AFSCME endorses Dillard in GOP gubernatorial primary

AFSCME Council 31 today announced its endorsement of Kirk Dillard in the March 18 Republican gubernatorial primary.

Henry Bayer, executive director for AFSCME Council 31, made the following statement after the endorsement:

“We believe that Kirk Dillard would be the best choice in the Republican primary because he has a long record of public service and a demonstrated understanding of state government. He rejects the demonization of public employees – correctional officers, caretakers for those with disabilities, and thousands of others who provide the vital public services that Illinois citizens demand.

“On the other hand, his primary opponent Bruce Rauner is a billionaire CEO with no experience and little understanding of state government. Rauner calls himself a ‘political outsider’ but has a long record of political cronyism and questionable business deals.

“Rauner asserts that state and other public employees have no legitimate voice in state government while claiming he would run the state ‘like a business’. Illinois citizens would be ill-served by turning over its veterans’ homes and mental health facilities to someone who sought to squeeze profits out of hundreds of nursing homes that were subsequently plagued by millions of dollars in verdicts from wrongful death and patient-neglect lawsuits.

“We believe Kirk Dillard, with his long experience in the Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar administrations, as well as the state senate, is the responsible choice in the Republican race for governor.”

It is critically important that AFSCME members do their part to support Kirk Dillard and defeat Bruce Rauner in the Republican primary. For information on early voting and volunteer opportunities, click here.