The IL GOP’s Reliance on Pricey, Establishment-Favored Political Consultants is Fueling Democratic Victories

By Illinois Review

The 2024 General Election results are out, and it’s a bleak landscape for Republicans across Illinois. Despite a marked surge in conservative voter enthusiasm and strong support for Donald Trump, Illinois GOP leadership—specifically the Illinois Senate Republican Organization (SRO), Illinois House Republican Majority Organization (HRO) and the IL GOP itself – has overseen yet another election cycle marked by crushing losses and baffling strategic blunders. From a slate of uncontested races to weak, establishment candidates, the results underscore a long-standing problem within the party’s leadership structure and knowing how to win.

While Donald Trump gained an additional 4.5 percentage points in Illinois compared to 2020, Republican candidates across the state were unable to translate this into success in local races. The GOP also lost ground in critical areas, especially in Cook County, Will County and other collar counties where Republicans could – and should – be winning more support. This repeated failure can be traced directly to the ineffective consultants and backward-looking strategies endorsed by the IL GOP, SRO and HRO.

For Illinois Republicans, the results in House and Senate races are a brutal reflection of systemic mismanagement. Out of 118 state House races, Republicans managed only 38 victories while Democrats took 38 seats uncontested. In the state Senate, out of 24 races, Republicans captured just four seats while Democrats went unchallenged in seven districts. These are numbers that expose not just a bad night for Republicans but a trend of negligence that’s gone unchecked.

In congressional races, the story was similarly grim. Out of 17 races, Republicans only won three – a paltry showing for a state with strong conservative pockets. Republican candidates in the state Senate and House are frustrated with many feeling that the party’s strategy directly hampered their efforts.

In traditionally strong Republican areas, voter turnout was high, yet the candidates couldn’t convert that energy into victories. Why? The blame lies squarely with leadership’s failure to support grassroots candidates, opting instead to prop up establishment figures with a record of consistent failure.

One thing is clear: the IL GOP’s consultants have done nothing to earn their keep and organizations like COR Strategies, Strive Strategies and Arenna LLC have taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting fees without delivering any noticeable success.

Incredibly, the party continues to hire these groups, relying on their advice year after year despite results that show a clear trend of decline for Illinois Republicans. The party’s entrenched reliance on these consultants has become a problem that cannot be ignored if Republicans ever hope to regain even a foothold in the state again.

COR Strategies has been one of the most significant drains on the IL GOP’s resources, peddling ineffective and outdated tactics that simply don’t resonate with today’s voters. Their strategy relies heavily on mailers, a tactic that’s been shown time and again to be ineffective. Voters are quick to discard these impersonal pieces, but consultants continue to push for them because it’s profitable and generates more revenue. Strive Strategies and Arenna LLC are no better.

In addition to the failed tactics, the Illinois GOP and its affiliated organizations have turned a cold shoulder to grassroots candidates. For years, HRO and SRO leadership has systematically discouraged promising conservative candidates from running, preferring to back establishment figures who consistently fail to energize the Republican base. The result? A state increasingly dominated by Democratic incumbents where Republicans barely stand a chance.

While grassroots candidates struggle with limited resources, there is some glimmer of hope as IL GOP leaders Kathy Salvi and Aaron Del Mar – with the assistance of national committeeman Dean White – have helped raise over $800,000 for local campaign efforts – a much-needed infusion for candidates starved of resources.

Republican county chairs across Illinois worked tirelessly to support their candidates in this crucial election. County chairs like Kane County’s Andro Lerario and Will County’s Christina Clausen went above and beyond to help their county-wide candidates, county board candidates, as well as state House and Senate races.

These leaders poured in countless hours, organized events and drove grassroots efforts in their regions hoping to make gains for the Republican Party. However, despite their tireless dedication, they were left to fend for themselves without the essential backing from the state-level leadership and organizations like the SRO and HRO.

Across Illinois, counties in desperate need of resources and strategic support were completely let down, undermining the work of local leaders and costing the GOP valuable opportunities. This abandonment by the higher-ups only adds to the frustration felt by county chairs and the local Republicans they worked so hard to support.

If Illinois Republicans want a real chance at turning the state around, the IL GOP must embrace a full house-cleaning. The IL GOP, SRO and HRO’s reliance on consultants is draining resources with nothing to show for it.

The priorities of IL GOP must shift and they should be investing in door-to-door outreach, phone banking and voter engagement efforts. By clinging to outdated strategies, the consultants are holding the party back and demoralizing candidates and supporters alike.

If the party refuses to adapt, Illinois conservatives will face another cycle of disappointment – watching Democrats expand their power and influence unchecked. Without a bold, decisive overhaul, the IL GOP risks fading into irrelevance as an ineffective, out-of-touch organization in a state that desperately needs conservative leadership.