Libertarian candidate Chad Grimm sits down with the Phoenix

The Phoenix speaks with Democratic candidate Pat Quinn and Libertarian candidate Chad Grimm. Republic candidate Bruce Rauner did not respond to Phoenix requests.

Courtesy of Chad Grimm for Governor // Facebook

When Chad Grimm answered the phone, he was just getting to the office after a day of campaigning. Eight speeches at a school in his hometown of Peoria in central Illinois hadnt tired his voice.

The Libertarian was the only candidate for the gubernatorial elections to respond to The Phoenixs many interview requests. One-line email responses with a phone number and availability, no header, no campaign slogan or jab at another candidate evidenced the different campaign he was set to run.

Grimm, who unsuccessfully ran for state legislator in 2012 and for Peorias City Council in 2013, has been looking to elbow his way along the gubernatorial race, running a long-shot campaign against incumbent governor Patrick Quinn, a Democrat, and Republican businessman Bruce Rauner.

Im not running against Bruce Rauner; Im not running against Pat Quinn. Im running for the people of Illinois, Grimm said, repeating, like he has in most of his media interactions, what has been a poster slogan for his campaign.

Behind his energetic voice, the sound of someone jump-roping called attention to the candidates latest job health club manager that, intentionally or not, rings of belittlement. Grimm, who spent his childhood and teenage years shuttling between Peoria, where his father lived, and the northwest suburbs of Chicago where he lived with his mother, pursued an acting and broadcasting career before getting into management.

Grimm was quick to admit, perhaps inadvertently, his lack of political experience. His managerial background helps, but a state such as Illinois is different from anything he has managed in the past 15 years. In technical terms, he explained the difference.

What Republicans will talk about, and it sounds good, is that they want to run the state like a business. They say that a lot, and I think what they really mean at times gets lost because you dont want to run a state like a business because a business is for profit. Government is for people, he said. You want to be able to pay your bills, you want to be able to pay for the things that you need, but you dont want to create a surplus.

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Libertarian candidate Chad Grimm sits down with the Phoenix

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