By Mark Vargas, Editor-in-Chief
Illinois Republican political circles are buzzing about potential candidates entering the governor’s race in 2026 – but with the Democrats’ super majority grip in Springfield – any Republican governor is doomed to fail.
It’s easy on the campaign trail to fire up the Republican base by suggesting – that as governor, you’d:
Create a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Call for term limits.
End corruption in Springfield and Chicago with uncompromising ethics legislation.
Make Illinois a pro-life state.
Reverse the assault weapons ban.
Reverse the anti-book-banning law.
Reverse gender-affirming laws in Illinois.
Pass tough on crime legislation.
End DEI practices.
End Illinois’ Sanctuary City and State statuses.
Cut taxes.
And make Illinois a pro-parental rights state.
But with Illinois House and Senate Democrats maintaining a super majority in both chambers of the legislature – any and all Republican legislative priorities would be dead on arrival.
That’s right. The Democratic Party would hold any Republican governor’s legislative priorities hostage in Springfield. Why? Because they can.
And if the governor wanted to pass any of their bills, they’d be forced to compromise with Democrats on issues that would surely anger their base of voters.
The bottom line? So long as Democrats control the Illinois legislature – any Republican governor will fail. And while Republicans could pick up some seats in the House and Senate – the momentum is not great enough to change the political landscape in Springfield.
Remember – Democrats can vote on bills and pass legislation without any Republican input or support.
The Illinois Republican Party is also a mess – fractured, dysfunctional and impotent. And fundraising is a challenge, which is why they’ve had to rely on two billionaires to fund races. But after a humiliating return on their investments – those men would be wise to stay away from Illinois Republican politics at least for the foreseeable future. $100 million was invested into two Republican candidates during the 2022 governor’s race – and Democrats not only won every statewide race – they also expanded their super majority control in the legislature.
While it’s clear that a Republican governor is doomed to fail, a Republican attorney general is not. In fact, a Republican AG could exert more power and influence than any Republican governor because they could hold elected officials accountable by enforcing existing laws. They would also have the power to launch investigations.
Think about it. If a Republican was AG during the pandemic, both Gov. JB Pritzker and the Democratic-controlled legislature would have been forced to ease up on restrictions – and their abuses of power would not have been tolerated in the AG’s office.
That’s a fact.
Knowledge is power. And as Thomas Jefferson once said, “A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.”
