 The Illinois Education Association, which boasts 133,000 members,
publicly announced their endorsement for the Quinn candidacy on
Wednesday.IEA President Ken Swanson said Quinn's values and
support for education were reasons for the endorsement.
"He knows that education is the key to rebuilding Illinois and
coming out of the economic doldrums. He is willing to say publicly
that education is the key and that we need to invest in new
revenues," Swanson said.
The IEA recommendation, one of the first major endorsements in
the run-up to the November general election, comes as little
surprise. Quinn's running mate, Southern Illinois University law
professor Sheila Simon, is an IEA member.
Quinn thanked the IEA for its support and praised union members
for their work.
"I'm profoundly grateful to the men and women of the Illinois
Education Association. They're on the front line of education and
learning. They know what it takes to make sure we have good schools
in Illinois," he said.
Quinn's opponent in the general election, state Sen. Bill Brady,
R-Bloomington, downplayed the union's endorsement.
"The union leadership supports Gov. Quinn's higher taxes and more
spending," Brady said in a statement. "I'm standing with teachers in
working to direct more money to our classroom and fighting for a
strong jobs climate that generates lasting job opportunities and
revenues."
Quinn has pushed for an income tax increase from 3 percent to 4
percent in order to raise money for education, but lawmakers have
not shown support for the proposal.
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Swanson expects the union to devote "significant" resources to
the Quinn campaign, including a "six-figure" campaign contribution.
The IEA made similar contributions leading up to the Democratic
primary election -- but the contributions went to Quinn's party
rival at the time, state Comptroller Dan Hynes.
The union endorsed Hynes over Quinn
for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. In the two weeks before
the state's primary election in February, the IEA, through its
lobbying arm called IPACE, made three donations totaling $325,000 to
Hynes' campaign, according to state campaign records.
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Jan. 28 -- $125,000
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Jan. 26 -- $100,000
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Jan. 20 -- $100,000
Quinn beat out Hynes for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination
in February's hotly contested election.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By KEVIN LEE]
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