By Illinois Review
Outgoing Illinois Republican State Sen. Dan McConchie, 26th Dist., who wrote a scathing opinion piece in the Chicago Sun-Times accusing President Donald Trump of inciting “violence” and “sedition” on January 6th – has issued a strong endorsement for his replacement – backing the GOP state party chairwoman’s son – citing his “loyalty” as one of his qualifications to lead the Senate district.
In a January 7, 2021 OpEd in the Chicago Sun-Times, McConchie wrote,
“I have never before had to question whether my president was inciting violence or sedition…This riotous activity could understandably cause an instinctual reaction to abandon the party claimed by the president and the people who put him in the position to abuse his power and encourage this chaos.”
McConchie then praised the IL GOP for its commitment to rooting out corruption, writing,
“Here in Illinois, the GOP is centered around rooting out the corruption that festers in the halls of our government and restoring the public’s faith in our representative democracy. It is this shared value system and dedication that will be the cornerstone of our renewal.”
The state party chairwoman’s son is young and virtually unknown in political circles, and sources confirm with this publication that chairwoman Salvi has been lobbying hard behind-the-scenes for her son to be named as a state senator. Many believe that she is using what little influence she has over state party matters to ensure that her son gets the appointment.
The lobbying effort is also being viewed statewide as an abuse of power and a blatant example of nepotism – creating a perception of corruption that McConchie applauds the state party for going after.
The state party chairwoman has been ineffective since taking over the reins of the party this past Summer after her friend and former IL GOP chair Don Tracy – who has deep Democratic connections and was a Never Trumper – resigned in disgrace.
To date, the IL GOP has no fundraising, get out the vote or grassroots outreach plan in place. And instead, Salvi prefers to travel across the state giving hugs instead of providing direction and leadership.
In his endorsement letter of Joe Salvi, McConchie wrote,
“In considering who to support as my replacement, I looked for similar qualities. I wanted someone who was a trustworthy Republican and who had the personality and skill set needed to win. Joe is that person. I hope you will join me in ensuring this district is in the best possible hands for the 2026 election cycle.”
On Wednesday, state central committee member Aaron Del Mar resigned in disgust as co-chair of the IL GOP and terminated Lynn O’Brien as his deputy state central committee person after she endorsed Joe Salvi before reviewing any of the other candidates who will be up for consideration.
O’Brien endorsed Richard Irvin for governor during the 2022 gubernatorial primary and remains close with Kathy Salvi, Richard Porter and former IL GOP chair Don Tracy, who has deep Democratic ties.
Irvin voted in recent elections as a Democrat, spoke at a Black Lives Matter Rally shouting, “I can’t breathe,” called Trump a “racist” and “bigot” and referred to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker as a “friend” repeatedly. He would go on and lose the primary to the Trump-endorsed candidate by 43 points.
Several individuals are interested in the position being vacated by McConchie on February 2nd.
