Reporters Slam IL Dem Gov Candidate Chris Kennedy’s “Struggling” Campaign

Illinois Democrat gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy was supposed to be the darling of the Illinois Democratic Party.

From the RGA:

Things haven’t worked out the way Chris Kennedy or the Democratic Party had planned. Now, reporters from major state publications are blasting his “struggling” campaign for governor over his inability to pick a running mate, circulate petitions, raise money or connect with voters.

On Sunday, Illinois’ top political reporters discussed the flailing Kennedy campaign.

Politico’s Natasha Korecki called out Kennedy’s campaign for repeated “missteps”.

WLS Radio’s Bill Cameron slammed the campaign as “not as competent as we would expect.” Cameron even went so far as to note, “The camera doesn’t seem to love him. And on politics, he just doesn’t seem to be playing it too well.”

The Chicago Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet summed up his campaign well when she remarked, “Kennedy is struggling.”

Kennedy’s troubles with the press come just days after Politico reported that Kennedy’s campaign “is readying for a re-tuning”.

This would be the second campaign reset for Kennedy. By the looks of it, he needs it.

Chicago Tribune: Chris Kennedy to announce the next phase of his campaign

Ending what the campaign considers to be an introductory phase, Democratic governor candidate Chris Kennedy is set to speak Tuesday to offer his vision for the state.

The early afternoon speech Tuesday at the Harold Washington Cultural Center will take place the day after the 100th birthday of Kennedy’s uncle, the late President John F. Kennedy.

Campaign aides said Kennedy will talk about how the state “needs a complete break from the status quo” and will try to distinguish his candidacy, announced in February, from his Democratic rivals, namely J.B. Pritzker.

The concept of breaking from the “status quo” would appear to be a further attempt by Kennedy to try to cast himself as a political outsider in the contest. Despite his famous name, the wealthy businessman previously has gone after some establishment elements of the Democratic Party, including dismissing the power of an endorsement from the Cook County Democratic organization.

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