•June 7, 2017•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

As a recovering political junkie, I am captivated by the titanic 2018 campaign battle shaping up between GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner and state Democratic Party chair and House speaker Mike Madigan.

Rauner has reportedly committed two to three times more than the $50 million he has already put into to his campaign. Billionaire Ken Griffin just kicked in another $20 million to the Rauner cause as well.

On the other side, Madigan appears to be encouraging J. B. Pritzker in his gubernatorial aspirations, on the premise that he will draw on his $3.4 billion net worth to self-fund a campaign to match or better Rauner’s money. This would free union and trial lawyer money for Madigan to protect large Democratic state legislative majorities.

Campaign finance expert Kent Redfield says a contest between Rauner and Pritzker would easily double the $113 million spent in the 2014 Illinois race for governor, which would make it the most expensive in American history.

Much of the Rauner-GOP money will be spent on the governor’s obsession with using a governmental matter (withholding approval of a state budget) to bring Madigan to his knees, crying “Uncle” to support business-friendly reforms.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.