Quinn May Refuse to Support to Hynes in General Election

Hynes says Quinn should consider retiring

Pat Quinn and Dan Hynes, the Democratic candidates for Governor of Illinois, used their final forum Monday to continue a theme from their contentious campaigns.

Each says the other is not fit for service. But that’s putting it nicely.

The candidates have been hammering each other with increasingly biting attacks for weeks – Hynes released an ad saying that former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington once fired Quinn for incompetence and Quinn accused Hynes of employing criminals and being a backstabber

That may be politics as usual, but when moderator Carol Marin asked the candidates to give each other a compliment, the men had difficulty mustering up something good to say.

"I think anybody who gets in the (political) arena deserves credit," Quinn said in a weak endorsement. “I think it’s regrettable in this year that I didn’t have the full support of Dan Hynes from day one. … I’m disappointed in the comptroller."

“Its interesting, I thought the question was to give me a compliment and that’s what we got,” Hynes replied. "... I think the governor has done a good job on veteran's affairs."

The current governor of Illinois then refused to say if he would support Hynes in a general election against a Republican. Hynes said he unequivocally would support Quinn.

But Hynes also told Quinn flat out that he should retire, after the governor brought up a point about his father, Tom Hynes, a former politician, “double dipping” on state pension plans.

"I think Pat Quinn has become disoriented. He thinks he's running against my father. I know you've been in politics 30 years, but my father retired 15 years ago. Maybe you should, too."

Watch the hour-long debate here. Vote in the Democratic primary next Tuesday. 

Full Coverage: Illinois Elections

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