TV ads criticized by many in race for Illinois governor

Somewhere between $15-20 million - that's how much it's estimated that Gov. Pat Quinn and challenger Bruce Rauner have spent since last March on TV ads that are mostly negative.

"When they come on, tell you the truth, what I do is I'll change to another channel," said Joe Christopher of Addison.

From Gene and Jude's Red Hots in River Grove to Chicago's Magnificent Mile, many Illinois voters interviewed by ABC7 did not sound pleased with TV ads so far in the campaign for governor.

"Because they slam each other. They really slam each other," said Fran Divizio of Schaumburg.

"I've seen a lot of negative campaign ads, not about what they're going to do, but what the other person has done wrong," said Chris Rudd of Chicago.

"If you can't say what you're going to do, what's the point of saying what the other one didn't do," said Eileen Schoenfeld of Riverwoods.

There were mixed reviews of the positive ads, like the one by Quinn on his helping create jobs at the ford plant.

"Governor Quinn's Ford commercial... it's beautifully done," said Netty Rigali of Park Ridge.

"I don't like the one with Quinn getting in the car saying come follow me," said Corrine Elia of Lake in the Hills.

Even the governor's positive lawn mower commercial got panned by one voter.

"Quinn mowing the grass, what the hell is that? Like he really mows the grass," Divizio said.

African American voter Patricia Lewis was offended by Rauner's ad featuring the late Mayor Harold Washington's 27-year-old critique of Quinn.

"Because it seemed like he was pulling out all the stops to get the black vote," Lewis said.

Quinn, in backwards cap and apron, spent time behind the counter helping dress hot dogs at Gene and Jude's as Rauner took the day off to observe the holiday with his wife, who is Jewish.

But the opponents were ever-present on broadcast television, radio and the Internet, most of the time telling anybody watching or listening why the other guy is unfit to be governor.

"They don't say what they're gonna do, they just say what the other guy is guilty of," said Mary Conrad of Glenview.

With just under six more weeks until Election Day, the Illinois governor's race is almost certain to set a spending record for TV advertising in a single campaign.