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Gov. Rauner, First Lady To Be Grandparents

Rauner at gym with students
Brian Mackey
/
NPR Illinois
Gov. Bruce Rauner chats with students at Ball Charter School in Springfield in this 2017 file photo.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner is expecting a new addition to his family: he and First Lady Diana Rauner are becoming first-time grandparents.

Rauner, 61, has six children, all grown, so this was bound to happen at some point.

Still, the governor seemed caught off guard when reporters asked about it this week.

“Uhhh, well,” Rauner said before laughing. “Um, OK. I wasn’t going to about that, but I’m happy — you know what, we’re so excited, I’m sort of busting at the buttons.”

Rauner says he and the first lady will be traveling to the west coast to be with their daughter and her husband. But that’s about all he’s saying.

“Boy or girl?” a reporter asked.

“Uhh.” Rauner paused. “I’m not supposed to say.”

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
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