Gov. Rauner donates $100,000 to Indiana gubernatorial candidate

INDIANAPOLIS -- Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has tossed in $100,000 of his own money to boost the campaign of Indiana's Republican gubernatorial candidate even as the two states compete to lure jobs.

The money Rauner gave to Indiana Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb's campaign last week is a small fraction of the $16 million that the wealthy former venture capitalist is investing to help GOP candidates cut into large Democratic majorities in the Illinois Legislature this fall.

Rauner has said he wants to emulate the business-friendly agenda of former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels - for whom Holcomb was a top Statehouse aide and campaign manager.

But Rauner said last year he wanted to "rip the economic guts out of Indiana," and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has frequently touted the state's work to lure businesses from Illinois. Pence, who is now Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate, just last week released a statement calling a company's decision to move operations from Illinois and hire 200 workers in southern Indiana as an example of why Indiana is "the best state in the Midwest for business."

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