Large and loud crowd greets Governor-elect Rauner in Marion

By Jim Muir

During his grueling campaign for governor, Bruce Rauner traveled the state for months talking to groups small and large – sometimes taking his plans for Illinois to six and eight people at a time.

Newly elected governor Bruce Rauner, flanked by his wife Diana (in back) and Lt. Governor-elect Evelyn Sanguinetti was greeted by a large crowd at the Vault Cafe in Marion on Friday morning.

Those small quiet settings are not the case anymore.

After a resounding victory on Tuesday over Gov. Pat Quinn — taking away a 12-year stranglehold of the governor’s office by Democrats — Rauner designated Friday his “Thank You Tour” with a whirlwind blitz of the state that included at least half a dozen stops.  Marion, located in Williamson County in Southern Illinois, was the first stop of the day and it was a loud and boisterous crowd that greeted Governor-elect Rauner at the Vault Cafe, located on Tower Square.  The large and energetic crowd crammed in the cafe was obviously still savoring, 72 hours later, Rauner’s stunning victory over Quinn.

Accompanied by his wife Diana and newly-elected Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti, Rauner seemed to still be in campaign-mode with a short but energetic speech.

“It’s a new day in Illinois,” Rauner said. “We intend to make Illinois the most compassionate state and the most competitive state.  We have got to transform government in Illinois, take the waste out, take the bureaucracy out, take the cronyism and patronage out and make the lean and effective and drive results for taxpayers and get our economy booming. ”

Rauner also introduced newly-elected state representative Teri Bryant, who will represent the 115th Legislative District when the Illinois General Assembly convenes in January 2015. Bryant, a Republican, defeated Democrat Bill Kilquist for the seat that Mike Bost, a Murphysboro Republican held for two decades.

“I love Southern Illinois,” Rauner said. “I was here more than a dozen times during the campaign and I plan to visit often as governor.  I plan on being a very unusual governor, I actually plan on living in Springfield and living in the Governor’s Mansion. Nobody has done that for a long time and it will be an honor for me to live there, it’s the people’s house. This is going to be a lot of hard work, this is not tiddlywinks, there’s a lot of rough, tough stuff in front of us.”

Rauner also started reaching across party lines during his Marion stop.

“I want to be a governor for all of Illinois,” said Rauner. “I don’t care if you are a Democrat or an Independent, we want to represent all of Illinois and bring a sense of pride back to Illinois.”

Along with the stop in Marion, the tour was also scheduled to make stops in O’Fallon, Springfield, Moline, Peoria and Rockford.

Event: Retail Stop
Time: 9:30AM
Date: Friday, November 7, 2014
Location: The Vault Cafe on the Square, 504 Tower Square Plaza, Marion, IL 62959

Event: Retail Stop
Time: 11:00AM
Date: Friday, November 7, 2014
Location: Egg & I, 455-D Regency Park Drive, O’Fallon, IL 62269

Event: Retail Stop
Time: 12:30PM
Date: Friday, November 7, 2014
Location: Cafe Moxo, 411 East Adams Street, Springfield, IL 62701

Event: Retail Stop
Time: 2:15PM
Date: Friday, November 7, 2014
Location: River House Bar & Grill: 1510 River Drive, Moline, IL 61265

Event: Retail Stop
Time: 3:45PM
Date: Friday, November 7, 2014
Location: Barrack’s Banquet Center, 1224 West Pioneer Parkway, Peoria, IL 61615

Event: Retail Stop
Time: 5:15PM
Date: Friday, November 7, 2014
Location: Giovanni’s Restaurant: 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford, IL 61107