California venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan joins GOP race to overthrow Pritzker

San Francisco venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan kicked off his gubernatorial campaign on Thursday, giving Gov. JB Pritzker his first Republican challenger with an eight-figure bank account.

Sullivan raised $ 10,780,000 from seven out-of-town supporters in just five days.

That’s more than five times what the three Republicans already in the race have collected all year combined.

But that’s less than a third of what Pritzker raised earlier this year in a single day – $ 35 million out of his own pockets.

Despite all this, the three Republicans already on the ground say money can’t win the election, and the Illinois want someone who understands “the Heartland” and not an outsider backed by the “big checkbooks.” “of the” Silicon Valley elites. ” ”

In his debut Thursday, Sullivan introduced himself as an “outsider” who wants “to solve problems and get results for our neighbors in need.”

His campaign posted an announcement video Thursday morning ahead of a downstate press conference in the afternoon.

The video features the upstate native and founder of Alter Global in San Francisco, highlighting his roots growing up in central Illinois and the values ​​he learned in “Lincoln Country.”

“This fight is about the insiders, who talk a good game, against us, the outsiders, who really want to solve problems and get results for our neighbors in need,” Sullivan said in the campaign video.

“This fight will not end, I promise you, until this era in Illinois of high taxes, crime, corruption is over. So today, among all of you, I have an announcement. My name is Jesse Sullivan and I am running to be the next governor of Illinois.

Sullivan, 37, “will focus on three fundamental issues: strengthening Illinois’ economy, leaving historic state corruption in the past, and tackling crime that afflicts Illinois families,” according to his campaign.

But on Thursday, the focus was on fundraising.

The native of lower Petersburg state said he received $ 10,780,000 in donations between Friday and Tuesday from five contributors from California and two from Texas and Colorado.

Campaign video

The largest donation was $ 5 million from Chris Larsen, billionaire co-founder and chairman of the board of directors of global financial firm Ripple based in San Francisco.

Larsen has a net worth of $ 3.4 billion, according to Forbes. Sullivan’s net worth was not immediately clear.

Another $ 4 million came from Kevin Taweel, CEO of Asurion, in San Mateo, Calif., Described on the company’s website as “the world’s largest provider of technology protection services.”

Sullivan’s GOP rivals have sought to make Sullivan’s cash advantage a liability, focusing on the personal addresses of Sullivan and his associates.

Businessman Gary Rabine from the northwestern suburb of Bull Valley said the values ​​of the West Coast tech hub “are not the values ​​of the Republican Party here in the heart of the country.”

“To defeat Pritzker’s war on families, Illinois will elect a candidate who belongs to the culture of small businesses and families of Illinois, not California,” Rabine said.

Anthony Vazquez / Sun-Times dossier; Facebook

“While Jesse Sullivan has been associated with the elites of Silicon Valley, I have created jobs for working families right here in Illinois. … Republican voters know that I am the best candidate to end the war on families in Illinois.

State Senator Darren Bailey, from downstate Xenia, issued a similar statement, saying Illinois needs a governor who understands the “Heartland,” someone who “has done his homework. live here and share our values ​​”.

“Our so called ‘elites’ and their big checkbooks have been running for too long,” Bailey said. “We believe it is time for ordinary people in this state to have a say. Illinois is more promising and more conservative than San Francisco, so welcome to our great state and to the race.

Former state senator Paul Schimpf of lower Waterloo state offered a more heartfelt welcome, saying in a statement that “another vigorous campaign spreading the message that JB Pritzker does not deserve to be re-elected is good news for the Illinois Republican Party. “

Rabine, Schimpf and Bailey all entered the race in February or March. So far this year, Rabine has reported raising $ 900,258.98, Bailey $ 913,012.06 and Schimpf $ 225,571.

Pritzker officially kicked off his re-election campaign in July, after sowing his campaign fund with $ 35 million in March, calling it a “preventative measure” against Republicans who “try to attack … or, frankly, lie about. the democratic agenda “.

The billionaire Democrat spent $ 171 million of his own fortune on his 2018 bid to oust then-Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, a battle that has become one of the most expensive governor’s races in history American.

Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times File

Pritzker’s net worth is estimated at $ 3.6 billion, according to Forbes.

In an independent press conference Thursday, Pritzker ignored his latest GOP challenger, saying the Republican ground is a “mess” and the candidates “are fighting against each other”.

“All I can say is I’m focusing on the issues that are really important to the people of Illinois,” Pritzker said.

“This certainly includes tackling violent crime, but, what is very important, protecting a woman’s right to choose, expanding business and economic opportunities for people to get jobs, and then to focus on the workers and to get a good salary for the people. Republicans want us to back down – I want to move us forward. “