# 2014 Illinois gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 2014 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Illinois, concurrently with the election to Illinois's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Prior to this cycle, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor were nominated separately, and the primary winners ran on the same ticket in the general election. In 2011, the law was changed to allow candidates for governor to pick their own running mates. Incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon did not run for reelection, instead running unsuccessfully for comptroller. She was replaced as Quinn's running mate by Paul Vallas, a former CEO of Chicago Public Schools. Rauner chose Wheaton City councilwoman Evelyn Sanguinetti as his running mate and Grimm chose Alex Cummings.
Incumbent Democratic governor Pat Quinn ran for re-election to a second full term in office. Quinn, then the lieutenant governor, assumed the office of governor on January 29, 2009, upon the impeachment and removal of Rod Blagojevich. He narrowly won a full term in 2010. Primary elections were held on March 18, 2014. Quinn won the Democratic primary, while the Republicans chose businessman Bruce Rauner and the Libertarians nominated political activist Chad Grimm.
Rauner defeated Quinn in the general election with 50.3% of the vote to Quinn's 46.4%, winning every county in the state except for Cook County, home to the city of Chicago and 40% of the state's residents. Quinn was the only incumbent Democratic governor to lose a general election in 2014 and remained the last one to do so until Nevada's Steve Sisolak in 2022. This was the first time since 1998 that a Republican was elected Governor of Illinois.
As of 2025, this alongside the concurrent comptroller election is the only time since 2010 that Republicans won a statewide election in Illinois. This is also the most recent Illinois gubernatorial election in which the winner won a majority of counties.

## Background

The primaries and general elections coincided with those for federal (House and Senate) and those for other state offices. The election was part of the 2014 Illinois elections.
For the primary election, turnout was 16.88%, with 1,267,028 votes cast. For the general election, turnout was 48.48%, with 3,627,690 votes cast.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Tio Hardiman, former director of CeaseFire
** Running mate: Brunell Donald, attorney, author and motivational speaker.
* Pat Quinn, incumbent governor of Illinois
** Running mate: Paul Vallas, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools and candidate for governor in 2002

#### Withdrew

* William M. Daley, former White House Chief of Staff and former United States Secretary of Commerce

#### Declined

* John Atkinson, businessman
* Tom Dart, Cook County Sheriff
* Alexi Giannoulias, former Illinois Treasurer and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010
* David H. Hoffman, member of the Illinois Reform Commission, former Chicago Inspector General and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010
* Daniel Hynes, former Illinois Comptroller, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004 and candidate for governor in 2010
* Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General (running for re-election)
* Toni Preckwinkle, President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
* Kwame Raoul, state senator

### Endorsements

* Michael Bloomberg, former Mayor of New York City
* Cook County Democratic Party
* Barack Obama, President of the United States
* Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
* Danny K. Davis, U.S. representative (IL-07)
* Luis Gutierrez, U.S. representative (IL-04)
* Chicago Tribune
* Democratic Party of Illinois
* Teamsters Joint Council
* Illinois Democratic County Chairmen's Association

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Pat Quinn | Tio Hardiman | Other | Undecided |
| Strive Strategies | March 9, 2014 | 563 | ± 4.21% | 64% | 36% | — | — |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Pat Quinn | Bill Daley | Lisa Madigan | Kwame Raoul | Other | Undecided |
| We Ask America | August 6, 2013 | 1,528 | ± ? | 27% | 23% | — | 13% | — | 37% |
| We Ask America | July 19, 2013 | 1,394 | ± ? | 38% | 33% | — | — | — | 29% |
| We Ask America | June 13, 2013 | 1,322 | ± 2.8% | 21% | 22% | 32% | — | — | 25% |
| We Ask America | June 13, 2013 | 1,322 | ± 2.8% | 37% | 38% | — | — | — | 25% |
| We Ask America | June 13, 2013 | 1,322 | ± 2.8% | 33% | — | 44% | — | — | 23% |
| Paul Simon Institute | January 27–February 8, 2013 | 310 | ± 5.5% | 22.9% | 11.9% | 31.9% | — | 4.8% | 28.4% |
| We Ask America | January 30, 2013 | 1,255 | ± 3% | 20% | 15% | 37% | — | — | 18% |
| We Ask America | January 30, 2013 | 1,255 | ± 3% | 38% | 33% | — | — | — | 29% |
| We Ask America | January 30, 2013 | 1,255 | ± 3% | 26% | — | 51% | — | — | 23% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 319 | ± 5.5% | 34% | 37% | — | — | — | 29% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 319 | ± 5.5% | 20% | — | 64% | — | — | 17% |

