Tag Archive | "Dave Winters"

Lawmakers Taking a Wait-and-See Approach

February 04, 2010

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With the Democratic and GOP governor’s races still too close to call, lawmakers from both parties are waiting to see who will top their ticket come November.

Lawmakers are still reeling from a historic primary on Tuesday night.

“It was a late night last night,” said state Rep. Dave Winters, R-Rockford.

Voting for the state primary election ended Tuesday at 7 p.m.

But as of Wednesday, no winner had been declared in either the Democratic or GOP gubernatorial races because the margins were so small.

In the Democratic primary, Gov. Pat Quinn holds less than a one-percentage point lead over state Comptroller Dan Hynes, with almost 100 percent of precincts reporting.

State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, also holds a lead of less than one-percentage point over state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale, in the GOP primary.

With both races so close, voters could see at least one recall effort.

State Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, said it could be months before presumptive nominees are chosen.

“It’s going to take some time to heal wounds and account for the parties. But the stakes are too high in the state of Illinois,” he said.

State Rep. Bob Flider, D-Decatur, said he does not expect a resolution to the primaries anytime soon.

“I think there’s going to be a long time to sort out what happens. You still have the Quinn-Hynes race that still has to be dealt with and then we don’t know, of course, how the Republican primary is ultimately going to shake out,” he said.

Winters said the state could benefit from Quinn winning the Democratic nomination.

If Hynes wins the Democratic nomination, lawmakers might be less willing to work with Quinn, he said.

“If you had a lame-duck governor, you would have a complete wild card on hand. We can’t afford that at a time when the ship might sink,” he said.