2006 Governors Races

Illinois CBS NEWS PROJECTS ROD BLAGOJEVICHWINNER Democrat Rod Blagojevich (Incumbent) vs. Republican Judy Baar Topinka Democrats had lost seven consecutive Governors’ races before Blagojevich’s victory in 2002. Topinka is pro-abortion rights and defeated four anti-abortion rights candidates in the Republican primary. In August, she unveiled a four-year revenue plan that hinges upon creation of a land-based Chicago casino to help raise billions of dollars for public schools and property-tax relief, the Chicago Tribune reported. Blagojevich did not favor a Chicago casino and accused Topinka of flip-flopping on the issue pointing to remarks she made in a debate earlier this year when she said, … "we shouldn’t be building on top of gambling in the state, or expanding gambling in this state. This is Illinois. It’s not Las Vegas, OK?"