SPRINGFIELD – Key IL GOP leaders have been vocal for days and weeks about the 2020 presidential election, demanding President Trump concede. Others are saying it's too soon, that the process needs to play itself out.
RNC National Committeewoman Demetra DeMonte told Illinois Review this week that calls for Trump to concede from fellow Republicans are premature.
"We gave Al Gore 37 days to work through the process in 2000," DeMonte said. "That's the least we can do for President Trump."
Illinois GOP House leader Jim Durkin told the Chicago Sun Times last Thursday that Trump should concede minutes after State Rep. Grant Wehli (R-Naperville) publicly called for Trump to give up on his re-election bid.
"It's very simple," Durkin, who was also a leading 2016 John Kasich supporter, said with a smirk. "The election is over. Begin the transition process… I hope the president understands there's no avenue for him to overturn the results…"
Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-16) is getting stronger and stronger with his demands that the Republican Party stop encouraging President Trump to fight the 2020 election results and instead force him to concede. Kinzinger, who was weakly challenged for another term, continues to line up with the anti-Trump faction of the party – both at the national and the state levels.
Two days ago, Kinzinger tweeted:
Now would be a great time to denounce this, @gop how embarrassing. Our party needs to be better than giving credence to these insane conspiracy theories. https://t.co/urkllgQKJi
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) November 23, 2020
In addition, retiring Congressman John Shimkus (R-15) has congratulated Joe Biden on being elected president in 2020.
