* Politico…
GOP to name party chair: Members of the Republican State Central Committee will meet in Bloomington on Saturday to elect a new party chairman. There’s concern among some Republicans that the meeting is purposely being done in person in Bloomington, which is inaccessible to many, so as to keep the public out. GOP leaders will interview applicants Mark Shaw, the Lake County Republican chairman; Don Tracy, the former head of the Illinois Gaming Board in the Rauner administration; and Scott Gryder, an attorney from Kendall County.
* I checked in with the ILGOP…
It’s in Bolingbrook and always has been in Bolingbrook.
Well, they both start with a “B.”
I’m told the candidate interview names are correct, though, so let’s focus on that. Your thoughts?
- CubsFan16 - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 10:44 am:
Dems should pray that Shaw gets it. Talk about a disaster.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 10:47 am:
Oddly, I’m disappointed… no Goldberg.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 10:54 am:
Politico is killing it lately…
- Vanilly - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 10:54 am:
If it’s south of Soldier Field, it’s all looks the same to her.
- Vanilly - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 10:54 am:
==Politico is killing it lately…==
sanity?
common sense?
journalistic standards?
- Anon221 - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 10:54 am:
How is Bolingbrook considered inaccessible? Are they requiring passports for the Eastern Bloc members??? Or is it because of COVID-19 restrictions, and they want the meeting Zoomed?
- Langhorne - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 10:55 am:
Tracy(Rauner) = NO
- Nagidam - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 10:59 am:
===Dems should pray that Shaw gets it. Talk about a disaster.===
Someone on the committee should use the Googles and see what has transpired in Lake County under Mark Shaw’s leadership. It ain’t pretty and should disqualify him from consideration.
- Oldtimer - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 10:59 am:
I remember Don Tracy running for the State Senate on the Democratic ticket against Larry Bomke on a pro-income tax hike for education platform.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:00 am:
“Someone on the committee should use the Googles and see what has transpired in Lake County under Mark Shaw’s leadership. It ain’t pretty and should disqualify him from consideration.”
Losing seats due to radicalism isn’t the outlier in GOP circles anymore. It’s the strategy.
- Nagidam - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:02 am:
===Tracy(Rauner) = NO===
Don Tracy has at least stepped up to run statewide and would understand the needs of candidates. I don’t think someone that was appointed by former Gov. Rauner should be a nonstarter. Plus this job involves some expenditures that are probably covered by the Chairperson. Tracy has the ability to pay for some things others could not.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:08 am:
=== I don’t think someone that was appointed by former Gov. Rauner should be a nonstarter.===
Depends who that person is.
Also might be interesting where all three sit on the insurrection that occurred.
Are they going to stand with LaHood, Bost, Miller… Davis… that insurrection is no big whoop, definitely not impeachable for a president to incite an insurrection… or with Kinzinger?
If the ILGOP is going to parrot conspiracy theories, welcome racists, ignore insurrectionist… I’d rather they just say Mary Miller, Bost, LaHood… Davis… they are the voice in DC the ILGOP supports.
It’ll help me out a great deal.
- Annonin' - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:14 am:
Bolingbrook is lovely this time of year. Hopefully the Mayor Emeritus is available to offer a devotional welcome message. Hopefully bad weather won’t cut Crowd
- Northside Chicago Republican - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:23 am:
He’s fit, he’s ready, he knows the issues. One man fits the bill. The humble man from Oswego should be interviewed for the GOP position.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:25 am:
=== He’s fit, he’s ready, he knows the issues. One man fits the bill. The humble man from Oswego should be interviewed for the GOP position.===
Tom Cross passed.
- Oldtimer - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:29 am:
Are OW and Scott Gryder one and the same?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:30 am:
=== one and the same?===
I don’t think so, when I see him I’ll ask him.
- Louis G Atsaves - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:30 am:
For those mindlessly and breathlessly opposing anyone appointed by Rauner to a State Position, so was Mark Shaw appointed to a State Position.
Try instead looking at the candidate track records and their leadership records.
- Gold Coast Moderate Republican - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:32 am:
I second the notion. Why not OW? He knows the issues as good as anyone. All the individuals, running right now, couldn’t do any better than OW. Look at the recent GOP track record. I’m sure OW could improve what the GOP is doing as a party.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:35 am:
===…opposing anyone appointed by Rauner to a State Position, so was…===
Rauner tainted and stained quite a few folks, others made out on the deal.
They can always disavow how Rauner ruined the state, made trade labor walk from the GOP, held hostage universities… turn the page on Rauner. No one will stop them. Heck, after Rauner was humiliated, I’m still shocked how many with pride say they were with Rauner.
This could be a real new beginning, and a chance to build. Will any of the three see that… or just spout the conspiracy rhetoric, welcome racists, play down an insurrection… I dunno, but I hope they are asked.
