* Press release…
The Illinois House Republican Caucus elected Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) as the House Republican Leader for the upcoming 103rd General Assembly. The vote took place this evening at an internal caucus meeting in Springfield.
Before becoming State Representative, McCombie served as the Mayor of Savanna, where she was known for balanced budgets and a solid administrative background. McCombie’s first election for State Representative in 2016 taught her what a tough campaign fight is, as she defeated an incumbent Democrat. McCombie has previously chaired the House Republican campaign organization and is the Republican Spokesperson on Restorative Justice Committee.
“The House Republican Caucus is focused on helping Illinois families by offering common sense solutions to the many problems our state faces,” said McCombie. “We will be a unified force that will grow our party by sticking to our core values and ending the corruption that has pervaded state government.”
Inauguration for the 103rd General Assembly will occur on January 11th, 2023.
…Adding…
The following statement is from Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza:
“I offer my heartiest congratulations to State Representative Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, on her historic achievement in becoming the first woman chosen to lead a caucus in the Illinois House of Representatives. Leader McCombie was a chief co-sponsor of my historic and transformational Debt Transparency Act in 2017. Risking the wrath of a vengeful governor from her own party after he vetoed the bill, Rep. McCombie assisted in marshaling the votes of Republicans to help us unanimously override the governor’s veto in the House. Rating agencies have regularly cited that very reform in their upgrades of Illinois’ creditworthiness. Leader-elect McCombie has shown real leadership when it matters. We won’t agree on every issue, but she has proven herself a bipartisan leader willing to work across the aisle for the betterment of Illinois without compromising her values. I look forward to working in the House with Speaker Welch and Leader-elect McCombie to move our state forward.”
- Brubaker - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 6:42 pm:
Happy to see a fellow “downstater” get the nod. Wishing her well in her new endeavor.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 6:45 pm:
Failed coup to first female leader of a caucus in the House.
Life moves pretty fast…
- vern - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 6:47 pm:
Starting to think Dan Caulkins can’t count above 20. To be fair, it can get confusing once you run out of fingers and toes.
- Old time Independent - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 7:40 pm:
Mendoza talking about Bipartisanship is somewhat contrary to her whole political career.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 7:56 pm:
===Mendoza talking about Bipartisanship is somewhat contrary to her whole political career.===
… and yet…
===Leader McCombie was a chief co-sponsor of my historic and transformational Debt Transparency Act in 2017. Risking the wrath of a vengeful governor from her own party after he vetoed the bill, Rep. McCombie assisted in marshaling the votes of Republicans to help us unanimously override the governor’s veto in the House. Rating agencies have regularly cited that very reform in their upgrades of Illinois’ creditworthiness. Leader-elect McCombie has shown real leadership when it matters.===
… with cites no less. Hmm.
- Lincoln Lad - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 8:13 pm:
Classy move by Mendoza…
- East of Eden - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 8:54 pm:
Alternate Headline: McCombie handed worst job in state of Illinois.
- Osborne Smith III - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 8:55 pm:
Quick, when was the last time that one of the caucus leaders wasn’t a resident of Chicago or a suburb?
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 9:11 pm:
– when was the last time that one of the caucus leaders wasn’t a resident of Chicago or a suburb? –
SGOP Leader Frank Watson
- Abdon - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 9:23 pm:
@Old Timer, let me clear up your misunderstanding. Susana Mendoza has been one of the most bipartisan elected officials in Illinois - always had Republican chief co-sponsors on all her bills as a legislator and Comptroller. Only 1 Republican she regularly criticized, not for his party but because he was an inept governor. And she was no harder on him than she was on his Democratic predecessor, Blago, whose impeachment she led the charge for long before he was indicted and it was pretty lonely for her as a Democrat to be leading that charge against her party’s own governor. Those great relationships she built up with Republican legislators while she was in the General Assembly are part of the reason they all sided with her over their own governor, voting with her to override his veto of her Debt Transparency Act unanimously - first time that’s ever happened in the Illinois House of Representatives. Her bipartisan appeal is probably part of the reason she got more votes than any other candidate around the state last week according to the latest counts. OW & Lincoln Lad are right.
- The Opinions Bureau - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 9:31 pm:
Criticizing Susana Mendoza for being excessively partisan is utter nonsense.
Signed,
A Democrat Long Irritated By Susana Mendoza For Being Insufficiently Partisan
- Juice - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 10:21 pm:
Osborne Smith- Bill Brady. Like two years ago.
- Suburban Operative - Tuesday, Nov 15, 22 @ 11:44 pm:
Susanna, I don’t think Rauner’s coming back. You can bury the hatchet now LOL
- Cosgrove - Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 12:33 am:
Another right-wing anti-choice leader takes the helm of the House Republican caucus. So what’s new?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 6:09 am:
===I don’t think Rauner’s coming back. You can bury the hatchet now===
If Rauner isn’t coming back…then there’s no reason to bury a hatchet for someone never returning
Reminding that Republicans worked against the damage Rauner did, that’s a good thing.
- Inverted Pyramid - Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 7:12 am:
So the vote was 31-8 for McCombie, correct? Good for her.
The BLOC once again proves they don’t know how to count, nor do they possess any actual relevance outside their own echo chamber. They, along with the Prof(i)t media empire, have been plotting this for years. And they come up with eight votes?
And then they don’t make it unanimous for the historic first woman to lead a House Caucus?
Your lack of political skill is showing boys.
Thrown on top of last Tuesday’s Bailey-led statewide debacle, it is really quite embarrassing. But, they will be the last to realize.
Congrats Leader-elect McCombie. You have a tough task ahead, but from what I see, you’re tough enough.
- Dunwich Snorer - Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 8:12 am:
=Her bipartisan appeal is probably part of the reason she got more votes than any other candidate around the state last week according to the latest counts.=
Abdon just totally ignoring the effect of the Dick Bigger, Jr. endorsement.
- Abdon - Wednesday, Nov 16, 22 @ 7:45 pm:
@Dunwich: Are laughing emojis allowed? Bipartisan appeal; Success in paying down bills; effectively communicating how she’s done her job; and, yes, God bless Dick Bigger, Jr. (banned punctuation.)