Illinois’ Governor-elect is already having trouble with top Democrats in Springfield.
Interpersonal relationships between the leadership and the governor go a long way in Springfield.
“I called Speaker Madigan, I understand…”
That was Bruce Rauner on election night, telling his Republican supporters that he placed two important calls before taking the stage to House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton.
“And I said to them - this is an opportunity for us to work together.”
But Madigan’s spokesman says there was no conversation between the two, and quote I couldn’t find a voicemail, no post-it note on the refrigerator.
But yesterday, Rauner said on election night he left a voicemail for Madigan.
“To speak with him at his earliest convenience - to solve our problems on a bipartisan basis.”
On the Senate side, a spokesman for Cullerton says Rauner and the Senate president haven’t talked either but on Tuesday night a Rauner employee did call a member of Cullerton’s staff.
Rauner says he spoke with Cullerton’s chief of staff on Election Night.