LENA — Gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives vowed to reform state government, cut spending and decrease taxes during a meeting with about 50 people Friday at The Rafters.
The three-term Republican state representative from Wheaton and West Point graduate criticized Gov. Bruce Rauner for making Illinois a sanctuary state, bailing out the Chicago Public School system and his policies on abortion. Ives said she helped Rauner get elected because he promised to lead a revolt against the political ruling class, but he has not followed through.
“You don’t lie, steal or cheat, or tolerate those that do,” Ives said. “I’m at the point where I can no longer tolerate what Bruce Rauner did. It’s time to stand up.”
Several of Ives' comments were met with applause from the crowd. Pastor Steve Cassell of Beloved Church in Lena said he’s inspired by Ives’ biblical stance on both taxes and life.
“I can honestly say as an Illinoisan who was born and raised in Illinois, this is the most excited I’ve been about a gubernatorial candidate in my lifetime,” he said. “She stands for the things that are very important to me.”
Ives pointed out that people are moving out of Illinois at high rates. Last year, 86,000 people left Illinois, taking $5 billion in income with them, she said.
She told a story of an Illinois couple moving to her home state of South Dakota because there is no income tax and lower property taxes.
“I don’t tell that story to promote South Dakota,” Ives said. “I tell you that story to tell you we’ve got to get competitive.”
Ives said it will likely take 10 years to pull Illinois out of its rut, but it will take an additional decade if a leadership change is not made soon. Laura Invergo, one of the attendees at the event, said Ives could be the right person to make the changes.
“I just sense in her a very patriotic pride for a good reason,” Invergo said. “She has a determination to do what she says, which is to be a leader and not be bought.”
Harold visits Freeport
Ives was not the only Republican running for state office to visit Stephenson County this week.
Erika Harold, an attorney who used the money she earned for becoming Miss America in 2003 to pay her way through Harvard Law School, was the keynote speaker at the Stephenson County Lincoln Day Dinner on Thursday.
She practices law in Champaign-Urbana and serves on the Illinois Supreme Court’s Committee on Equality as well as the Committee on Professionalism.
Harold said one of her top priorities is combating public corruption.
“It’s important to make sure our laws are enforced in that the people's interests are placed above political interests,” she said.
She said she’d also focus on the opioid epidemic in the state and has been conversing with state’s attorneys to determine best practices for preventing the crisis from worsening. Harold would also look to make legal reforms on criminal justice, as well as reforms that would make Illinois a better place for businesses to expand and grow jobs.
“Job creation is something that’s essential for our state if it’s going to address some of its fiscal problems,” Harold said.
It’s not Harold’s first trip to Freeport. About 20 years ago, she came to the community to talk to local kids about making good choices and setting goals.
“What I was struck by coming back here was how life has come full circle,” she said. “I was talking to the students at the time about some of my own life experiences and what I’ve overcome.
“I’m hoping to come back during this election cycle to speak to some young people to talk about how my life has progressed since the last time I was here and to encourage them to be willing to set goals for themselves.”
Derrick Mason: 815-232-0133; derrick.mason@journalstandard.com; @derrickhmason