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Pat Quinn (incumbent) | 321,818 | 71.94 |
| | Democratic | Tio Hardiman | 125,500 | 28.06 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 447,318 | 100.00 |

## Republican primary

By early summer 2013, the field seeking the Republican nomination was set at four candidates. Two of them, state senators Bill Brady and Kirk Dillard, had sought the nomination in 2010, with Brady edging out Dillard by 193 votes, but ultimately losing to Pat Quinn by less than 1 percent. Dan Rutherford, who was elected state treasurer in 2010 after serving as a state representative and state senator, formally entered the race on June 2.
Rauner had announced the formation of an exploratory committee in March and made his entry into the Republican field official on June 5. Despite longstanding rumors that Rauner was committed to spending $50 million on his campaign, he denied in an interview ever specifying a dollar figure.
By the date of the primary, Rauner had broken the previous record for self-funding in an Illinois gubernatorial race by putting more than $6 million of his own money into his campaign. In total, he raised more than $14 million before the primary election.
On March 18, 2014, Rauner won the Republican primary, collecting 40% of the vote, compared to 37% for State Senator Kirk Dillard.

### Candidates
#### Declared

* Bill Brady, state senator, candidate for governor in 2006 and nominee for governor in 2010
** Running mate: Maria Rodriguez, former Village President of Long Grove
* Kirk Dillard, state senator and candidate for governor in 2010
** Running mate: Jil Tracy, state representative
* Bruce Rauner, businessman and former chairman of GTCR
** Running mate: Evelyn Sanguinetti, Wheaton City Councilwoman
* Dan Rutherford, Illinois Treasurer
** Running mate: Steve Kim, Attorney and nominee for Illinois Attorney General in 2010

#### Removed

* Peter Edward Jones (removed from the ballot)
** Running mate: None

#### Declined

* Adam Andrzejewski, businessman and candidate for governor in 2010
* Dan Duffy, state senator
* Adam Kinzinger, U.S. representative
* Ray LaHood, former United States Secretary of Transportation and former U.S. representative
* Matt Murphy, state senator
* Dan Proft, talk radio personality and candidate for governor in 2010
* Christine Radogno, Minority Leader of the Illinois Senate
* Aaron Schock, U.S. representative
* Joe Walsh, conservative radio talk show host and former U.S. representative

### Endorsements

* Jim Edgar, former governor of Illinois
* James R. Thompson, former governor of Illinois
* Illinois Education Association
* American Federation of State and Municipal Employees' Council 31
* Illinois Federation of Teachers
* The Daily Herald
* Dan Duffy, state senator
* Chicago Tribune
* Crain's Chicago Business
* Shaw Media
* Cook County GOP

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Adam Andrzejewski | Bill Brady | Kirk Dillard | Dan Proft | Bruce Rauner | Dan Rutherford | Aaron Schock | Joe Walsh | Other | Undecided |
| We Ask America | March 17, 2014 | 1,126 | ± 3% | — | 19% | 27% | — | 44% | 9% | — | — | — | — |
| Illinois Mirror/WAS | March 16, 2014 | 1,162 | ± 3% | — | 15% | 26% | — | 32% | 5% | — | — | — | 21% |
| We Ask America | March 11, 2014 | 1,235 | ± 2.9% | — | 19% | 26% | — | 46% | 9% | — | — | — | — |
| Tribune/WGN-TV | March 1–5, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | — | 18% | 23% | — | 36% | 9% | — | — | — | 13% |
| We Ask America | March 4, 2014 | 1,262 | ± 2.85% | — | 12% | 14% | — | 40% | 8% | — | — | — | 26% |
| We Ask America | February 25, 2014 | 1,178 | ± 3% | — | 13% | 17% | — | 36% | 7% | — | — | — | 27% |
| McKeon & Assoc.* | February 18–19, 2014 | 831 | ± 3.6% | — | 24% | 13% | — | 32% | 3% | — | — | — | 18% |
| We Ask America | February 18, 2014 | 1,323 | ± ? | — | 14% | 13% | — | 35% | 8% | — | — | — | 30% |
| Tribune/WGN-TV | February 5–8, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | — | 20% | 11% | — | 40% | 13% | — | — | — | 15% |
| We Ask America | January 14, 2014 | 1,139 | ± 2.9% | — | 17% | 9% | — | 34% | 15% | — | — | — | 25% |
| Ogden & Fry | January 2014 | 778 | ± 2.5% | — | 8% | 6% | — | 18% | 10% | — | — | — | 58% |
| We Ask America | November 26, 2013 | 1,233 | ± 2.79% | — | 18% | 10% | — | 26% | 17% | — | — | — | 29% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 375 | ± 5.1% | — | 17% | 10% | — | 24% | 14% | — | — | — | 36% |
| We Ask America | November 14, 2013 | 1,191 | ± 2.94% | — | 25% | 14% | — | 11% | 18% | — | — | — | 32% |
| Battleground Polling | November 3–11, 2013 | 535 | ± 3.97% | — | 13% | 12% | — | 12% | 18% | — | — | — | 45% |
| We Ask America | August 13, 2013 | 1,102 | ± ? | — | 21% | 10% | — | 14% | 17% | — | — | — | 32% |
| We Ask America | June 20, 2013 | 1,310 | ± 2.8% | — | 18% | 11% | — | 12% | 22% | — | — | — | 38% |
| Battleground Polling | May 20–27, 2013 | 400 | ± 4.8% | — | 19% | 14% | 13% | 5% | 27% | — | — | 22% | — |
| Paul Simon Institute | January 27–February 8, 2013 | 186 | ± 7.2% | 2% | 10% | 3% | 2% | — | 10% | 9% | 6% | 5% | 53% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 303 | ± 5.6% | — | 14% | 12% | — | 7% | 19% | 18% | 8% | 7% | 15% |
* * Internal poll for Bill Brady campaign

