Those aren't our words here at the Truth Team. We've consistently said that we're standing by Dan Rutherford's statement and we believe he's innocent until proven guilty. To reinforce that, here's what we said weeks ago and still believe. We're not trying to pile on here.
To be clear, Dan Rutherford has categorically denied any and all of the things he's been alleged to have done. We can only operate on that assertion from the Treasurer. We have to take and trust his word until this fully plays out. Innocent until proven guilt has never been more true - especially in light of the Governor's primary race playing out over the next four weeks.Back to the two stories. First, it was Chicago Tribune Columnist/Blogger Eric Zorn. In a piece titled: Poll Position, he lays out the case for Bruce Rauner winning the primary.
And yes, bombshells can detonate around campaigns, rendering previous opinion surveys obsolete.
But so far the only bombshell in the 2014 GOP primary has been the federal lawsuit that a former employee filed earlier this week against third-place candidate Rutherford, alleging that Rutherford sexually harassed him and pressured him to do political work on government time.
If Rutherford's popularity falls or if he withdraws from the gubernatorial race, it's by no means clear that all or most of the 13 percent of Republican voters who backed him in our recent poll will transfer their allegiance to Brady or Dillard. Rauner had the highest favorability rating in the field at 48 percent.
History teases us with suggestions that it ain't over 'til it's over.
But this one looks like it's over.The other piece was posted on the Illinois Review this morning. Home to the conservative discussion on the web in Illinois, he byline'd piece entitled: "And Then There Were Three...". If it wasn't the content in the post, it was the venue it was published. If there is a touch-stone for the traditional conservative GOP operatives in Illinois, it is on the Review. This lede can't help the Rutherford campaign pick up support amongst the activist base:
It is time for Dan Rutherford to internalize the fact that he will never be the Republican nominee for governor, let alone governor.
It cannot be easy for him to do so, in fact, it is probably painful. For his many supporters, it must be a flattening disappointment.
Such is politics, and Rutherford’s own choices.Can Dan Rutherford and his campaign recover? We think so. For his sake and the amount of effort he's put into his political career, we hope so. But it will probably take something else outside his campaign to drive Bruce Rauner down so he can move up? Yeah....Probably.
