 Louisiana Gov. Bobby
Jindal, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell implored the more than 1,000 rally-goers
to talk to their friends, family and neighbors about voting for
Brady on Nov. 2."Taxes, spending -- I mean Obama must have
learned this from Pat Quinn," Barbour said. "He's the only governor
I know running for re-election on a platform of raising the income
tax by a third. Everybody in favor of raising the income tax by a
third, go have your head examined."
It's true Quinn wants to raise the income tax, but Barbour was
wrong when he said Quinn was running for re-election. Quinn, the
former lieutenant governor, has never been elected governor and is
running for his first full term. He inherited the job in January
2009 when lawmakers impeached and removed Democrat Rod Blagojevich
from office.
Brady has flatly rejected raising taxes, while Quinn has proposed
a 1 percentage point increase -- from 3 percent to 4 percent -- for
education as the state struggles with a historic $13 billion
deficit.
The Bloomington state senator hammered home his anti-tax message
to the riled-up crowd inside a suburban Chicago recreational
facility.
"We're going to elect leaders in this election cycle that will
promise not to raise our taxes," Brady said as he stood on stage
with his wife, Nancy, in front of a gigantic American flag suspended
from the ceiling.
Recent polls show Brady with a slight lead over Quinn in what has
been a tight race throughout the campaign.
Quinn said earlier Wednesday that tea party supporters have a
reason to vote for him because he was born on the anniversary of the
Boston Tea Party, has a record of fighting for people and pays
income tax, unlike Brady, who didn't owe taxes in 2008 and 2009
"My opponent is the one who wants to cut the minimum wage, and my
opponent is the one who doesn't pay any federal income tax. If you
want a taxpayer, I guess I'm your guy," Quinn said.
Brady favors freezing Illinois' minimum wage so the federal rate,
which is $1 less, can catch up. Brady, a real estate developer, also
paid no federal income tax in 2008 and 2009.
The conservative Brady has stressed fiscal issues instead of the
social issues that also separate him from Quinn. Brady opposes
abortion, while Quinn supports abortion rights. Quinn also supports
civil unions for gay couples; Brady does not.
But Wednesday's rally, held to support Brady as well as other
Republican candidates, was focused on the Illinois economy and
Washington.
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McDonnell reminded the crowd that Illinois was once the home of
Republican President Abraham Lincoln.
"Which should remind you that good presidents can actually come
from Illinois," he said.
Brady put in a plug for fellow Republican candidates, including
Mark Kirk, the five-term congressman from Chicago's northern suburbs
who's running for Obama's old Senate seat.
"Do you realize that Illinois has the chance to put the
exclamation mark by electing Mark Kirk to retire (Senate Majority
Leader) Harry Reid?" Brady said to wild cheers from the crowd.
Polls show Kirk leading Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, the Illinois
state treasurer. Kirk, who has sometimes angered conservatives
because of his positions, was not at the rally because he was taking
part in a debate.
Larry Cooper of Morris, a Republican who owns an auto repair
shop, said Democrats in Illinois and Washington have had their
chance.
"This is probably the most important election of our lifetime,
actually. ... We've got to stop what's going on," said Cooper, 58.
Cooper said he feels confident that Republicans can take both the
governor's mansion and Obama's former Senate seat. But if they do
get into office after next week's election, the GOP will have to
prove its worth by cutting spending and righting the state's budget,
he said.
"This is just not a free ride or whatever. ... They haven't all
done a good job either," he said.
Janice Pitelka, a businesswoman from New Lenox, said it will be a
repudiation of both Obama and the Democrats in Illinois if
Republicans win.
"I pray to God they do," the 65-year-old Pitelka said.
[Associated Press;
By DEANNA BELLANDI]
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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