CHICAGO (AP) – State Sen. Daniel Biss said Monday he’s running for Illinois governor in 2018, joining a growing field of Democrats hoping to unseat Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The former University of Chicago math professor from Evanston said during an announcement streamed live via Facebook that it’s time to take the state back from special interests that have controlled both parties.
“People across our state are hurting because of the nightmare of the last two years caused by Bruce Rauner,” Biss said while seated in a Chicago office. “In Illinois billionaires and machine politicians have a monopoly on political power.”
Several other Democrats already are vying to take on Rauner. Those who’ve already announced bids are businessman Chris Kennedy, the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar, regional schools Superintengdent Bob Daiber and small business owner Alex Paterakis.
Billionaire businessman J.B. Pritzker said last week he’s formed a campaign committee to explore a bid and was contributing $200,000 to fund its day-to-day operations.