Ameya Pawar drops out of race for governor
Photo Courtesy of Daniel X. O'Neil
Chicago Ald. Ameya Pawar speaking at the dedication of Honorary Lee Sandlin Way in Chicago on Aug. 15, 2015.
October 16, 2017
Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar announced Oct. 12 that he would not be continuing in the race for governor.
The campaign ended due to a lack of funds, according to a press release sent out from the Pawar team.
“Without more resources, the only choices for expanding the campaign to a scope that could earn the nomination were to take on more personal debt or to cut staff,” he said. “I have a young family, and we decided not to take on more personal debt right now. As for cutting staff, I simply refuse.”
Pawar recently spoke to students and community members at the Illini Union on Oct. 5, which was part of his almost year -long campaign tour.
The campaign raised $828,000 from 2,526 donors, according to the press release.
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“But as you know, the race for Illinois governor will set a record as the costliest race in American history,” Pawar said. “For democracy’s sake, I hope we see this as a troubling trend.”
J.B. Pritzker, Chris Kennedy, Daniel Biss, Bob Daiber, Tio Hardiman, Robert Marshall and Alex Paterakis are now running for the Democratic nomination next year against Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
In response to Pawar’s announcement, Biss tweeted that Pawar’s campaign improved the Democratic Party by focusing on the effects of systemic inequality on working families. He added that there are still issues with the campaigning process.
“Good candidates are being pushed out of races by big money and insiders. If you care about democracy, this should be unacceptable,” he tweeted.
In the same press release, Pawar announced the launch of One Illinois, “a political action committee to organize young people around progressive issues and fight the false and bigoted divides around race, class, and geography.”
The committee is focused on making real changes to current issues, instead of failing to act.
“And if we don’t address inequality across race, class, and geography, I believe we are headed to a very scary place,” he said. “Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump are targeting communities and turning them into ‘the other.’”
