Republican Brady gets business group endorsement

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce pledged $100,000 and promised Wednesday to help raise more money to help Republican Bill Brady get elected governor.

The state senator from Bloomington got the business group's endorsement over Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, although that's not surprising since the 3,500-member group said it has never endorsed a Democrat for governor.

Chamber president Doug Whitley said the chamber's board had lost confidence in Quinn's administration.

"The Democrats have had their legitimate chance to govern the state of Illinois and they have failed miserably," Whitley said during a Chicago press conference announcing Brady's endorsement. Whitley had considered a Republican primary run for governor but decided against it.

Illinois is struggling with a $13 billion budget deficit and high unemployment. Democrats hold all the statewide offices and enjoy a majority in the Legislature.

Brady is up against Quinn and the Green Party's Rich Whitney for the governor's job.

"The Quinn administration has turned its back on the free enterprise system of the state," Brady said.

Quinn has pushed for an income tax increase to help address the state's budget problems, something Brady opposes.

Quinn campaign spokeswoman Mica Matsoff said Whitley has previously praised Quinn and said he was "on a roll."

She also said Quinn's administration has been focused on the economy and working to bring jobs to the state, including new jobs at Ford Motor Co.'s Chicago assembly plant. The company has said a state program offering tax incentives helped it decide to build the new Explorer SUV here.

"Governor Quinn works daily with businesses large and small, and is already doing more than what Brady has proposed, putting us on the road to recovery," Matsoff said in a statement.