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Breaking bread — not bats — with a former White Sox outfielder. P14
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THE RACE IS ON
From left: Chris Kennedy (Photography by Frank Ishman), J.B. Prizker, Gov. Bruce Rauner.
3 main gubernatorial candidates all closely tied to the North Shore
based in the Merchandise Mart. Kennedy, son of Robert and he three highest-profile Ethel Kennedy, co-founded Top candidates for governor of Box Foods, a non-profit that Illinois have a few things in provides households in needs common. Each has close ties to with access to healthy and afthe North Shore. Incumbent fordable foods. Bruce Rauner grew up in DeerThe personal wealth of all three field and Lake Forest and lives in has become a campaign issue. The Winnetka, while his Demo- Illinois Campaign for Political cratic challengers, J.B. Pritzker Reform (ICPR), a non-profit and and Chris Kennedy, born else- non-partisan group, is forecasting where to prominent families, later that this campaign could be the put down roots in Evanston and most expensive in American Kenilworth, respectively. history. The election will be held All three enjoy prominent on Nov. 6, 2018, but as of May name recognition, and each came 22, Rauner had raised nearly $71 to politics from the business million, which includes $50 world. Rauner was a private million of his own money, Pritzequity manager and venture ker had raised $7.2 million and capitalist. Entrepreneur and in- Kennedy $1.2 million, the ICPR vestor J.B. Pritzker, an heir to the reports. This does not include Hyatt hotel fortune and the campaign funds raised by the brother to former U.S. Com- other candidates, Daniel Biss, merce Secretary Penny Pritzker, Ameya Pawar, Robert Daiber and is a backer of 1871, a tech hub Alexander Paterakis. Combined, BY DONALD LIEBENSON
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this is already enough money to “exceed the cost of an average gubernatorial election,” according to the ICPR. Prior to running for governor, Rauner had never sought public office. Pritzker waged an unsuccessful bid in the 1998 Democratic primary for a congressional seat that was won by Jan Schakowsky. Kennedy had previously considered a state senate run in 2009, but opted out. In advance of the March 2017 primary, Pritzker has received the endorsement of the Illinois AFLCIO. Kennedy has received the backing of the Southern Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association. On the home fronts, Rauner and Diana, his wife of 20 years, have raised six children, three of whom are from his first marriage. Pritzker met his wife, M.K. (Mary Kathryn), on a blind date.
They were married in 1993 and have two children. Kennedy and his wife, Sheila, who grew up in Winnetka, will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in August. They have four children. What issues are the candidates focused on and what are their visions for Illinois? While the campaigns are in the early stages, the candidates, through their websites and in recent appearances, are focusing on issues they consider to be the most challenging for Illinois. Kennedy, in a May 30 speech delivered at the Harold Washington Cultural Center, focused on the state’s property tax system, which he called “inherently corruptible” and which, he stated, has a far-reaching impact on education funding. “The American Dream is crippled by the property tax system,” he stated, “because too
few of our high school graduates are educated well enough to obtain jobs that command a salary that allow them to earn a living wage.” He added that the system hampered the ability to reduce gun violence because overtaxed communities were prevented from “raising the needed resources and revenue for officers and training.” Early childhood education is a key issue for Pritzker, for which he is a national advocate. In his campaign announcement last April, Pritzker termed himself “a genuine progressive governor for everyone” and touted his successful initiative to provide school breakfast and quality early learning to at-risk children, and his role in establishing the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center that give teachers the Continued on PG 6
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