This content is from: Corner Office
The 2017 Pension Political Power 25: Bruce Rauner
No. 2. Bruce Rauner, Governor of Illinois
In 2015, Republican Bruce Rauner, former chairman of private equity firm GTCR, was elected governor of Illinois — which has one of the most underfunded state government pension systems in the country — on a promise to bring fiscal stability. Illinois has since become ground zero for pension reform. In December, Rauner, who has a history of antiunion positions, vetoed a bill that would have provided $215 million for pensions for Chicago public school teachers; he said any bailout needed to be tied to statewide pension changes, which he’s been trying to ram through the legislature since he took office. State Democrats overrode his veto, but Rauner, who turns 60 this month, has more support in the House, which has yet to vote. He has appointed outspoken pension reformer Marc Levine to head the $15 billion Illinois State Board of Investment. Levine has done one thing to make pension backers happy: He slashed ISBI’s hedge fund portfolio. — Michelle Celarier
 1. Andy Puzder Secretary of Labor  2. Bruce Rauner Governor of Illinois  3. Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education  4. Laura & John Arnold Founders, Laura and John Arnold Foundation  5. Steven Mnuchin Secretary of the Treasury |
 6. Wilbur Ross Secretary of Commerce  7. Tani Cantil-Sakauye California Chief Justice  8. Paul Ryan Speaker of the House  9. Anthony Scaramucci Founder, SkyBridge Capital  10. Kevin de León California State Senator and President Pro Tempore |
 11. Mike Enzi Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security  12. Steve Sweeney President, New Jersey State Senate  13. Jerry Brown Governor of California  14. Corey Lewandowski Co-founder, Avenue Strategies  15. Paul Singer President, Elliott Management Corp. |
 16. Randel Johnson Senior Vice President, Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits, U.S. Chamber of Commerce  17. Joe Manchin U.S. Senator  18. Kenneth Feinberg Founder and managingpartner, Feinberg Rozen  19. Scott Walker Governor of Wisconsin  20. Richard Trumka President, AFL-CIO |
 21. Mike Rawlings Mayor of Dallas  22. Elizabeth Warren U.S. Senator  23. Kent Mason Partner, Davis & Harman  24. Bernie Sanders U.S. Senator  25. Randi Weingarten President, American Federation of Teachers |