Rock Island Today

In the end, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s sizeable war-chest didn’t buy him much comfort room in his narrow win over Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) in the Republican primary.

Rauner squeezed by Ives with 51.6 percent of the vote in the March 20 GOP primary, setting the stage for him to take on Democrat and billionaire J.B. Pritzker in November’s general election.

After initially dismissing her as a “fringe” candidate, Rauner’s tone about Ives had dramatically changed by the time the votes were counted, as he saluted her “on her principled stand.”

Rauner seemed to marvel at the connection Ives was able to make with many voters and indicated that he’ll need to incorporate more of that in his own campaign going forward.

“To those around the state of Illinois who wanted to send me a message, let me be clear,” Rauner said in his victory speech. “I have heard you. I have traveled the state, and I have listened to you. While we disagree on some things, let's commit to working together on what unites us -- the reforms we need to save our state.”

It was a busy and historic night in Illinois politics, with Harvard-educated former Miss America Erika Harold taking an insurmountable lead over challenger Gary Grasso in the Republican race for attorney general.

With nearly 80 percent of the vote, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Harold had a 60 percent to 40 percent advantage over the DuPage County attorney.

Harold will take on Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago), who, with 30 percent of the vote, edged out former Gov. Pat Quinn in a crowded field to claim the Democratic nomination.

Throughout her campaign, Harold made the issue of standing up to longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) and battling corruption across the state a central theme of her platform.

Her downstate law firm is partly focused on civil rights litigation and she made it a point of sharing that she feels her African-American heritage will make her better suited to connect with a more diverse voter pool.

Her campaign received a kick-start from Rauner early on in the form of an endorsement and a six-figure contribution.

Her general election campaign is expected to continue to focus on her core issues, namely combating corruption, criminal-justice reform, government transparency and opioid addiction.

“The voters want someone who will focus on issues in Illinois, a state where we have many challenges,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “That’s where I will keep my focus.”

In other GOP races, Jim Dodge (treasurer), Jason Helland (secretary of state), Darlene Senger (comptroller), William “Bill” Falwell (17th Congressional District), Neil Anderson (36th Senate District), Tony M. McCombie  (71st House District), Glen Evans (72nd House District), Russell G. Christ (county clerk) and F.C. Keko Martin (county sheriff) all ran unopposed in the GOP primary.

In the race for superintendent of the Lee-Ogle-Whiteside Regional Office of Education, Robert Sondergoth earned a third, four-year term by topping fellow Republican Paul McMahon.

Sondergoth brings more than 15 years of direct experience to the job and will not need to face a Democratic challenger in the general election.

In the final days of his campaign, Dodge asked voters to consider the big picture in making their lasting decisions.

“You have to ask yourself, ‘Do you or do you not want Mike Madigan’s power to go uncontested for the next 14 years given the remap that’s coming up,” he told the Prairie State Wire. “Every seat we pick up lessens Madigan’s chances of continuing to ruin the state. No Dem will speak truth to power, but with our taxes already the highest in the country, they all still want to raise taxes.”

Dodge, an Orland Park Republican, said the key to changing things is for Republicans to remain united and keep in mind the big picture about all the different shades of red that comprise the Republican Party.

“I’m reminding everyone how high the stakes are and how, as a party of ideas with the God-given right to argue among each other about philosophical differences, we still have to come together to do what needs to be done in November’s general election," he said. "We have to keep in mind that our goal is to show voters just how much our plan for leading them and this state is the best one for them.”