Gov. JB Pritzker rallies with Democrats in Springfield on Governor's Day
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- Governor JB Pritzker rallied Democrats Wednesday at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield as the party looks ahead towards the November election.
Party leaders focusing on the stark difference in values with Republicans, with abortion rights at the forefront.
With just 82 days until the election, this event and the Republican rally on Thursday are the chance for the parties to focus their messaging and fire up the party faithful.
Pritzker preached the party's message this year that Democrats deliver.
"We've delivered so much over the last four years I had to bring a cheat sheet," Pritzker told the crowd.
Pritzker rallied with party leaders on Governor's Day with a focus on getting out the vote and getting Democrats elected up and down the ticket.
"The last thing we're gonna do, that I'm motivated about is, we're gonna beat that Trump-supported MAGA extremist Darren Bailey on November 8th. Let's do this," Lt. Governor Julianna Stratton, said to rousing applause.
The governor spoke about the urgency of this election, attacking Republicans over abortion rights and gun control.
"We, the coalition of the sane, owe something better to our children and our grandchildren. We need to win," Pritzker said.
Democrats used Donald Trump's endorsement of Republican nominee Darren Bailey as a rallying cry to motivate supporters to get out the vote. With Democrats outnumbering Republicans in Illinois, they are optimistic.
"Off-year elections are not kind to the president's party, historically, with a couple of exceptions," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois. "And so we know we're up against that. But there are factors which are really moving in our direction. Republicans are divided."
"There's a party that whines and there's a party that works," Senate President Don Harmon said.
Earlier, at the annual party chair's brunch, Democrats sought to paint the stark contrast between their vision for Illinois' future with that offered by Bailey and Republicans.
"The Republicans aren't going to make it easy," Pritzker said. "The lunatic fringe has taken over their party and they'll say anything, do anything, destroy anything to get elected."
While Democrats put on a unified front, there are still some fences to be mended.
But Congresswoman Robin Kelly, who recently lost her reelection bid as Democratic Party Chair to Governor Pritzker's candidate, was noticeably absent.
The new chairwoman, State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, said she's ready to move forward.
"Mending the fences is, there is really just a real intent to try to get the Democrats through November and I don't see a problem," Hernandez said.
Democrats also played a couple of videos invoking the memory of Bruce Rauner, resurrecting an old nemesis while energizing the party faithful with warnings that things would be even worse under Darren Bailey.
Republicans will have their day at the State Fair on Thursday.
