PEORIA – The Illinois Republican Party elites heard from the state's grassroots Saturday in the only controversy that made it to the convention floor – a vote to maintain the definition of marriage as "one-man, one-woman" as it was stated in the 2012 IL GOP platform.
"The conservatives sent a message to the party's leadership that we will not be told how we feel about social issues – we will tell them what we stand for," Jackson County delegate Sharee Langenstein told Illinois Review after the vote.
The members of the IL GOP's Platform committee worked to file a minority report objecting to the changes made in committee Friday, and 79 delegation leaders – 29 more than required – signed onto the minority report, forcing a delegate floor vote.
After losing in the platform committee 10 to 7, the final vote was overwhelming in support of maintaining the one-man, one-woman definition of marriage. They needed 490 votes to pass, and 782 stood in support of the effort.
State Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard) worked with Langenstein, also an attorney, to organize the effort and whip the votes, along with others, including Senator Dan McConchie, Lake County GOP Chairman Mark Shaw, Chicago GOP Chairman Chris Cleveland, Macoupin County GOP Chairman Terri Koyne and Illinois Family Action's David Smith.
Breen, McConchie and State Rep. Terri Bryant argued for the minority report during the floor debate. A downstate minister argued for the change, along with Schaumburg Township GOP Committeeman Ryan Higgins.
"Today's robust floor debate and vote on marriage demonstrated the strength of the Illinois Republicans. Unlike the backroom dealmaking of Mike Madigan and his Illinois Democrat Party, the Illinois Republican Party makes decisions openly, transparently and fairly," Breen said in a statement after the vote.
"Today's 80% supermajority vote reaffirmed that Republicans stand for children and families, along with limited government and economic opportunity for all. Thank you to Chairman Tim Schneider and the leadership of the Illinois Republican Party for a well-run convention. Illinois Republicans are united for victory headed into November."
Key members of the platform committee that agreed to file the minority report, and worked to take to the delegates included delegates Raquel Mitchell of the 11th CD, Terri Koyne of the 13th CD and Jan Klaas of the 16th CD.
And during their delegate addresses, Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) and Mike Bost (IL-13) asked the delegates to retain the 2012 platform language. Earlier in the day U.S. Reps. Peter Roskam, John Shimkus and Darin LaHood issued statements supporting the 2012 language.
"Conservatives are the ones that come to conventions, knock on doors, gather petition signatures," Langenstein told IR. "This effort today showed what conservatives can do if they work together. There's hope for the Illinois Republican Party."
Secretary of St. Clair County Republican Party's Mary Thurman wrote on her Facebook page, "A lot of people at the Convention didn't sleep last night preparing paperwork and getting required signatures to bring the vote to the floor. Thank you to all of them. All Illinois Republicans should know about the united effort they put forth in the last 24 hours to keep marriage in our platform."
Thanks to Austin Davies of Rockford, we have an audio/video of the floor discussion on Section 7 – Strengthening the Families
