Normal’s mayor to stay silent on race for Illinois Governor

Posted on July 31, 2017
Tari Renner and Daniel Biss
Bloomington mayor Tari Renner announced his support for State Sen. Daniel Biss’ candidacy for governor last week at a rally outside the McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington. (Photo by Sam Wood/WJBC)

By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – Partisan politics is for the mayor of the city south of Division Street, not for the mayor of the town north of Division.

Last week, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner announced his choice for Illinois Governor, Evanston Democratic State Senator Daniel Biss.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos said he will make no endorsement, but won’t criticize Renner for doing so.

“Tari has done that in the past. He’s run for Congress in the past, so he travels in that world more than I do,” Koos said.

Koos considers himself a non-partisan mayor who doesn’t get involved in partisan politics.

Renner also holds a non-partisan office, but said he felt obligated to speak out on the Governor’s race because there’s so much dysfunction in Springfield.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected].

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