CHICAGO (Diya TV) — A little known political figure outside his Northwest Side ward, Chicago Ald. Ameya Pawar also comes from as just as humble financial backing, but that didn’t stop him from announcing his bid for Illinois’ Democratic nomination for governor in 2018.
The 36-year-old is in his second term representing Chicago’s 47th Ward, and said he plans on running a progressive platform that includes enacting a graduated income tax or imposing a high income tax on millionaires. He would do all of this to ensure the future of the state’s revenue and education programs without the risk of gutting other social programs.
However, he’s well aware that he currently lacks the proper funding or financial backing that some Democrats are seeking in a candidate to run against first-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, a former equity investor who just added another $50 million in personal cash to his re-election campaign. Pawar currently has about $50,000 in his war chest.
There has been some speculation that wealthy Chicago residents J.B. Pritzker and Chris Kennedy could throw their hats in the ring for the candidacy as well.
“I think J.B. and Chris are good people. I have nothing against any of my fellow Democrats. But I do believe there has to be a progressive voice and a progressive platform, and I’m going to go out there and talk about a progressive vision for Illinois,” Pawar told the Chicago Tribune, on the matter.
With a lack of major funding, Pawar faces the ultimate test in trying to increase his name recognition statewide, while at the same time attempting to run a retail-based campaign. “I’m going to go out and raise money, but I don’t run in the circles where you can take in huge checks,” Pawar said. “I know that. That’s OK. But I look at Bruce Rauner’s $50 million contribution to himself, and people use that to tell me that what I’m trying to do is ridiculous. But writing yourself a $50 million check when you have no record — in fact a destructive record — is nothing to be proud of.”
Small candidate or little name recognition or not, the announcement didn’t stop the state Republican Party — which is heavily funded by Rauner — from launching an attack on Pawar. Just hours after his announcement, he was attacked for his support of higher taxes, and a unique but well-known Springfield Republican strategy, attempting to link him to Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, the party’s longtime leader.
“Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar is the very definition of an out-of-touch, tax-hiking politician just like Mike Madigan,” state GOP spokesman Steven Yaffe said in a written statement. “While job-crushing tax increases without reform has caused an exodus from Illinois, Pawar doubled down on the Madigan Chicago agenda, supporting higher income taxes (and) higher property taxes.”
Information from the Chicago Tribune contributed to this report.
