By Illinois Review
A new internal battle is erupting inside the Illinois Republican Party, and once again, Jeanne Ives is at the center – pushing a high-stakes power grab that critics say could fracture the party at a critical moment.
According to multiple sources familiar with the effort, Ives is actively working to remove current Illinois GOP Chair Kathy Salvi and replace her with disgraced former Vice Chair Mark Shaw, who was removed from his position in 2024.
The move is raising alarm among grassroots conservatives who see it as a calculated attempt to seize control of the party’s leadership and finances.
The strategy is clear. By installing Shaw as chairman, Ives would position herself as the head of fundraising – giving her control over the flow of money that determines which candidates rise and which are left behind.
But critics say this isn’t about winning elections – it’s about control.
Ives is coming off yet another humiliating loss, adding to a long record of failure despite enormous financial backing. Alongside Dan Proft, she has reportedly burned through more than $60 million of billionaire Richard Uihlein’s money with zero meaningful wins to show for it.
Now, insiders say, she’s resorting to the same playbook: invoking Uihlein’s name to pressure and intimidate party members into submission.
Even more troubling is the choice of Mark Shaw.
Shaw’s record is not just controversial – it’s disqualifying in the eyes of many Republicans. His tenure as Illinois GOP Vice Chair ended in disgrace following the 2024 “Dele-Gate” scandal, where he was accused of falsely representing himself as a delegate at the state convention and participating in votes he was not authorized to take part in.
But it was his response that shocked party members even more.
In a widely reported episode, Shaw penned a lengthy, angry manifesto defending his actions – while lashing out at fellow Republicans and the very grassroots base he was supposed to represent.
He referred to grassroots conservatives as “uninformed lemmings,” “keyboard warriors,” and “political hacks,” exposing what many see as deep contempt for the party’s base.
The meltdown didn’t stop there. Reports also detailed how Shaw threatened now Lt. Governor candidate Aaron Del Mar during the convention – challenging him to a physical fight after being urged to step aside in a leadership contest.
That history is now fueling even greater concern.
Shaw’s well-known hostility toward Del Mar has led many insiders to believe this leadership push is not accidental. Critics argue that installing Shaw is part of a broader effort by Ives to undermine the Bailey-Del Mar ticket from within – ensuring the State Central Committee and IL GOP apparatus work against them behind the scenes.
For grassroots conservatives, the pattern is familiar – and unacceptable. At a time when Illinois Republicans should be unified against Democrat leadership that has driven up crime, taxes, and outmigration, this internal power struggle threatens to weaken the party even further.
Instead of building a winning coalition, critics say Ives is doubling down on the same insider politics that have failed time and time again.
And for many in the Illinois GOP, the question is no longer just about leadership – it’s about whether the party will stand with its grassroots base, or allow itself to be controlled by the very operatives who have led it to repeated defeat.
