Jesse Sullivan | Courtesy photo
Jesse Sullivan | Courtesy photo
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jesse Sullivan is accusing Gov. J.B. Pritzker for failing the state’s economy.
“Illinois should be leading America’s economy, not trailing — and we can again with new leadership,” Sullivan said in a press release.
Sullivan referenced the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) data and echoed that the state's "jobless rate (4.7%) remains more than a percentage point higher than the national average (3.6%), and Illinois lags behind the pace of the rest of the country’s recovery."
“Unfortunately, the legacy of J.B. Pritzker’s economy is that he closed our businesses, told workers to stay home, and raised our taxes," he stated. "The result: Illinois just received an 'F' grade for economic outcomes during COVID. Temporary election-year gimmicks won’t undo the damage he’s caused, and the voters know it."
He urged there's still time to transform Illinois and "it's going to take a real change from a real outsider, not another politician, to grow Illinois’s economy to the front of the pack where we belong.”
“We can do better," Sullivan said. "I’ve invested in job creators around the world, bringing prosperity and purpose in the toughest of circumstances. "It can be done here in Illinois, but only if we make a real change. Businesses and workers in Illinois are dealing with much more than profits and losses. They’re scared and held back because of rising crime, corruption in Springfield, and high taxes. I’m the only candidate who’s signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, I’m the only candidate who has a Safe Streets Plan to crack down on crime, and I’m the only candidate with a Clean Up Illinois agenda to end corruption in Springfield.
Sullivan, 37, is a Menard County native. The internet entrepreneur is running for office for the first time.
Sullivan is part of a crowded GOP field that includes state Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, former state senator Paul Schimpf, McHenry County businessman Gary Rabine, Max Solomon, and Emily Johnson. The primary will be held on Tuesday, June 28.
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