House Speaker Michael Madigan says there is "strong support" in the chamber for a hike in Illinois' minimum wage. That's one of the big issues in the governor's race.
Businesses don't like it, but a plan to raise Illinois' minimum wage from $8.25, to $10.65 an hour, is before the General Assembly.
Advocates continue to try to drum up the necessary votes. It appears they'll have help from the powerful Illinois House Speaker. Madigan says it's a matter of "fairness" and "equity."
"I think you'll find the opposition to raising the minimum wage comes from people who've done pretty well in America and for some strange reason they don't want others in America to participate in prosperity."
REPORTER: "Sounds like you’re talking about Bruce Rauner."
MADIGAN: "Who?"
A joke; Bruce Rauner is a name Illinois' top Democrats know all too well. He's Republicans' uber-wealthy nominee for governor. And it’s expected he’ll put up quite a challenge to Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.
Rauner at one point said Illinois should rollback its minimum wage to the federal level, but he later reversed his position. But Quinn, who favors the minimum wage bump, is doing all he can to not let voters forget Rauner's flip-flop.