President Obama Making Chicago Visit To Support Quinn
CHICAGO (CBS/AP) — President Obama will be back in Chicago Sunday for the second time this month in an attempt to give a boost to Governor Pat Quinn's re-election campaign.
WBBM's Nancy Harty reports the event Sunday evening at Chicago State University is billed as an early voting rally, which begins on Monday.
The president was last here two and a half weeks ago when he attended a fundraiser for Gov. Quinn which netted the Democratic governor $1 million. This second trip demonstrates just how close the race is between Quinn and Republican Bruce Rauner.
First lady Michelle Obama also headlined a rally for him, and she also recorded a campaign ad saying she and the president planned to vote for their fellow Chicago Democrat.
Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to campaign with Quinn Tuesday in Chicago, where Clinton will speak at a manufacturing plant about what the Quinn campaign describes as Illinois' economic "comeback." They note unemployment is at a six-year low; Rauner counters Illinois still has one of the highest jobless rates in the Midwest.
Hours before the rally, Rauner noted in an email to supporters that he has picked up a steady stream of endorsements, including on Sunday from the Belleville News-Democrat, Champaign's News Gazette and Peoria's Journal Star. He was endorsed by the Chicago Sun-Times on Saturday, and also has been endorsed by the Chicago Tribune.
The president, Rauner said, was in Chicago to "try to stop our momentum." ''He sees what's happening — they all do," the email said. "Pat Quinn is heading toward defeat and the national Democrat Party is panicking."
Quinn told reporters last week he's pleased to have the president's support, saying she shares Obama position multiple issues, including raising the minimum wage and expanding Medicaid — a key piece of the president's signature health program, the Affordable Care Act.
Rauner has said previously he wanted to cut or eliminate the minimum wage, but now says he'd approve an increase from $8.25 to $10 per hour if it comes with pro-business reforms. He's said he wouldn't have agreed to expand Medicaid because he believes there's too much waste and abuse. He also said that he worried about how Illinois will cover added costs once federal subsidies end.
Democrats approved legislation this spring to expand early and grace-period voting for this election only, saying they wanted to make it more convenient for people to cast ballots following a primary election that saw record low turnout. But some Republicans accused them of maneuvering to get more young people, minorities and others who typically support Democrats to vote in a midterm election.
Campaigns see early voting as a way to get their base supporters to cast ballots in the buildup to Election Day, allowing them to focus on undecided or less-motivated voters who may need more convincing. They also can monitor early voting patterns to determine where in the state they need to step up efforts.
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