An Illinois political action committee has received help from a key ally to fund it’s expected campaign against the candidacy of Republican Bruce Rauner for governor.
The Democratic Governors Association, a group that includes current Illinois governor Pat Quinn, has donated $50,000 to the Jobs and Opportunity for Illinois PAC. The Illinois group, created in November, is a independent expenditure committee backing Quinn. The PAC is expected to launch a series of TV ads attacking Rauner and his positions.
Speculation over whether outside groups and money would arrive in Illinois to help influence the governor’s race has been floating for weeks, particularly in regards to Democratic and liberal groups funding attacks on Rauner, a wealthy business making his first run for political office.
The issue ramped up Monday when Rauner accused his three Republican rivals—Kirk Dillard, Bill Brady and Dan Rutherford—of condoning what Rauner says are “tricks, games and campaign schemes” by Quinn, the Democratic Party and labor union allies to influence the GOP primary.
All three candidates quickly disavowed Rauner’s charges.
Rauner has attracted much attention across Illinois and nationwide for his campaign’s focus on attacking “union bosses” and his support for making Illinois a “right-to-work” state, among other issues.
While Quinn has $4.5 million in his campaign war chest, Democrats, unions and other organizations have grown sufficiently alarmed about Ruaner’s front-runner status to feel Quinn may need outside support.
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The donation to Jobs and Opportunity for Illinois follows another group, the Republican Fund for Progress and Jobs, which is also believed poised to launch anti-Rauner ads in the coming weeks.