information by Dec. 4.

As for the Republican primary race, state Rep. Jeanne Ives has a fundraiser next week, and one of the hosts is Chicago Bears owner Virginia McCaskey. Meanwhile, incumbent first term GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner is on a downstate campaign swing, with reaching out to veterans at the top of his agenda.

"This is a time we can show how much we love our veterans and our men and women in uniform, our active duty officers," Rauner said Tuesday, adding, "This is a time to say thank you."

The race is expected to be not only the most expensive for Illinois - but perhaps in the history of the United States.

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