Friday, Oct. 23, 2009

Quinn kicks off campaign to keep governor's job

Governor visits area to promote more jobs

CAHOKIA -- Gov. Pat Quinn officially launched his 2010 election campaign Thursday with a nine-stop flyover around the state, including a quick visit to St. Louis Downtown Airport, where he promoted an agenda of green jobs, more roads and better schools.

A crowd of nearly 100 Democratic Party faithful, including nearly all the top leaders and state lawmakers from St. Clair and Madison counties, eagerly greeted Quinn, who touted his efforts to clean up the ethical messes left by predecessor Rod Blagojevich, who awaits trial on federal corruption charges.

"Honesty and integrity in our government -- I believe we've been able to restore that," Quinn said. "We still have more work to do."

Other scheduled stops on Quinn's tour of the state included Chicago, Springfield, Herrin, West Frankfort, Mount Vernon, Salem, Mattoon and Tuscola.

Quinn acknowledged the tough economic times that have gripped the state, including a $12 billion deficit. But he and state leaders have taken major steps toward boosting the state's economy, including a $31 billion capital bill to build and rehab roads and bridges and to build new schools, Quinn said.

If elected governor in his own right, Quinn vowed to make the creation of new jobs his top goal.

"If you're able-bodied in the state of Illinois, we want you working," Quinn said. "That's our No. 1 priority."

Quinn, who is running against state Comptroller Dan Hynes in the Democratic primary in February, had served as lieutenant governor until late January. That's when Blagojevich's impeachment and forced removal in the wake of Blagojevich's arrest elevated Quinn to the executive mansion.

Despite more than nine months as governor -- and more than three decades as a consumer advocate and champion of political reform -- Quinn is facing a tough election battle in the months ahead, according to a recent Rasmussen opinion poll.

Only 45 percent of Illinois voters surveyed approved of Quinn's job performance, while 53 percent disapprove, according to the poll.

What's more, more people have unfavorable opinions of Quinn than have unfavorable opinions of Hynes, the poll showed.

But such problematic survey results seemed light years away at St. Louis Downtown Airport, where the enthusiastic crowd cheered loudly throughout his 15-minute stump speech.

The biggest applause line occurred at the end of his speech, when the governor called ordinary people working together "the most powerful force on earth. And that's how we're going to make the will of the people the law of the land."