By Illinois Review
In an unscientific Twitter poll conducted by former IL GOP nominee for Attorney General Tom DeVore, 93 percent, when asked, “Does IL need a new GOP chairman,” said yes. 7 percent said no. The poll received a total of 522 votes.
The poll is a sampling of the feelings of conservative grassroots activists across the state who were devastated by the losses during the Nov. 8th election, despite promises from IL GOP leadership that a red wave was approaching and that we would see major victories on election night.
In July, IL GOP chairman Don Tracy proclaimed, “Our party is strong, it’s united, and it will be successful in the upcoming elections…Illinois Republicans will deliver!”
But that’s not what happened – and the only thing the IL GOP, under Don Tracy’s leadership delivered to Democrats were major victories and supermajority control in the IL House and Senate. Leaving Illinois Republicans voiceless and irrelevant on local and state matters.
The embattled GOP chair is facing calls for his resignation from every day, hardworking conservative grassroots activists. And externally, his state central committee is trying to show a united front in support of Tracy, but behind-the-scenes, many of them are trying to rally support to replace him as GOP chairman.
Supporters – and the list is very small of GOP establishment allies, are proving why Republicans continue to lose election after election – and why we need a new leader at the top. In social media posts and comments on Illinois Review articles, they are condescending, arrogant and out-of-touch towards – not the Democrats, but towards fellow Republicans.
But they are no match to the grassroots activists who outnumber them by the tens of thousands. During the primary, conservative, anti-establishment candidate State Sen. Darren Bailey embarrassed the GOP establishment by beating their candidate Richard Irvin by 37 points – despite Irvin having the endorsements of a long list of GOP establishment-types including many on the state central committee:
Tim Schneider, former IL GOP Chairman
Richard Porter, National Republican Committeeman
Leslie Munger, former IL Comptroller
State Rep. Tim Ozinga
Jim Durkin, IL House GOP leader
Judy Diekelman, State Central Committee member
Aren Hansen, State Central Committee member
Kathy Hilton, State Central Committee member
Nimish Jani, State Central Committee member
Sean Morrison, State Central Committee member
Lynn O’Brien, State Central Committee member
Jay Reyes, State Central Committee member
Several names have surfaced in the last week as potential candidates to replace Tracy, including state central committee member for the 8th District, Dean White; state central committee member for the 15th District, State Sen. Jason Plummer, 54th District; Will County grassroots activist and founder of Illinois Patriots group Christina Clausen; former US Senate candidate Peggy Hubbard; and businessman and former candidate for governor Gary Rabine.
The next state central committee meeting is scheduled for December 10th at the Bolingbrook Golf Club in Bolingbrook.
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