By Illinois Review
With the Illinois Republican primary just days away, sources say gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski does not plan to attend the Illinois Republican Party’s annual Unity Breakfast scheduled for March 18 in Naperville – the morning after the primary election.
The event is designed to bring Republican candidates together immediately after the primary to rally behind the party’s nominee and begin the unified effort to defeat Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker in the general election.
But according to individuals familiar with the event planning, Dabrowski has declined to participate.
Meanwhile, the other three Republican candidates in the race – DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, former state Sen. Darren Bailey, and businessman Rick Heidner – have all confirmed they will attend the breakfast.
All three have also pledged to support the Republican nominee for governor and assist that campaign in the fight to defeat Pritzker in November.
Multiple individuals familiar with discussions surrounding the event say Dabrowski does not intend to support the Republican nominee if he is not the candidate. By declining to attend the Unity Breakfast – the very event meant to demonstrate party unity – Dabrowski is already sending a clear message: if he loses, he won’t help.
For many Republican activists across Illinois, that decision raises serious questions.The morning after the primary is when candidates traditionally put their differences aside and stand together in front of voters. It’s a signal that the party is unified and ready to defeat the Democrats in November.
Instead, Dabrowski’s decision to stay away is being interpreted by many as an early concession that he does not expect to win – and that he has no intention of supporting the nominee who does.
That raises an obvious question: what message does that send to Dabrowski’s own supporters?
If their candidate refuses to unite behind the Republican nominee, are they expected to do the same?
For a party focused on defeating Pritzker – a governor who is expected to spend tens of millions of dollars to win reelection – that kind of division could have serious consequences.
Many Republican activists say the strategy reflects the influence of the political operatives running Dabrowski’s campaign.
His campaign is led by two of the most divisive figures in modern Illinois Republican politics – Jeanne Ives and longtime political consultant Dan Proft. Both have built reputations for attacking fellow Republicans while backing expensive political campaigns that repeatedly end in defeat.
Despite enormous financial backing from billionaire donor Richard Uihlein, their political efforts have produced little success.
Financial records show Uihlein has contributed approximately $59,018,000 to political action committees controlled by Proft since 2012.
That includes about $17 million directed to Liberty Principles PAC between 2012 and 2018 and another $42,018,000 poured into People Who Play By The Rules PAC in 2022.
After tens of millions of dollars spent, the result remains the same – not a single statewide victory.
Critics say the only consistent winner has been Proft himself.
Financial disclosures show Dabrowski’s campaign spent approximately $181,000 last quarter on staff and consultants, with the largest payment going to Proft – who earns roughly $25,000 per month from the campaign.
Now, as the Republican Party prepares to unite after the primary, one candidate appears to be heading in a very different direction.
And many Republicans are left wondering why.
