Question of the day
Monday, Jan 11, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
On December 5th, 2020, current Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider appointed four State Central Committee members to serve on a committee tasked with recommending a process for choosing a successor Chairman. This past Saturday, the State Central Committee unanimously approved the select committee’s recommendations on an open process and timeline for the selection of a new Chairman.
Key Details:
• Applications must be submitted by January 21, 2021, no later than 5 PM CST to ILGOP Executive Director Derek Murphy via email at derek@illinois.gop.
• The State Central Committee will meet January 23, 2021, to vet the candidates and select the finalists for interview.
• The State Central Committee will meet on January 30, 2021, to interview finalists and take a final vote on the selection of a new ILGOP Chairman.
• The Chairman selected by the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee in 2021 will serve the remainder of the four-year 2018-2022 term pursuant to the conditions and requirements of the Illinois Republican Party by-laws.
To read more about qualifications and to view/print the application, please CLICK HERE.
“In stark contrast to the Democratic Party of Illinois, the ILGOP is a grassroots-led party that functions with transparency and in service to all Republicans fighting to save Illinois. While the most corrupt politician in America, Mike Madigan, continues his white-knuckled control of the Democrat apparatus, Illinois Republicans are proud to have a process for the selection of a new leader open to all freedom-loving Illinoisans who believe they can continue growing our party.” - ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider
* Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) penned an op-ed about the state party’s direction…
Looking forward, the Illinois Republican Party must redouble its efforts to reach out to Illinoisans fed-up with years of corruption and disrespect due to one-party domination. Our priority should be putting Illinois workers and families first. We can accomplish this by applying policies that put money in the pockets of our workers and not the powerful, policies that empower Americans to live a better life for themselves and limits the power of government to make things worse.
At the same time, we need to reverse past policies that act as a deterrent to business expansion and job creation.
Illinois’ hope, recovery and restoration lies with true government reform and a return to government Abraham Lincoln so eloquently described as, “of the people, by the people, for the people.”
The next Illinois Republican Party chairman must have vision guided by tradition.
* The Question: Who should be the next ILGOP chair? Explain.
- Just Me 2 - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 1:50 pm:
Is this post snark? Are we really going to talk about how should lead the Republicans for the next 2 years today?
- Been There - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 1:58 pm:
Well since everything from the republicans is all about Madigan they should just appoint him. As we all know he has a resume for it.
- Rich Hill - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 1:58 pm:
My immediate thought, followed by a sinking feeling in my stomach, was Dan Proft. He seems just the person to both draw money from plutocrats and throw red meat to the Bailey types.
- Thomas Paine - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 1:59 pm:
Darren Bailey.
The moderates have been driving the bus for a long time. The result has been abyssmal.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:02 pm:
===today? ===
They put out the release today, so yeah.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:03 pm:
I’ll be watching.
It’ll be a huge deal to me. Make or break to the totality.
I’m very interested.
Maybe Adam Kinzinger.
- Webster - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:04 pm:
Travis Akin couldn’t have said it better.
- walker - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:13 pm:
An experienced, successful, retail campaigner. I’m sorry that no one comes right to mind, but that’s my own ignorance
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:14 pm:
Darren Bailey so we can watch the ILGOP either away.
- GOP Rebuilder - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:14 pm:
Two options:
1. Karen McConnaughay - (Former IL State Sen, Kane Co Chair. Moderate. Well respected. Well spoken)
3. John Shimkus (former Congressman - pull him out of a short-lived retirement. Battle tested. Well respected. No way he does it… lol)
- OneMan - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:15 pm:
Someone who needs their head examined.
Explain: At the end of the day you are going to have to raise money from people in Chicagoland for a party that is going to have a faction that doesn’t want Chicagoland as part of the state. You are going to have to try and figure out how to make the brand work better in the suburbs of Chicago and any movement on that branding is going to upset the ‘Eastern block’
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:16 pm:
Actually, today is a good day to consider this - The new session is about to begin, the GOP gained seats in the house, and the progressive tax was defeated.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:20 pm:
=== gained seats===
Net +1
The positive has been Cabello, Skillicorn, and Wehrli gone. That’s a good start to a party rebirth.
- Suburbanite - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:26 pm:
A proven leader, fundraiser, executive now retired Mayor RogerClaar
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:28 pm:
Mayor Roger Claar is a Trumpkin, unapologetically so.
That might send a different signal than unity.
- FDR Democrat - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:29 pm:
Bring back pat brady
- Deep Dish - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:31 pm:
Rich. Not Miller. The other Rich
Either him or Mike Z. Both have proven they know how to win (assuming it’s possible)
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:32 pm:
- Pat Brady -
Pat Brady is everything that was wrong in the Rauner years.
