2008 Woodie Awards
Tensions mount in gubernatorial race
Rosie Czech
Issue date: 11/6/06 Section: News
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Media Credit: Jamison Nash
Tension is building as the 2006 election grows closer. With polls opening in less than a day, gubernatorial candidates are making last minute efforts to push their campaign. Though the election is approaching, students seem to have much skepticism about Judy Baar Topinka and Rod Blagojevich as their future governor.
"Illinois has been under so much corruption...honestly, I don't know who to trust," said Randy Kim, a senior English major.
In response to Blagojevich not following through with his campaign promises during his current term Kim said, "I felt betrayed."
At the same time, his thoughts about Topinka and her plans to build a casino to raise revenue are not much more positive. "There's something just not right about that...I don't trust the Republican leadership at this time."
With the constant commercials bashing both Topinka and Blagojevich, it is almost difficult to determine what they even stand for.
"I think that they both spend too much time telling us why we shouldn't vote for the opposing candidate and not enough time telling us why we should vote for them," said Kate Samuelson, a senior anthropology major. She, too, is a skeptic of the Republican and Democratic candidates.
To help clarify what the candidates are campaigning on, some goals addressed by the Blagojevich campaign are making pre-school available to all children (regardless of family income), giving a $1,000 tax credit to college freshmen and sophomores who maintain a B average, reinstating the assault weapons ban in Illinois and increase minimum wage.
Topinka's campaign addresses higher education with $350 million to go towards tuition relief, increase contribution to teachers' pensions, provide gas tax relief, freeze property tax for two years in Illinois, and establish a state veteran's ombudsman to help aid and organize veteran services.
The Green Party candidate, Rich Whitney, is the third, quieter candidate running for governor this year.
"He's putting fresh ideas forward," said Orlando Martinez, a senior teaching of mathematics major. "I think that's why he has polled almost 14 percent now."
In his campaign Whitney supports issues on abortion and same-sex marriage, believes that we should keep firearms out of the hands of those who have violent history, wants to keep the National Guard out of Iraq and intends to fight for universal health care.
With all the controversy between the Republican and Democratic candidates, it is definitely going to be a close race. And with the Green Party putting up a fight in the election polls, the battle has become quite rocky.
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"Illinois has been under so much corruption...honestly, I don't know who to trust," said Randy Kim, a senior English major.
In response to Blagojevich not following through with his campaign promises during his current term Kim said, "I felt betrayed."
At the same time, his thoughts about Topinka and her plans to build a casino to raise revenue are not much more positive. "There's something just not right about that...I don't trust the Republican leadership at this time."
With the constant commercials bashing both Topinka and Blagojevich, it is almost difficult to determine what they even stand for.
"I think that they both spend too much time telling us why we shouldn't vote for the opposing candidate and not enough time telling us why we should vote for them," said Kate Samuelson, a senior anthropology major. She, too, is a skeptic of the Republican and Democratic candidates.
To help clarify what the candidates are campaigning on, some goals addressed by the Blagojevich campaign are making pre-school available to all children (regardless of family income), giving a $1,000 tax credit to college freshmen and sophomores who maintain a B average, reinstating the assault weapons ban in Illinois and increase minimum wage.
Topinka's campaign addresses higher education with $350 million to go towards tuition relief, increase contribution to teachers' pensions, provide gas tax relief, freeze property tax for two years in Illinois, and establish a state veteran's ombudsman to help aid and organize veteran services.
The Green Party candidate, Rich Whitney, is the third, quieter candidate running for governor this year.
"He's putting fresh ideas forward," said Orlando Martinez, a senior teaching of mathematics major. "I think that's why he has polled almost 14 percent now."
In his campaign Whitney supports issues on abortion and same-sex marriage, believes that we should keep firearms out of the hands of those who have violent history, wants to keep the National Guard out of Iraq and intends to fight for universal health care.
With all the controversy between the Republican and Democratic candidates, it is definitely going to be a close race. And with the Green Party putting up a fight in the election polls, the battle has become quite rocky.
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