Dupage Policy Journal

Republican Congressional candidate Jeanne Ives is convinced it’s game over for Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“I think that Gov. Pritzker has blown it when it comes to standing up for student athletes,” Ives told the DuPage Policy Journal. “You can see all around that every other state has sports in a very normal fashion, but here in Illinois we’re denying our student athletes of having any chance. Our kids are losing any chance they might have of earning scholarships and opportunities for themselves.”

Pritzker recently doubled down on his decision to prevent most student-athletes from taking the field over COVID-19 concerns, sparking protests from parents, students and coaches alike all across the state.

The Illinois High School Association fired off a letter to Pritzker requesting that they be allowed “to resume control over determining the resumption of sports and activities.” Currently, the two sides are allowing teams across the state to practice this month under specific COVID-19 guidelines

Now running against Democrat U.S. Rep. Sean Casten in the 6th Congressional District, Ives thinks there’s a method to what she sees as the governor’s madness.

“It’s all politically motivated,” she said. “I think he wants to create a sense of unsettledness where he wants people to be on edge. If he thinks this benefits him, he’s completely wrong because I think people know better.”

In the end, Ives said she thinks it’s all part of a bigger plan on the part of Pritzker and the Democrats to create an environment that makes their push for a federal bailout all the more possible.

“They want the state to look as unstable as they can so Republicans start to look uncaring if they don’t go along and provide the bailout,” she said.