By Illinois Review
Former Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin is selling his home in Western Springs, just months after resigning from his seat in the legislature.
In November, the day after the election, Durkin announced that he was resigning as House Minority Leader.
During the midterm election, Durkin suffered embarrassing losses, giving House Democrats once again, supermajority control in the Illinois House – proving his ineffectiveness in creating a winning strategy for House Republicans.
In media interviews after announcing his resignation as House GOP leader, State Rep. Jim Durkin attempted to place all of the blame on the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump.
“As long as we continue to say that we are the party of Trump and that we have to abide by the party principles in the platform, 100% we’re gonna continue down this path of losing.”
Sources also confirmed to Illinois Review that the Illinois Republican Party is blaming Durkin for the party’s postage discount abuse, where mailers “Paid for by the Republican Party of Illinois” were sent during the primary to viciously attack conservative Republican grassroots candidates that were challenging Durkin’s friends and political allies.
And sources also confirm to Illinois Review that the IL GOP is under an official postage discount audit that was approved by the US Post Office’s Office of Inspector General – an audit that Republican party officials fear could drive them into bankruptcy as a result of its findings.
Just days before resigning from office, Durkin was the only Republican to join the Democrats, voting in favor of the assault weapons ban – a move that angered conservative Republicans across the state.
In November, just weeks after the midterm election, Durkin’s wife, Celeste Fisher wrote an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune defending her husband, and referring to him as an “endangered species.”
Fisher writes the bizarre piece from a mother’s perspective, while Durkin plays the role of “dad,” as she lectures the children about how great their dad is and what a mess they’ve made in Illinois, and that dad needs to drive around in his car to cool off.
“The mom in me wants to fold my arms, give the ‘Mom look’ to those who have made this mess and say, ‘Now look what you’ve done. What do you have to say for yourself, young man, young lady?”
Fisher then rattles off Durkin’s accomplishments as a liberal legislator and Republican leader, praising him for voting for the assault weapons ban and his low grade with the National Rifle Association; supporting the Equal Rights Amendment; and their friendship with Democratic US Sen. Dick Durbin.
Fisher even takes a jab at former President Donald Trump.
The piece then concludes with this odd and condescending tone as Fisher writes,
“But, Illinois Republican Party, you are in big trouble. I just can’t look at you right now. And while you sit up in your room, while your dad cools off, I really hope you think about what you’ve done.”
Fisher is part of Stanford University’s online novel writing program, and many believe that the Durkin’s are preparing to move out to California to be closer to the liberal school – a place that this publication is confident of, where they’ll be welcomed with open arms.
What better place for a Republican in Name Only (RINO) than Stanford University?
Here’s hoping that dad cools off by driving all the way to California – never to come back.
Republicans in Illinois will be in a much better place because of it.
