A new ad from Illinois's Republican Governor Bruce Rauner depicts his challenger J.B. Pritzker getting married to House Speaker Mike Madigan.
“Repeat after me, I Mike Madigan, take you JB Pritzker as my unlawful partner in destruction,” starts the ad which predicts corruption and higher taxes for the state should Pritzker win.
“By the power vested in me I now pronounce Illinois f**ked,” says the ad's minister.
The Chicago Tribune reports: ‘Gay rights advocates quickly denounced Rauner for mocking same-sex marriages and contended the Republican was trying to reach out to a socially conservative base in the GOP that has been offended by the governor's signature on legislation that included expanding transgender, abortion and immigrant rights. In June, Rauner officiated a same-sex wedding at a private club in Chicago. “As someone who has officiated same-sex weddings, Gov. Rauner could serve as a model of inclusivity and use his campaign to vigorously promote full acceptance of LGBTQ Illinoisans. Instead, he chooses to raise the specter of gay marriage to turnout the most extreme elements of his base. We recognize a dog whistle when we hear one,” Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, said in a statement.'
The paper also noted that Rauner declined to himself use the profanity uttered by the minister in the ad when asked if he would: “I can say very clearly that Pritzker in office, with Madigan, the people of Illinois are abused, or screwed, to use that word. I'll use that word.”
CBS Chicago's report:
