WASHINGTON – There's good news and bad news about Illinois lawmakers' conservative-ness in the American Conservative Union (ACU) 2017 Ratings.
"It is our hope that these ratings will serve as a guide showing who can be relied on to fight for conservative principles and restore the role of government to what our nation’s founding fathers envisioned," ACU's executive director Matt Schlapp wrote on the recently-issued guide.
Reviewing over 20 roll calls in both chambers, the ACU found no Republican senators that scored 90 to 100%, and only six House members – Bourne, Breen, Cavaletto, Frese, Halbrook and Ives – that rated highest.
In the ACU's 80 to 89% category, two senators – Tim Bivins and Kyle McCarter – rated. Neither are running for re-election in 2018. Twenty-four IL GOP House members rates 80 to 89%.
The scores, the votes and the rankings are all available to download here: Download Illinois_2017 Conservative Union Foundation Rankings or viewable HERE
Looking at the ratings, it seems interesting that many Republican scores are lower from the previous assembly and many Democrats have higher ratings than previously. There is still a large difference between right and left, but there is a noticeable trend of “combine-ing” their positions in the ILGA.
Interesting point Ron Brzoka. Why do you think that is happening?
Oh, let’s get serious here. There is barely a Republican office holder in Illinois who would even be allowed in the Republican party in seriously conservative states like Utah, Texas or Idaho. They would be considered center-left Democrats there.
Independent conservatives in Illinois should boycott their candidacies.
If they want to pander for votes among recent immigrants and suburban single soccer moms – let them.
Best of luck to them in getting them – because they will need an awful lot of them to offset the loss of around 30% of their former Republican base.
I think we have elected too many “Republicans” who are cowards in the face of liberal newspaper writers, leftist letters to editors, and crackpot editorials.