President Obama was in Chicago Thursday to speak about the U.S. economy and to stump for embattled Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, an incumbent candidate who is roughly tied with his Republican challenger, businessman Bruce Rauner.
The president attended a fundraiser for Quinn, which hosted roughly 25 attendees at $50,000 per person. The event, which was closed to the press, was held at the home of Leslie Bluhm, who founded the volunteer group Chicago Cares. She is also the daughter of billionaire investor Neil Bluhm.
Quinn was “thrilled” to host Obama, no doubt hoping that the president’s endorsement will give him a much-needed boost against Rauner. Obama’s plan for the U.S. economy, Quinn said in a statement, is “exactly what we’ve been working to do here in Illinois.”
“With the President’s help — and the support of the people of Illinois — we will continue getting the job done for working families and keep Illinois moving in the right direction,” the statement added.
First Lady Michelle Obama also appeared in a radio ad earlier this week, throwing her support to Quinn. “Barack and I are casting our votes for our friend, Pat Quinn,” she said in the radio spot.
As a few Rauner supporters noted, the president’s choice to stump for Quinn in Chicago, and later tout the health of the U.S. economy, is a bit ironic, considering that Illinois has one of the worst economies of any state in the union.
“Pat Quinn has had a chance in the governor’s office to address some changes here, some really fundamental changes that have to be addressed, and he hasn’t done it,” attorney Manny Sanchez told CBS Chicago. “Hard, fiscal decisions have to be made. I don’t see that being addressed by Pat Quinn.”
The perception that Quinn is incapable of fixing Illinois’ broken economy or its fiscal health has likely kept the deep blue state’s governor’s race this close.
Quinn has improved in the polls recently — the most recent Rasmussen poll gives him a two-point edge over Rauner among likely voters.
President Obama won 61 percent of the popular vote in Illinois during the 2008 election and 57 percent of the popular vote in the 2012 election.
