Democratic group warns candidates to play nice as early Pritzker push causes friction

With early friction emerging in the 2018 Democratic race for governor, the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen's Association is urging the candidates to turn their wrath toward Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner instead of on one another.

The phone call this week raising concerns about the contest's tone among the campaigns and the group's leader came as billionaire entrepreneur and investor J.B. Pritzker has launched TV ads and begun amassing endorsements, prompting rivals for the nomination to criticize him.

"There seemed to be a change in tone and of people focusing on each other," said Doug House, who also is chairman of the Rock Island County Democrats.

"We wanted to make it clear where we were on this and that when they are speaking at our functions in the future, we wanted them to address their visions for the state. We weren't interested why somebody else was bad," House said. Rauner has "been a huge disappointment by all standards, and that's what they should be talking about."

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