By Illinois Review
During the 2022 Illinois Republican Primary, IL GOP leaders played favorites with their preferred list of so-called “establishment” candidates – even funding mailers that viciously attacked their conservative grassroots opponents.
And in exclusive audio obtained by Illinois Review, IL GOP chairman Don Tracy, during a meeting with conservative leaders in July, admits that the Richard Irvin campaign for governor was allowed to use the IL GOP postage discount for mailers – a perk not afforded to other candidates in the governor’s race.
But when it comes to supporting conservative school board candidates who are running in the upcoming April 4th election, the IL GOP is silent – despite messages from candidates to Republican leaders asking for help in the form of infrastructure support, walk lists and voter data.
And candidates have confirmed that IL GOP leaders replied to emails asking for help with messages that included,
“Sorry, we can’t help you.”
Meanwhile, Gov. JB Pritzker, D, is publicly attacking conservative grassroots organizations that recruit and support local school board candidates, calling them “racists” and “anti-LGBTQ” among other things.
Gov. Pritzker is even directing funding to support Democratic school board candidates across the state, while IL GOP leaders have all but abandoned the conservative ones.
IL GOP chairman Don Tracy argues that the party does not have the funding to support local school board candidates because the focus is on funding the party’s “infrastructure” – whatever that means – even writing in Friday’s Chairman’s Memo that,
“This, of course, is a tough love way of saying that the State Party is not able to finance the campaigns of the thousands of great Illinois Republicans that run for office in both partisan races like last November and non-partisan races like this Spring in which the candidates do not run under a party banner.”
But Tracy and the party didn’t have a problem financing mailers that attacked conservative candidates during the primary – with the words “Paid for by the Illinois Republican Party” printed across the top.
And Tracy and the party didn’t have a problem financing a lavish downtown Chicago luncheon featuring former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer.
And they certainly didn’t have a problem financing the salary of IL GOP general counsel John Fogarty, who at the same time, served as the general counsel for Irvin’s campaign for governor during the primary.
And while the IL GOP brags about the measly $2.2 million they raised over the last two years, not one penny was spent in support of conservative candidates.
The IL GOP is obsessed with money, and they heap praise on their donors, yet they don’t even support what really matters in elections — and that’s strong, conservative grassroots candidates who can win elections.
Just a few weeks ago, Illinois State Sen. Celina Villanueva, D, introduced legislation to allow illegal aliens to register to vote in Illinois school board elections.
The proposed legislation states,
“The State Board of Education shall create a voter registration affidavit that shall be the exclusive means by which a noncitizen of the United States may register to vote in school board elections.”
The legislation goes on to cite Article III Section 1 of the Illinois Constitution that school board races are considered “non-State elections” and that illegal aliens could vote in school board races because there is not a specific citizenship requirement for voting in such an election.
And where’s the IL GOP? They are silent.
Observe any flyer promoting an event featuring school board candidates, or an event talking about school board issues – and you won’t see the IL GOP’s logo anywhere.
Why? Because they don’t care.
Ronald Reagain famously said,
“The nine most terrifying words in the english language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”
And here in Illinois, there’s eleven words in the english language that conservatives will never hear – and that’s,
“I’m from the Illinois Republican Party and I’m here to help.”
And it’s why Republicans can’t win elections.
And perhaps, that’s on purpose.
If they don’t have any money, they could use their GOP Positions and get on Local Radio, I am talking to EVERY elected official I see in these FANCY LUNCHEON PICTURES! Sanguinetti, Richard Irvin etc etc . They can ask the audience as a reminder what School Board Candidates they are supporting, Why and talk about the NASTY curriculum that is being taught at the schools. I am SURE……….. WMAY Greg Bishop would be more than happy to with a call from THE CHAIRMAN to let him on and come and support the local candidates. Don Tracy could do interviews from the Comfort of his nice warm home in Springfield, Illinois! All while the children in Illinois can’t read or write or add or subtract, But boy they they sure know about how to sneak around behind the backs of their parents and learn about Sex-change operations! Thanks for your help Don Tracy! And hey, All this advice for FREE.
All the GOP Candidates got Raises Correct? Come on Guys and gals, Throw a Little LOVE the way of School Board Candidates!! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ And Minority Leader Tony Mc Combie got 119,900 from the Teachers UNION. Come on TONY! Is that money paid to you to keep you quiet as it relates to everything Schools and School Children?
Tony McCombie is class. Her job is to not get School Board Candidates elected. Her job is get State Reps elected. We went from 47 to 40 out of 118 in the last election. She has to rebuild that up and that is a tough job. When did the Republican Party become responsible for Conservative Candidates in non-partisan elections? Because Vargas said so?
Did you even read past the headline? Did you read the article at all, or just rush straight to the comments to pen your love letter to McCombie?
Because if you read the article, you would see that this has NOTHING to do with McCombine. It has everything to do with the IL GOP – Don Tracy and his 17 worthless committeemen, who have done NOTHING TO HELP THE CANDIDATES.
Read the article and watch the clip of the candidates who spoke that they have emailed the IL GOP and have either received no response or they got some “Sorry, we can’t help you” missive.
This comes from the guy, Don Tracy, who just put out his worthless memo on all the “infrastructure” they have. Assuming that means Walk Lists, that’s what the candidates are requesting.
We have vile human scum running our schools, teaching our kindergartners disgusting topics. This is our only chance to fix the future. Pritzker is attacking candidates and pouring money and resources galore into the mix.
And the IL GOP is nowhere to be find. They need to RESIGN — if Mr. Mayor, if you disagree with this, tender your resignation too. WE ARE SICK OF SPINELESS, FECKLESS “LEADERS” LIKE YOU.
All the GOP Candidates got Raises Correct? Come on Guys and gals, Throw a Little LOVE the way of School Board Candidates!! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ And Minority Leader Tony Mc Combie got 119,900 from the Teachers UNION. Come on TONY! Is that money paid to you to keep you quiet as it relates to everything Schools and School Children? Breaking: Powerful Teachers Union That Supported Mandates, Helped Write Sex Education Standards, Donated to Illinois Republicans LEST WE FORGET! The National Education Association – an organization whose state association in Illinois endorsed Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker for governor and Democrat Kwame Raoul for attorney general; promoted mandates during the pandemic, and helped write the controversial sex education standards, has donated more than $1.5 million to Illinois House and Senate Republicans since the start of the pandemic through their political action committee, Illinois PAC for Education (IPACE).