Jeanne Ives, on the home stretch of a hard-fought Republican primary, describes her gubernatorial campaign in Illinois as proof that conservatives can hold “lame, fake Republicans” like Gov. Bruce Rauner (R-IL) accountable.
She joined SiriuxXM’s Breitbart News Tonight on Monday for an interview with co-hosts Rebecca Mansour and Joel Pollak.
Illinois Republicans will determine their gubernatorial nominee via primary on Tuesday. Ives, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, expressed confidence in her campaign.
“Everybody is so optimistic on our team,” said Ives. “We know that the truth has won out and tomorrow’s going to be victory We also know that we’ve done everything possible with very limited resources and this insurgency campaign is going to prove to other folks around the United States that you can hold your lame, fake Republican politicians accountable once and for all. So we’re thrilled.”
Ives accused Rauner of donating to Personal PAC, a political action committee describing itself as “pro-choice. “This is a guy who has donated to Personal PAC, and Personal PAC is sending flyers to Republicans who are supporting me. … His liberal PACs that he and his wife support are sending mailers to folks that are on my side.”
Ives framed Rauner’s hostility towards President Donald Trump as harmful to Illinois’ pursuit of federal funding. “[Bruce Rauner is a] fake Republican who won’t even say Donald Trump’s name and recognize the president, and we could use every resource possible from the federal government in Illinois.”
Ives described her motivations for entering politics as rooted in a sincere desire to improve people’s lives, as opposed to self-aggrandizement.
“I went to West Point,” began Ives. “We don’t tolerate cheaters and liars. I’ve had enough of Governor Rauner. I didn’t get involved in the Republican Party just to be part of some sort of social club. I actually got involved to affect policy, because I know conservative policies actually are the best thing for Americans. You can’t be generous an courageous and compassionate if you’re a bankrupt state like are. So if you really want to affect people’s lives, you have to change policy. I didn’t get involved just to have a nice sinecure sitting as a state rep and be a backbencher.”
“[Bruce Rauner] owns the Republican establishment in the state of Illinois,” said Ives, pointing to how Rauner’s fundraising eclipsed her own. According to the Chicago Tribune, 95 percent of the Illinois Republican Party’s fundraising in 2016 was composed of Rauner’s contributions.
Via the Chicago Tribune:
[Bruce Rauner’s] personal campaign committee has contributed more than $16 million to the Illinois Republican Party alone this year, accounting for 95 percent of all the money the party has raised. The party has, in turn, used that Rauner money to fund television and radio ads, direct mail, polling, staff, etc. for state House and Senate campaigns.
Ives cast her base of support as opposed to “cultural Marxists” and “liberal media” in Illinois. “They’re silent majority feels beaten down in the state of Illinois,” she said.
“Rauner is not going to be elected” in November’s gubernatorial election if he secures the Republican nomination on Tuesday, warned Ives.
“[Bruce Rauner’s] failed to govern,” stated Ives. “His agencies have overspent every year. He’s not taken on public corruption which is an everyday event in the state of Illinois. He’s failed to do what he should have done.”
Democrat governance is destroying Illinois, said Ives.
“Any three of the front-runners on the Democrat side for the primary [on Tuesday], they’re all complicit [and] part of the whole machine that has destroyed Illinois made us the worst run state in the union, [with the] highest out-migration, tens of thousands of high schoolers leaving for better options in other states, [and] the highest state and local tax burden is in the state of Illinois. We’re a punchline, and it’s embarrassing for the fifth largest economy, the land of Lincoln, where Reagan’s boyhood home is. This is embarrassing for conservatives around the nation to have this as our heritage, right now.”
Ives implored for conservatives to not give up on Illinois. “We can change this narrative. You can’t be fatalistic about Illinois. We’ve got great assets and great people, and so we’re going to win in November because people, I think, are ready for change.”
“We don’t give up on any state,” concurred Mansour.
Breitbart News Tonight airs Monday through Friday on SiriusXM’s Patriot channel 125 from 9:00 p.m. to midnight Eastern (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Pacific).
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