- don the legend - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:36 am:
Sorry but OW would never work as the GOP chair. He told us yesterday he swears quite a bit.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:37 am:
=== He told us yesterday he swears quite a bit.
===
Then when on the golf course… yikes.
:)
- Commisar Gritty - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:38 am:
Mark Curran is crazy and loud enough. But does he use enough dog whistles for downstate? Jk of course he does
- Ghost of Jim Thompson - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:42 am:
It’s time to wipe the slate clean from Rauner and Trump. OW is the perfect person for the Illinois GOP. You can’t say he doesn’t know the issues. You can’t say he doesn’t know how to debate. He really is better than all the listed candidates.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:46 am:
A nutso Trumper, a swamp king lawyer who made illegal political contributions and another attorney.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:49 am:
Some questions…
If this thing was in Bloomington, how would it be inaccessible exactly?
I believe both Bolingbrook and Bloomington are accessible by I-55.
To the candidates:
1. As IL GOP president, is Don Tracy going to continue his ongoing lawsuit against the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission for its findings that led to him stepping down from the IL Gaming Board?
2. In hindsight, does Mark Shaw regret the Lake County GOP endorsing Jim Oberweis in IL-14 this past cycle?
3. Does Scott Gryder support efforts to primary or censure Adam Kinzinger given that his county party’s chairman sought to primary him in 2017 way before he voted to impeach Donald Trump?
- Moderate Voter - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:51 am:
There’s no way Shaw, Tracy and Gryder could survive in a debate with OW.
- CubsFan16 - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:53 am:
Mark Shaw’s plan to fix Illinois:
1. Run Jeanne Ives and Jim Oberweis for statewide office.
2. Lose.
3. Blame others for losing.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 11:59 am:
- hisgirlfriday -
Great questions, I’d be interested in the short answers of the candidates.
How they handle the questions to them would be telling to how they might handle some real tough questions during campaign season
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 12:31 pm:
Whoever is party chair faces these problems. Changing from a personality based organization (pro-Trump, anti-Madigan) to an issue based organization. Finding and nominating candidates that can win in the suburbs and possibly statewide. Funding that does not tie to failing ideologies.
I do not know if this is possible. But it is the only way I see to move to a majority.
- Bonnie - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 12:40 pm:
Shameful lack of transparency. The Republican rank-and-file should be able to hear from these candidates and find out their plans and their history of accomplishments, if any. It’s my understanding that only a small handful of party officials will be allowed inside this meeting Saturday. They are using COVID as a cover, and apparently have never heard of Zoom.
Face it, most of the people sitting around today on IL GOP titles and had one big problem with Mike Madigan. His secrecy and top down rule wasn’t on a grand enough scale!
- Walsh Fiasco - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 12:52 pm:
Wasn’t Shaw behind the Walsh appointment fiasco? That to me was the biggest Lake County debacle.
- The Old Man - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 12:55 pm:
Don Tracy would be best for grass roots organizations, he understands that all vote are cast at the precinct level.
- DuPage Guy - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 1:28 pm:
Seems very Politico to mention Shaw is the Lake County Chairman, but leave out that Gryder is the Kendall County Chairman.
For the most fun, they should interview Todd Milliron from Kendall County.
- CitizensArrest - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 1:29 pm:
Please GOP make Mark Shaw your state party chair.
The raffled off an AR-15 at a fundraiser just a week after another horrific assault weapon massacre, he really will be a great partisan extremist for suburban Democrats to run against. he did this in a county that he helped turn blue in just 2 election cycles.
He’s been fantastic for Lake County Democrats, let’s hope he does the same thing for the rest of the State.
Mark Shaw for GOP Chair!
- Just Another Anon - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 2:16 pm:
@ OW 11:25
Tom Cross? Humble? *Checks Notes* There must be more than one Tom Cross.
- Mr. Morris - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 2:18 pm:
- hisgirlfriday -
I make it up to Kendall once in a while, however, I recall from the 2018 Kinzinger Primary that almost all if not all the Republicans in county office, including Gryder, and almost 1/4 of the Kendall County Precinct Committeemen supported Kinzinger.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 2:19 pm:
- Just Another Anon -
If Cross and I ever play 9 holes, I’ll ask him if there’s another Tom Cross. I promise.
- anon2 - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 2:45 pm:
Who is Griffin supporting? Since the GOP needs a sugar daddy, it would make sense to put his guy in there.
- Rich Hill - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 2:47 pm:
Y’know, I’m not privy to the thoughts of the people involved, but this is a position, right now, where asking if Erika Harold has interest in the job might be beneficial for both the party and the politician.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 3:17 pm:
Bloomington is inaccessible? Three major interstates and given traffic around Bolingbrook probably as quick.
Shaw is the farthest right from what I can tell. Is that accurate?
- Brad Cross for Speaker - Thursday, Jan 28, 21 @ 3:22 pm:
Griffins busy screwing over the Reddit GME little guys