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bruce Rauner | 328,934 | 40.13 |
| | Republican | Kirk Dillard | 305,120 | 37.22 |
| | Republican | Bill Brady | 123,708 | 15.09 |
| | Republican | Dan Rutherford | 61,848 | 7.55 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 819,624 | 100.00 |

## Third party and Independents
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Chad Grimm (Libertarian), political activist, candidate for the State House in 2012 and candidate for the Peoria City Council in 2013
** Running mate: Alex Cummings

#### Removed from ballot

* Mike Oberline (Constitution)
** Running mate: Don Stone
* Scott Summers (Green)
** Running mate: Bob Pritchett Jr.

#### Declined

* Sam McCann (Independent), Republican state senator

## General election
### Debates

* Complete video of debate, October 9, 2014 - C-SPAN
* Complete video of debate, October 20, 2014 - C-SPAN

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Tossup | November 3, 2014 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean D | November 3, 2014 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Tossup | November 3, 2014 |
| Real Clear Politics | Tossup | November 3, 2014 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Pat Quinn (D) | Bruce Rauner (R) | Chad Grimm (L) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 1–2, 2014 | 1,064 | ± 3% | 47% | 45% | 3% | — | 5% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 1–2, 2014 | 1,064 | ± 3% | 48% | 48% | — | — | 4% |
| McKeon & Associates | October 28, 2014 | 823 | ± 3.9% | 45% | 42% | 4% | — | 9% |
| We Ask America | October 27–28, 2014 | 2,327 | ± 3% | 50% | 45% | 6% | — | — |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | October 16–23, 2014 | 3,519 | ± 3% | 45% | 41% | — | 1% | 13% |
| Rasmussen Reports | October 20–22, 2014 | 1,000 | ± 3% | 47% | 48% | — | 2% | 4% |
| APC Research | October 16–21, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 43% | 45% | 4% | — | 7% |
| Southern Illinois University | September 23 – October 15, 2014 | 1,006 RV | ± 3% | 41% | 39% | 5% | 1% | 15% |
| Southern Illinois University | September 23 – October 15, 2014 | 691 LV | ± 3.7% | 41% | 42% | 3% | 1% | 13% |
| We Ask America | October 8, 2014 | 1,051 | ± 3.02% | 44% | 41% | 7% | — | 8% |
| University of Illinois Springfield | October 2–8, 2014 | 723 | ± 3.7% | 41% | 43% | — | 2% | 14% |
| We Ask America | October 6, 2014 | 1,097 | ± 3% | 44% | 40% | 6% | — | 11% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | September 20 – October 1, 2014 | 3,955 | ± 2% | 46% | 43% | — | 1% | 10% |
| Communication Express | September 30, 2014 | 1,208 | ± 2.87% | 37% | 43% | 5% | — | 16% |
| Fabrizio Lee | September 27–29, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | 41% | 39% | 5% | — | 15% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 24–25, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | 44% | 42% | — | 6% | 8% |
| Battleground Polling | September 23–24, 2014 | 408 | ± 4.8% | 43% | 43% | 6% | — | 8% |
| We Ask America | September 18–19, 2014 | 1,418 | ± 3% | 41% | 44% | 6% | — | 9% |
| Global Strategy Group | September 4–7, 2014 | 605 | ± 4% | 43% | 40% | 5% | — | 12% |
| APC Research | September 3–5, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 48% | 37% | 5% | — | 10% |
| We Ask America | September 2, 2014 | 1,064 | ± 3% | 37% | 46% | 7% | — | 10% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | August 18 – September 2, 2014 | 4,363 | ± 3% | 40% | 44% | — | 2% | 13% |
| Garin Hart Yang Research Group* | August 12–14, 2014 | 802 | ± 3.5% | 43% | 46% | — | — | 11% |
| We Ask America | August 5–6, 2014 | 1,085 | ± 3.12% | 38% | 51% | — | — | 11% |
| Gravis Marketing | August 4–5, 2014 | 567 | ± 4% | 40% | 48% | — | — | 12% |
| Rasmussen Reports | July 29–30, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | 39% | 44% | — | 7% | 10% |
| We Ask America | July 28, 2014 | 1,087 | ± 2.97% | 33% | 47% | — | — | 20% |
| Mellman Group^ | July 27–29, 2014 | 600 | ± 5% | 38% | 39% | — | — | 23% |
| Harstad Strategic Research | July 17–22, 2014 | 1,003 | ± 3.1% | 42% | 46% | — | 3% | 8% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | July 5–24, 2014 | 5,298 | ± 2.1% | 43% | 46% | — | 2% | 8% |
