Republican Governors Association Executive Director Nick Ayers today issued the following statement:

“I congratulate Senator Brady on his victory in what was a challenging and lengthy primary campaign against a deep and talented Republican field. Senator Dillard should be proud of his own campaign as well.

“We will now see some sharp contrasts emerge between Senator Brady and Democrat Pat Quinn. Voters want to hear plans for keeping taxes low, encouraging job growth and controlling runaway government spending. Voters will have a clear choice and a real chance to bring some much-needed balance to Illinois government this fall.

“Meanwhile, Pat Quinn will have to defend his dismal record. By his relentless efforts to raise taxes and his failure to control government spending, he has demonstrated that he does not deserve to be elected to a full term.

“If we work hard and lay out clear differences on taxes, jobs and the economy, we will win in Illinois.”

The Republican Governors Association today issued the following statement regarding the announcement that Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal will retire rather than challenge state law prohibiting his possible run for re-election. The statement is attributable to RGA spokesman Tim Murtaugh:

“Washington, DC Democrats had high hopes that Dave Freudenthal would run for another term, which would have required him to challenge state law and overturn the will of the people of Wyoming. His decision further indicates that national Democrats are out of touch with real people, including those in the Cowboy State.

“Freudenthal is the latest in an increasingly long line of Democratic governors declining to seek re-election, which means Wyoming now becomes a prime pick-up opportunity for us. The scary thing for Democrats is that incumbent governors in Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois, Maryland and Iowa are far worse positioned than Freudenthal was.”

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, Chairman of the Republican Governors Association, today issued the following statement regarding Gov. Rick Perry’s victory in the Republican primary election:

“I congratulate Governor Perry on his victory tonight and am confident about our chances in the general election. Governor Perry is a good friend who has helped make Texas one of the top job-creating states in the country. He is providing Texas exactly the type of leadership needed to continue to grow and prosper.”

Nick Ayers, Executive Director of the Republican Governors Association, today issued the following statement regarding the nomination of Bill White in the Texas gubernatorial primary:

“While we will never take anything for granted, let’s just say we would be a lot more concerned if Bill White were the democratic candidate in New York where his run-up-the-debt fiscal policies, protection of illegal immigrants, and staunch support for President Obama’s leftist agenda might be a bit more palatable. It is going to cost the DGA a lot more than a half-million dollars of trial lawyer and big labor union money to give Bill White’s record the extreme makeover it is in need of.”