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Last updated 5:08 am CT February 09, 2010.
Ryan Leads Republicans in New Poll
The former attorney general says eight years in the executive branch of Illinois government sets him apart in a field of seven candidates.
Ryan has spent the past seven years in academia, teaching politics and government at Benedictine University in Lisle.
His political resume hasn’t changed much since his first run at Illinois’ top office, but he says "timing is everything."
"I think people are starting to see that this is not entertainment. We're supposed to be running a government," Ryan said.
He admits he’s not the flashiest guy in the race this year, and the same was true in 2002 when he ran unsuccessfully against Rod Blagojevich.
Ryan also acknowledges that sharing a last name with former Governor George Ryan, who’s currently serving time in a federal prison for corruption, didn’t help in that campaign.
In 2009, however, name recognition is giving him the advantage.
A poll conducted by another Republican candidate on November 15-16, shows 58 percent of likely Republican voters had a favorable opinion of Jim Ryan and 30 percent were likely to vote for him.
Those numbers leave his opponents in the dust, but Ryan says that's not the only thing he has going for him.
Two of his rivals have spent significant time in the Illinois Senate. Ryan says his Executive Branch experience trumps that.
“When you're the attorney general or the governor of the state you make the final call. For better or worse you make the final call,” he argued.
Ryan estimates that Illinois budget deficit is between $8 billion and $11 billion.
He is convinced he can solve that problem without raising taxes. Ryan estimates the state can save a billion dollars by putting more Medicaid patients in managed care, and up to $2 billion by reforming the pension system.
"State workers end up with what amounts to a Cadillac [of pensions]. It's a nice idea, but it's unsustainable, we just can't afford it," Ryan said.
As for the rest, Ryan says he’d appoint a task force—similar to President Ronald Reagan’s Grace Commission--to identify other government waste.
Ryan says he will also focus on brining jobs to Illinois and reforming Illinois government.
In 2002 Ryan touted his record as a DuPage County State’s Attorney and Attorney General. Expect him to do that this time around, too, and point to efforts to close state offices filled with patronage hires.
Expect him to have to answer some questions about Stu Levine as well.
Levine was Ryan’s law school study partner and top political contributor. He pled guilty in 2006 to pay-to-play charges.
"I feel frankly betrayed by him myself, but we don't engage, I hope, in guilt by association. Stu Levine helped me a lot. I did nothing for Stu Levine," Ryan said.
By Dana Jay
djay@wsiltv.com
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