SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. Pat Quinn is drawing on support from families of gun violence victims in his push for an assault weapons ban in his re-election bid against Republican Bruce Rauner.

The Democrat appeared today in Chicago with Sandy and Lonnie Phillips, whose daughter was killed in the 2012 theater shootings in Colorado. Illinois families also spoke, including the mother of slain Chicago teen Blair Holt who died in 2007 public bus shooting.

Quinn supports banning assault weapons. But previous legislative attempts have failed. Quinn says he has to build a majority and a Cook County ballot question on the issues will help.

Rauner says regulations on assault weapons could raise constitutional issues, but supports background checks to keep such weapons away from criminals and the mentally ill.

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