By Illinois Review
Illinois Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski is calling for the creation of a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), following a similar proposal unveiled last week by primary rival Darren Bailey.
The proposal mirrors a federal initiative launched last year by President Donald Trump focused on identifying waste, fraud, and abuse across federal agencies.
Both Illinois Republicans argue a comparable effort is needed in Springfield, where state spending has expanded significantly under Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker.
Bailey announced his plan first on Friday, outlining a defined structure and leadership team. “One of the first actions our administration will take is launching DOGE for Illinois,” Bailey said. “This will be a transparency-first project with the Lieutenant Governor at the helm. Aaron Del Mar will serve as Illinois’ DOGE Czar, responsible for putting waste, fraud, and abuse on public display.”
Dabrowski echoed the call for DOGE during a Tuesday press conference in Chicago. Coverage of the event by the Chicago Tribune highlighted what it described as conflicting messages in Dabrowski’s remarks.
According to the Tribune, Dabrowski raised concerns that rapid growth in human services spending under Pritzker could pose risks for misuse of taxpayer dollars, while also acknowledging he was not citing any known cases of fraud and that the spending increases themselves could be lawful and appropriate.
The Tribune described the press conference as “filled with contradictions,” noting that Dabrowski pointed to spending growth as a warning sign while conceding he was not aware of any improper expenditures.
Budget policy has been a central focus of Dabrowski’s campaign, making the mixed messaging noteworthy.
Dabrowski also took aim at Illinois residents themselves, portraying voters as disengaged and incapable of understanding state finances.
“Everyday Illinoisans are just getting whacked and still nobody seems to care,” he said, adding that “nobody understands a budget” and “nobody wants to look at budgets.”
Dabrowski further attempted to draw parallels between Illinois’ growth in human services spending and a recent fraud investigation in Minnesota. That investigation has contributed to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announcing he will not seek another term.
However, Dabrowski emphasized he was not alleging wrongdoing in Illinois.
“I’m not making an accusation today of fraud in Illinois. I’m not doing that,” he said. He later added, “I’m not making any accusations of fraud. I am saying that these kind of growth rates parallel the kind of stuff that could happen in Minnesota.”
Separately, on Monday, Dabrowski shared a post on his official gubernatorial Facebook page from senior campaign advisor Jeanne Ives highlighting an article published by a recently created blog that identified its author only by a first name, drawing attention to the campaign’s messaging around DOGE.
The post praised Dabrowski’s fiscal background and asserted he was “doing DOGE before it became popularized,” referencing the Department of Government Efficiency concept now gaining traction among conservative voters.
Both Republican candidates have made fiscal oversight a central theme of their campaigns, citing long-standing concerns over Illinois’ budget, taxes, and spending growth.
While Bailey has laid out specific details on how his proposed DOGE would operate, Dabrowski’s remarks focused more broadly on spending trends and the need for additional scrutiny.
As the Republican primary continues to take shape, government efficiency and budget accountability are expected to remain key issues, with voters weighing not only the proposals themselves but also how clearly each candidate articulates their approach to oversight and reform.
