Emanuel declines to pick sides in Democratic race for Illinois governor

Mayor Rahm Emanuel declined to endorse a candidate in the Democratic race for governor Friday, instead trying to again criticize Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Emanuel was leaving a groundbreaking ceremony for a Near West Side senior housing complex when he was asked whether he prefers billionaire entrepreneur J.B. Pritzker or businessman and scion of the famous American political family Chris Kennedy in the campaign for the Democratic nomination. "I'm not picking in that area," Emanuel said a day after Pritzker officially threw his hat in the ring.

"The good news is, we have good candidates running. Not just those two, but you have good candidates at every level. What I want to have is a governor that will introduce a balanced budget, not go three years without, not only passing one, but ever introducing one," Emanuel said, echoing his frequent comments blaming Rauner for the impasse in Springfield.

In addition to Kennedy and Pritzker, North Side Ald. Ameya Pawar and state Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston have declared their candidacies, as has Madison County regional school Superintendent Bob Daiber.

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