Governor Bruce Rauner spent his first week in office in Springfield, but made his way back to Chicago this week for Martin Luther King Day where he participated in service projects alongside Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
From all appearances, the mayor and the governor seem to be bi-partisan partners, possibly boasting a relationship better than one shared between former Gov. Pat Quinn and Emanuel.
The two have known each other for more than 20 years, even vacationing together at Rauner’s Montana ranch.
In the first week since Rauner took office, he and Emanuel have shared the same stage three times. That wasn’t the case with former Gov. Pat Quinn.
And this is just one of many changes supporters hope to see with the new governor.
“It’s not going to be the same as usual,” said Pastor Corey Brooks, an early Rauner supporter.
The new governor signed an executive order forcing state agencies and contractors to report how many veterans and minorities are hired, but he did not set any quotas or guidelines.
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“In many circumstances, when we see the facts, we are all going to be troubled and we should come together as a community to discuss what actions we should take further to make sure the government reflects our entire community,” Rauner said.
Rauner and his wife Diana participated in a service project at Gage Park High School Monday. Emanuel, paint brush in hand, also joined the many volunteers using the MLK holiday as a day of service.
The governor says he’s had many surprises in his first week, and while he will spend this week in Chicago, he says when the legislature is working in Springfield, he will be there too.
