MEMORANDUM

To: Interested parties

From: Biss for Illinois
Re: The electability of J.B. Pritzker

A poll conducted earlier this year by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute found 58 percent of
Illinois voters disapprove of Bruce Rauners job performance.1 His low approval ratings are in no
small part due to his profile as a billionaire failing to deliver on promises of big change in a
climate where antipathy toward the wealthy has grown significantly.

Not only has Rauner failed to deliver on his Turnaround Agenda, he has maintained an
obstructionist position, deliberately interfering with state budget negotiations which led to an
unprecedented two years without a spending plan. The destruction caused by Rauners failures
as governor will be felt for decades. Instead of turning our state around as he promised on his
first campaign, he has drug our state further into debt, damaged our credit rating and created
irreparable harm to vulnerable communities in Illinois.

Rauners prospect at re-election is in trouble and he knows it. In the week Rauner announced
his reelection campaign, two national analysts confirm Rauner is the most vulnerable
incumbent in the country.2 To put it in poker terms, while hes not quite drawing dead, hes
only got one out. And everyone at the table knows what it is.

By launching his re-election campaign with an ad attacking Mike Madigan3, Rauner has clearly
signaled what his main weapon will be in 2018. Indeed, over the last four years, Rauner has
flooded the homes of Illinois voters with ads attacking Madigan.

Rauners strategy is well-founded. The same poll that found Rauner with a 58 percent
disapproval rating, found that there was one politician in the state who is even more unpopular
Mike Madigan, who came in at a whopping 61 percent disapproval rating. Furthermore,
Rauner has a higher approval rating with Chicago Democrats than Madigan does 31 percent
to 28 percent, respectively. Mike Madigan is the card Rauner needs, and JB Pritzker is playing
right into his hand.4

1
Illinois Voters Disapprove of Governors Leaders Job Performance. Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. March 15, 2017. Accessed October 30,
2017.
http://paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/_common/documents/opinion-polling/simon-institute-poll/2017/march-15-psppi-simon-poll-governor-leade
r-approval.pdf
2
On Week He Announces His Reelection, Two National Analysts Confirm Rauner is the Most Vulnerable Incumbent. Democratic Governors
Association. October 27, 2017.
https://democraticgovernors.org/news/on-week-he-announces-his-reelection-two-national-analysts-confirm-rauner-is-the-most-vulnerable-inc
umbent/
3
Pearson, Rick. "Harley-riding Rauner kicks off re-election bid with new video, Madigan criticism." Chicago Tribune, October 23, 2017. Accessed
October 30, 2017. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-reelection-announcement-20171022-story.html.
4
Illinois Voters Disapprove of Governors Leaders Job Performance. Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. March 15, 2017. Accessed October 30,
2017.
http://paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/_common/documents/opinion-polling/simon-institute-poll/2017/march-15-psppi-simon-poll-governor-leade
r-approval.pdf
One of Daniel Biss first acts as a legislator was to impose term-limits on legislative leaders5 and
he launched his campaign for governor squarely identifying both money and the machine as
the problem in Springfield.6 JB Pritzkers attitude - or lack thereof - toward Madigan, who is the
longest serving state House Speaker in U.S. history,7 has produced the following coverage
ready-made for future Rauner attack ads:

Pritzker won't say if it's time for speaker to go Chicago Tribune, 10/18/178

Billionaire investor and entrepreneur J.B. Pritzker, thought to be Madigan's favored

candidate - Chicago Tribune, 8/3/179

The Democratic speaker has been breaking legs behind the scenes to help Pritzker win
the backing of groups Crains Chicago Business, 6/17/1710

The campaign to become the next Illinois governor is already on its way to being the most
expensive gubernatorial race ever in U.S. history11. JB Pritzkers profile as a billionaire
businessman with no government experience, who is also inextricably tied to Mike Madigan,
comes at a time when the electorate is increasingly souring on the undue influence of money in
campaigns1213 and when establishment Democratic Party politics is perceived more and more as
being out of touch with the needs of working-class people.14

Simply put, Bruce Rauner needs JB Pritzker to win the primary election. Having two billionaires
running for governor cancels out one of Rauners greatest weaknesses and being able to tie
Pritzker to Madigan enhances his best chance to win. As such, JB Pritzker poses a significant
threat in a general election and raises serious doubt about his electability.

5
Ormsby, David. State Rep. Daniel Biss Pushes Term Limits Plan that Would Strip Michael Madigan of His Speakers Post. The Illinois Observer,
February 25, 2011. Accessed October 30, 2017.
http://www.illinoisobserver.net/2011/02/25/state-rep-daniel-biss-pushes-term-limits-plan-that-would-strip-michael-madigan-of-his-speakers-p
ost/
6
Dudek, Mitch. Biss diss--kisses off Madigan (there too long), launches bid for gov bid. Chicago Sun-Times, March 20, 2017. Accessed
October 30, 2017. https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/state-sen-daniel-biss-announces-run-for-governor/
7
Janssen, Kim. Mike Madigan now the longest-serving state House speaker in U.S. History. Chicago Tribune, August 8, 2017. Accessed October
30, 2017. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chicagoinc/ct-madigan-record-0809-chicago-inc-20170808-story.html
8
Garcia, Monique and Rick Pearson. Dem gov. debate: Kennedy, Biss bash Madigan; Pritzker won't say if it's time for speaker to go. Chicago
Tribune, October 18, 2017. Accessed October 30, 2017.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-democratic-governor-debate-pritzker-kennedy-biss-20171017-story.html
9
Pearson, Rick. Pritzker endorsed by Cook County Democrats. Chicago Tribune, August 11, 2017. Accessed October 30, 2017.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-cook-county-illinois-governor-met-0812-20170811-story.html
10
Hinz, Greg. Rauner is beatable--if Democrats dont self-destruct. Crains Chicago Business, June 17, 2017. Accessed October 30, 2017.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170617/ISSUE05/170619900/rauner-is-beatable-if-democrats-dont-self-destruct
11
Korecki, Natasha and Alex Isenstadt. The election thats on pace to shatter U.S. spending records. Politico, July 13, 2017. Accessed October
30, 2017. https://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/13/illinois-governor-race-rauner-240480
12
Leopold, Les. American plutocrats are running for political office across the country. Will democracy survive? AlterNet, October 4, 2017.
Accessed October 30, 2017.
https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/americas-plutocrats-are-running-political-office-across-country-can-our-democracy
13
Miller, Justin. Battle of the Plutocrats: Why are Democrats backing a billionaire venture capitalist in one of 2018s most critical races? New
Republic, October 6, 2017. Accessed October 30, 2017.
https://newrepublic.com/article/145003/battle-plutocrats-democrats-backing-billionaire-venture-capitalist-critical-races
14
Foran, Clare. Why Do So Many Americans Think Democrats Are Out of Touch? The Atlantic, April 29, 2017. Accessed October 30, 2017.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/04/democratic-party-out-of-touch-obama-wall-street-speech/524784/