Blagojevich launches re-election campaign

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich formally launched his re-election campaign Sunday by renewing his vow not to raise taxes and warning that Republicans would reverse his efforts to make Illinois a better place for families.

The Democrat said Illinois has come a long way since the "dark and troubling time" when he was elected after 26 years of Republicans controlling the governor's office.

The budget is balanced, schools have more money, health care is available to more people and government is more efficient, he told a cheering crowd. Blagojevich said he needs a second term to continue that work and keep Republicans from undoing it.

"You've seen it all before -- the empty promises, the fake answers. We've already lived through that nightmare," he said. "The people who created the mess can't move us forward."

He boasted of fulfilling his campaign promise not to raise income or sales taxes, but Blagojevich's speech said nothing about renewing that promise for a second term. That came afterward, under questioning from reporters.

"I'm not going to raise taxes on the hardworking people of Illinois. I won't do it. I don't believe in it," he said.

His 15-minute speech was also silent on what Republicans argue is his biggest weakness: ethics.

Blagojevich took office promising to clean up government after the administration of Gov. George Ryan, now on trial for federal corruption charges. Blagojevich helped pass a major overhaul of state ethics laws, but he also has awarded contracts to campaign donors, given state jobs to political insiders and allowed lobbyists to help shape his administration's policies and personnel.

To underscore the point, Republican front-runner Judy Baar Topinka chose Sunday to release her proposal for stronger ethics laws. Her running mate, Joe Birkett, accused Blagojevich of flying around the state "on an airplane fueled by pay-to-play cash" and said the governor has "given us grand jury subpoenas, investigations and indictments."

Asked about awarding state contracts to donors, Blagojevich said he would "continue to make sure we follow all the rules and ... that we have an open and fair bidding process."

Blagojevich's primary challenger, Edwin Eisendrath, said the governor has no standing to talk about ethics.

"He can't mention ethics because he has failed to keep his promises," Eisendrath said.

Opinion polls show very low approval of Blagojevich's performance. Even among Democrats, only 52 percent want to see him re-elected, according to one recent survey.

Though Blagojevich has millions of dollars in his campaign fund to rehabilitate his image, he'll have to do it with Eisendrath and a handful of Republicans doing their best to tarnish it.

They say he hasn't done anything to address the fundamental education problems in Illinois, where schools are drowning in red ink. They also point to the hundreds of fees and taxes Blagojevich increased that have driven jobs out of state, and they say he has avoided major tax increases by plunging the state into long-term debt that future governors will have to pay.

Blagojevich began his campaign fly-around in Springfield, although he has chosen not to live in the capital city and spends little time at the Statehouse -- a practice that rubs many downstate residents the wrong way.

Blagojevich said Sunday he doesn't know if he would move to Springfield during a second term. "I haven't really thought that far ahead, but ... the decision will be what's best for our children," he said.

Blagojevich did not mention any of his Republican opponents by name and didn't even acknowledge having a challenger in the Democratic primary.

He said if Republicans were put in charge again, they would abandon his efforts to create new jobs, ignore the need for sensible gun control and let the right wing take away women's right to birth control.

"We're making progress. We're getting things done," he said. "And now is not the time to go back."