Rauner announces endorsement from Illinois Chamber of Commerce

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (WLS) -- There was another business endorsement Friday in race for Illinois governor.

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce is backing Republican candidate Bruce Rauner, while incumbent Democrat Pat Quinn stressed Friday that he has created a lot of jobs in the state.

The National Federation of Independent Business and the Illinois Manufacturers Association have already endorsed Rauner, so the announcement was no surprise.

At the P.M. Mold Company, a family-owned plastics fabricator in Schaumburg, Rauner announced he'd been endorsed by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

"We want to go to work for the chamber members and every business builder, every job creator in the state of Illinois," said Rauner.

On another front, the Rauner campaign released an internet ad using the patronage hiring scandal at IDOT in an attempt to link Gov. Quinn to his imprisoned predecessor, Rod Blagojevich.

"Corruption puts a massive tax on the economy and the working families of Illinois," said Rauner.

"He's run kind of a negative campaign. I think it's better to be optimistic and positive," said Quinn.

The governor-- who says he inherited and corrected the IDOT hiring scandal-- released a broadcast ad highlighting his administration's success creating 2,500 new jobs at the South Side Ford plant.

"I worked with President Obama to save not only Ford, but Chrysler, Mitsubishi," said Quinn.

Back in Schaumburg, Rauner's newest endorser, the Illinois Chamber, opposes any increase in the minimum wage. Still, the business likes Rauner, who says he'd increase the rate only after pro-business are passed.

"There is a wide gap between Bruce's position on minimum wage and Governor Quinn's," said Todd Maisch, Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

Finally, the Republican candidate threw another jab at Thursday's news that the state's unemployment rate had fallen for the sixth consecutive month.

"More people stopped looking for work last month than actually got jobs," said Rauner.

The Quinn administration countered by saying 3.5 times as many people found work as quit the labor force. It also pointed out the quitters include retirees, many of whom belong to the very large baby boom generation.