Quinn's campaign faces problems of his own making

Every politician hits rough patches during a campaign. Gov. Pat Quinn sometimes creates his own, a habit that other Democrats say he must break if he's going to win the fall election.

He's been embarrassed by a botched early release program for prison inmates. He gave raises to many of his aides while Illinois is awash in debt. He fired the government ethics inspector on the same day he learned the watchdog had criticized his chief of staff.

His Republican opponent, state Sen. Bill Brady, uses all those missteps and more to score political points. Brady also takes advantage of policy choices that complicate Quinn's bid for a full term, particularly his call to raise income taxes.

Quinn says he wouldn't do anything differently in the race, but supporters say Quinn must sharpen his game if he hopes to win in November.

"It seems like every time Brady has a major screw-up, we outdo him," Pike County Democratic Party chairman Kent Goewey said.

For example, Brady took heat for comments suggesting that Illinois should lower its minimum wage. But that has been overshadowed by news of Quinn giving raises, some topping 20 percent, to his staff.

"You should know you don't do that at this time of year," Goewey said.

Peoria County Democratic Party chairman Billy Halstead said Quinn isn't in trouble yet but must do a better job of highlighting his differences with Brady, who is more conservative than most successful statewide candidates in Illinois.

"He needs to get aggressive, not so much towards Brady but in comparison," Halstead said.

Quinn, then the lieutenant governor, took office amid a swell of goodwill when he replaced the ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich in January 2009. Now he faces significant voter discontent.

A recent Chicago Tribune/WGN-TV poll found that only 28 percent of likely voters approve of his performance. Voters favored Brady over Quinn 37 percent to 32 percent, with 19 percent undecided.

Brady attributes his lead to a promise to hold taxes down, cut government spending and help struggling families. "We're going to continue to talk about how we're going to create jobs," Brady said.

But Brady owes part of his success to Quinn's problems. Brady's latest TV and radio ads amount to a list of the controversies, followed by the tagline, "Quinn's had his chance, and we've had enough."

Quinn argues Brady is making empty promises -- claiming he can fix the state's problems without actually saying how. Brady, for instance, has acknowledged he won't provide any details on where he would cut the budget until after the election.

Some Democrats applaud Quinn for having the courage to talk about a tax increase because of the mess the state's finances are in.

Powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said it hasn't been easy for Quinn to govern in a down economy and that he should get credit for his effort.

"I think Pat Quinn is Pat Quinn and he's offering himself to the people as Pat Quinn," Madigan said, adding later, "Is he perfect? No. Am I perfect? No."

Quinn said there isn't anything he would do differently since taking office. "You don't get do-overs in life, you just go forward," he said before a recent Chicago fundraiser.

But he acknowledged the path to victory in November won't be without potholes. "This is a challenge of a lifetime," Quinn said Friday.

He maintains the controversies dogging him have little substance.

Quinn denies any link between replacing the inspector general and the inspector's criticism of Quinn's chief of staff, who quickly resigned. The staff raises went to people who got promotions or took on new duties, he says. And he blames his corrections director for the secret prisoner-release program, which included hundreds of inmates with violent records.

Still, even supporters say some these problems might have been handled better. "I think there's some explanation that could have happened that he didn't do," Halstead said.

The very public failure of his signature policy issue -- trying to raise the state income tax to help rescue the state's finances -- hasn't helped build confidence.

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, joined Quinn at a recent fundraiser and made the case that Quinn, after 19 months on the job, is just getting warmed up.

"He's hardly the incumbent. I hope the Illinois voters give him a real shot at moving ahead," Sebelius said.

Quinn has fired his old media firm, which departed with a terse statement questioning his dedication "to disciplined, professional communications." He hired a new company that the campaign says has a reputation for winning tight races.

It has produced two commercials playing on the idea that voters don't know how conservative Brady really is on guns and wages. "Who is this guy?" the ads ask.

Marj Halperin, a Chicago communications consultant who attended a recent fundraiser for Quinn, said Quinn's differences with Brady should be highlighted.

"He is extremely conservative on a whole variety of social issues that matter a lot to women and other people who vote," she said.

Supporters have a few other ideas for Quinn.

They say he can't only rely on his reputation as an honest politician after the scandal surrounding Blagojevich, who has been convicted of lying to the FBI and faces another corruption trial.

"I think that's important, but it's not enough," said Eli Pick of Chicago, a health care provider who owns a skilled nursing facility and dialysis company.

Pick said Quinn has to get his message out about creating jobs and improving the economy. "People need to earn a living and be able to support their families," he said.

Saline County Democratic Party chairman Bob Oglesby said Quinn can't let up.

"I think he's going to have to work up until Nov. 1 at midnight," he said.