CHICAGO (AP) — Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican businessman Bruce Rauner meet Thursday night in Peoria for their first debate in what is shaping up as one of the closest — and most sharp-elbowed — governor’s races in the country. Here are some things to watch for as the Illinois governor hopefuls face off in advance of the Nov. 4 election:
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RAUNER READINESS
Quinn has a long history of campaigning and has been known to approach debates with the ferocity of a fighter entering the ring. Rauner, in his first bid for public office, has held his own in their previous meetings, including a joint televised session with the Chicago Tribune editorial board last month that turned personal — and ugly — fast. But Rauner hasn’t yet faced Quinn in a true debate format, and he’ll need to be well prepared.
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QUINN OVERCONFIDENT?
The Chicago Democrat’s campaign sent an email to supporters Wednesday night calling the first debate “the biggest moment of the election to date” and encouraging them to tune in and tell their friends to do the same. But Rauner is a businessman accustomed to having his way, and the governor will be wise to heed the warning political observers often issue in regard to Quinn: Never underestimate him.
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SUBSTANCE VERSUS SNIPING
The debate is sponsored by the League of Women Voters and several public TV and radio stations, and the journalists asking the questions know public policy and what happens under the Capitol dome. That likely will mean a heavy focus on substantive issues such as the state budget and Illinois’ $100 billion unfunded pension liability, and less on the topics that make good sound bites for the attack ads people are seeing on their TVs.
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ACRONYM SOUP
Expect some alphabet soup as Quinn and Rauner launch attacks at one another. Those will include the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, the $55 million anti-violence program Quinn initiated in 2010 that’s been the subject of federal and state investigations and this week’s legislative hearings. Quinn will rip the business dealings of GTCR, the private equity firm where Rauner — the “R” in “GTCR” — made his millions. And Rauner will remind voters that a recent state audit found improper, politically connected hiring at the Illinois Department of Transportation accelerated under Quinn.
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ON MESSAGE
The night’s exchange will be the first real exposure to the candidates for many voters, so Quinn and Rauner will be trying to hammer on their campaign themes. For Rauner, it will mean accusing Quinn of the same cronyism and corruption of his predecessor, the now-imprisoned Rod Blagojevich, and of breaking promises to voters on taxes and other issues. Quinn will be looking to paint Rauner as out-of-touch with working people and someone who puts making personal profits ahead of doing what’s right. Watch for which candidate stays on message — a key to any successful debate performance — no matter what question or claims come their way.
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NEXT
The candidates will appear in at least two other televised debates, one on October 14 and the other October 20.
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Follow Sara Burnett at http://twitter.com/sara_burnett