Pat Brady is the mirrored image of Dan Proft, in totality, and neither can be next, or in Brady’s case “returning”
- lake county democrat - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:33 pm:
I don’t know the players well enough to make an informed answer, so this name might be awful, but I asked myself “what Republican figure isn’t tied to Trump or Bailey/Ives but wouldn’t be rejected by the base out of hand” and came up with Bob O’Dekirk - cop (maybe “too cop” - but he’s not like the Chicago FOP guy either), lawyer, was in Iraq, and at least as far as I know has not been a flamethrower.
- X-nuke - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:37 pm:
Kinzinger, Shimkus, and Proft aren’t interested. I am in the anybody but Mark Shaw or Pat Brady. Need a proven fundraiser like Duchossois or Don Tracy.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:40 pm:
I’ll second Karen McConnaughay
- Club J - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:48 pm:
Give the job to Darren Bailey. Maybe it will keep him busy so he won’t the time for his little daily rants about how terrible Mike Madigan and the Democrats are and his daily photo ops.
Seems if all these Republicans works as hard helping the people they represent as they do trying to find fault in Madigan and his machine the people would be much better off. I don’t see things changing in the near future.
- JS Mill - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:49 pm:
If they were smart they would recruit a Jim Edgar type/caliber person.
If they were smart. But they are still pandering to the likes of Bailey so the seem like the plan is to move to a boutique sized party of mainly xenophobic kooks.
Too bad, as a strong ILGOP would keep the ILDP on its’ toes and possibly move it more toward the center.
- Blue Dog Dem - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:53 pm:
Ed McLean
- just curious - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:55 pm:
Jayme Odom
- Huh? - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 2:58 pm:
Didn’t last Wednesday teach the IGOP any thing? That words matter. This incessant harping on the alleged corruption by Madigan is going to get someone hurt.
Either put up evidence that Madigan is corrupt or shut up.
Until Madigan is charged with a crime, bailey and his ilk have nothing.
- Annonin' - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 3:07 pm:
Is Spanky Baise available?
- GOP Rebuilder - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 3:07 pm:
Dan Goodwin?
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 3:08 pm:
Agree with JS Mill. Like Biden said the other day, the dems need a strong Republican Party as a counterweight. Unfortunately the inmates run that particular asylum now. May as well give it to Bailey, since anyone who could conceivably get the post at this time wouldn’t dare stop pandering to their insurrectionist primary voters.
- Lt Guv - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 3:20 pm:
I’d like to nominate COVID-19 as IL Republican Party Chair. So many of them have done so much to promote it.
- CookR - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 3:28 pm:
Anyone who would offer to do the job is too crazy to be considered.
Anyone that would succeed at the job wouldn’t be accepted by the State Central Committee.
- SuburbanRepublican - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 3:30 pm:
I think the ILGOP needs someone that can work with it’s more conservative base but understands the need to be pragmatic and not alienate Chicago area voters. State Representative Tim Butler is someone I think could strike a good balance.
- oneholeoff - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 3:46 pm:
Tom RIcketts, just to get him away from trying to run the Cubs
- macombward bound - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 3:47 pm:
==Rich. Not Miller. The other Rich==
Why would he ever want that job? His profile is excellent as an actual candidate. Party chair would kill any chance of that.
- Cheesehead - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 3:52 pm:
Where is Alam Keyes when you really need him?
- Toothpicks and Ice Cream - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 5:17 pm:
Sean Morrison would be a decent pick. Not enough people know him, you say? Even better for that position.
- Mr. Morris - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 10:20 pm:
There are two people who immediately come to mind, but I am from the far west exurbs:
Karen McConnaughay- Former Kane County Board Chair and State Senator, respected and from the more moderate end of the party.
Scott Gryder- Kendall County Board Chair and Former Kendall GOP Chairman, extremely well respected in Kendall County and the different State Associations of Counties, conservative but not a Trump person.
For three dark horse candidates:
Dan Goodwin- Chairman and CEO of The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies
Dave Zimmerman- Tazwell County Chairman, conservative, and level-headed. However, his bid for the State Senate seat to replace Sen. Brady may preclude.
- Mr. Morris - Monday, Jan 11, 21 @ 10:23 pm:
The third dark horse candidate got cut off:
Adam Kinzinger- Congressman, conservative, anti-Trump, the only reason I list him as a dark horse is that if he takes the role he should not run Statewide.
- GOP Rebuilder - Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:58 pm:
Tim Butler would be great as well.