| McKeon & Associates | July 9–10, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.9% | 34% | 40% | — | — | 26% |
| Capitol Fax/We Ask America | July 8, 2014 | 940 | ± 3.2% | 39% | 51% | — | — | 10% |
| We Ask America | June 10–11, 2014 | 1,075 | ± 3% | 37% | 47% | — | — | 16% |
| Where America Stands | May 12, 2014 | 1,168 | ± 3% | 31% | 49% | 1% | 3% | 16% |
| We Ask America | April 27, 2014 | ? | ± 3.14% | 44% | 44% | — | — | 12% |
| We Ask America | April 21, 2014 | ? | ± 3.21% | 38% | 49% | — | — | 13% |
| Rasmussen Reports | April 9–10, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | 40% | 43% | — | 6% | 10% |
| Where America Stands | March 27, 2014 | 1,033 | ± 3% | 32% | 46% | 1% | 2% | 19% |
| Gravis Marketing | March 21–22, 2014 | 806 | ± 3% | 35% | 43% | — | — | 22% |
| We Ask America | January 30, 2014 | 1,354 | ± 2.7% | 39% | 47% | — | — | 14% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 41% | 38% | — | — | 21% |
With Quinn
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Pat Quinn (D) | Bill Brady (R) | Undecided |
| We Ask America | January 30, 2014 | 1,354 | ± 2.7% | 39% | 48% | 13% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 41% | 41% | 18% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Pat Quinn (D) | Kirk Dillard (R) | Undecided |
| We Ask America | January 30, 2014 | 1,354 | ± 2.7% | 37% | 46% | 17% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 39% | 39% | 21% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 37% | 44% | 19% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Pat Quinn (D) | Dan Rutherford (R) | Undecided |
| We Ask America | January 30, 2014 | 1,354 | ± 2.7% | 37% | 46% | 17% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 39% | 41% | 20% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 39% | 43% | 18% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Pat Quinn (D) | Aaron Schock (R) | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 40% | 39% | 21% |
With Daley
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Daley (D) | Kirk Dillard (R) | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 34% | 36% | 30% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Daley (D) | Dan Rutherford (R) | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 37% | 38% | 25% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Daley (D) | Aaron Schock (R) | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 40% | 35% | 25% |
With Emanuel
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Rahm Emanuel (D) | Dan Rutherford (R) | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 40% | 38% | 22% |
With Hynes
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Daniel Hynes (D) | Dan Rutherford (R) | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 34% | 34% | 32% |
With Madigan
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Lisa Madigan (D) | Kirk Dillard (R) | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 46% | 37% | 17% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Lisa Madigan (D) | Dan Rutherford (R) | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 22–25, 2013 | 557 | ± 4.2% | 45% | 40% | 15% |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 46% | 37% | 18% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Lisa Madigan (D) | Aaron Schock (R) | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | November 26–28, 2012 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 46% | 38% | 17% |
* * Internal Poll for Dick Durbin campaign
* ^ Internal Poll for Pat Quinn campaign

### Results

2014 Illinois gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Bruce Rauner | 1,823,627 | 50.27% | +4.33% |
| | Democratic | Pat Quinn (incumbent) | 1,681,343 | 46.35% | −0.44% |
| | Libertarian | Chad Grimm | 121,534 | 3.35% | +2.42% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 1,186 | 0.03% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,627,690 | 100.00% | N/A |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Alexander (largest city: Cairo)
* Jackson (largest city: Carbondale)
* St. Clair (largest city: Belleville)