Dupage Policy Journal

State Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) recently criticized Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for an ad attacking Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin in his run for governor.

Durkin made his comments during a March 31 news conference.

"We’re here to discuss Gov. Pritzker’s blatant attempt to hijack the Republican primary because of Richard Irvin's strong record. He is a combat veteran, a tough-on-crime prosecutor — and I know that because I was one of those back many years ago as well — and mayor of the second-largest city in the state of Illinois," Durkin said. "This morning the Democratic Governors Association, the DGA, released an ad illegitimately attacking Richard Irvin for his prior work as a criminal defense attorney."

ABC 7 Chicago reported that Gov. J.B. Pritzker has contributed more than $3 million to the Democratic Governors Association since 2017, with his most recent contribution being $250,000 at the end of 2021. The attack ad against Irvin is part of a $700,000 ad campaign by the Democratic Governors Association.

"Instead of being a man and putting his name on these false attacks, Gov. Pritzker chooses to hide behind political insider groups by forcing them to meddle in the GOP primary on his behalf," Durkin said. "As we've seen countless times before ... this is classic Gov. Pritzker, he avoids accountability for his actions and he thinks he can use his inheritance to silence his critics and buy his re-election. He's running scared and he knows it and he is behind this [attack] against Mayor Irvin."

"As I just said, he is frightened of Richard Irvin and he should be," Durkin continued. "He has seen the same polling that we have and it is not good for Gov. Pritzker next November to have Richard Irvin as his opponent. Gov. Pritzker is going to lose because his record on crime and public safety is horrendous, and communities across the state are seeing the effects of his dangerous and reckless policies." 

"I warned him before he signed the SAFE-T Act, the defund police bill, that it would be a disastrous mistake," Durkin added. "He did it anyway and is within the last few days is now blaming Republicans. I warned him about his prisoner review board giving more respect to the cop killers than the public. He didn't respond. He doesn't seem to care, and now he blames Republicans for the flaws and the problems in the PRB. We all know Pritzker can't run on his own record, especially for public safety, as I stood here multiple times before and told you how dangerous his agenda is for justice and for law enforcement and victims." 

"We are seeing entire police departments crumble because of the signature on the SAFE-T Act," Durkin said. "Our men and women who put their lives on the line every single day for our safety and for us to deserve a governor who will have their backs. Not a governor who prioritizes the criminal class over the working class. Today I call on Gov. Pritzker to stop this obvious effort to hijack the Republican primary election for governor. The governor is too afraid to even put his name on the ads. He needs to grow up and stop trying to buy his way out of the problems he has created these last four years."

ABC7 political analyst Laura Washington said, "You wouldn't think JB Pritzker wouldn't need help with advertising. He's got all the money in the world, but he has allies in the Democratic Party that want to see him stay in office. And so they're lending him a hand with these ads. And it gives JB Pritzker the ability to say 'I had nothing to do with it' and to be hands off."