Could Sullivan Benefit from GOP Attacks?
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jesse Sullivan speaks to the media in a Chicago news conference.
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Depending on who you talk to and what poll they’re citing, it appears 37-year-old venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan could benefit most from infighting at the top of the GOP primary for Governor.
In a poll we reported on a few weeks ago, Sullivan was second behind Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) and slightly ahead of Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin.
We’ve heard rumors of new polls in the last few days that continue to show Sullivan in second, and in some cases, even closer to Bailey than before. Neither the Sullivan campaign or Bailey campaign would share poll results with The Illinoize. The Irvin campaign did not respond to our calls. A spokesperson for businessman Gary Rabine says that campaign has not done recent polling.
Though one Republican says he’s seen versions of polls in recent weeks showing all three frontrunners, Bailey, Sullivan, and Irvin, anywhere from first to third in the survey. Though the Bailey campaign did confirm their polls continue to show him leading.
“It makes complete sense that Sullivan would benefit right now,” said one longtime GOP operative. “Bailey and Irvin are beating the heck out of each other, both have serious flaws, and Sullivan is a young outsider who is running good, solid ads.”
It could be a sign of a wide open race as candidates approach the final 60-day stretch leading up to the June primary.
“It’s a really choppy electorate right now,” said another GOP operative. “There’s a really long way to go before this thing is settled.”
