Dan Rutherford Announces Candidacy For Illinois Governor

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The 2014 governor's race is off and running, with the first declared Republican candidate announcing today.

State Treasurer Dan Rutherford reminded supporters at his announcement that when he ran for treasurer...

"We received 66,000 more votes as state treasurer than Pat Quinn got as governor."

Rutherford says he knows he will be outspent. One of the republicans believed to be gearing up for the nomination is venture capitalist Bruce Rauner.

And he says he faces an uphill battle.

"It's hard to win statewide as a republican. But I'm positive we can do it again."

After his announcement with a roomful of supporters at Harry Caray's Restaurant, including his mother and his sister, Rutherford talked with reporters about the legislative session that just adjourned.

"The most important thing that needed to get done, didn't get done. And that was fairly and substantively addressing the public pension issue."

Rutherford says he would've worked more closely with legislative leaders to get a pension deal done.

On the gay marriage bill not being called up for a vote, Rutherford told reporters, "I guess I'm not surprised. I would look to have seen that perhaps it should've been called."

Rutherford has said in the past that he supports civil unions.

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