Rauner challenger Ives says she’s ‘a little bit surprised’ about ‘hysteria’ around controversial TV ad
The ad is a parody of a spot by Rauner that features Midwest governors thanking Democratic House Speaker
Speaking at the
"The commercial does not attack people, it tackles issues, I truly believe illustrating the constituencies Rauner has chosen to serve, to the exclusion of others," said Ives, who is a three-term lawmaker from
On Monday, it offered a forum for
Asked during a question-and-answer session after her speech about people who criticized the commercial, Ives said she considered the ad to be "edgy" and noted that her positions on the issues discussed in the ad have been well-advertised in her campaign literature and stump speeches.
"I want to know why people are so offended by it. What's offensive about the ad?" Ives said. "The ad is a policy ad. That's what it is. It's an accurate depiction of the policies Rauner put in place."
Ives continued: "That's exactly -- the fat cat
At that point, an audience member shouted out, "no, it's not," to which Ives replied, "with all due respect, look, I've had him show up at my door."
Later, Ives told reporters the she encountered a transgender lawyer when she was in a court battle involving a death threat she'd received in connection with her position on same sex-marriage legislation that passed the
Attendance at the
Ives also offered an endorsement of President
"I am very appreciative to what he's been doing with the military and restoring confidence in the commander in chief and the generals that he's put on the battlefield and pushing back
Asked if her campaign was in communication with Trump for support, Ives replied, "Not that I know of."
The question-and-answer session was wide-ranging, with one audience member noting that Rauner's wife is a professed Democrat, and asking Ives where her husband's political loyalties lie.
"I don't know if there's a party called full-blooded redneck," Ives quipped of her outdoorsman husband.
Over the weekend, Ives reported raking in
Uihlein, a major conservative donor, most recently helped to bankroll a failed effort to elect
Also over the weekend, Ives was called out by a reporter on Twitter for having retweeted a message of support by a person describing themselves as a neo-Nazi. The person had earlier posted messages that were sympathetic to Nazis, including an image of two women holding swastika signs with a caption that read, "Almost everything you think you know about
Ives' campaign quickly moved to renounce the person, posting a Tweet that said, "We had a staffer re-tweet this message without realizing who this individual was. It has been removed. We repudiate him. Disavow any endorsement and are returning any contribution."
The Tweet issue came after several days of controversy surrounding Ives' campaign.
On Thursday, Ives pulled a conservative internet commentator from her lineup at a
On Friday, Ives' campaign launched the ad she defended Monday. Over the weekend. Illinois
___
(c)2018 the Chicago Tribune
Visit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Centene Corporation Elects Jessica L. Blume To Board Of Directors
Former ExxonMobil refinery targeted for cleanup, new business park
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News