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A respected Chicago Board of Trade executive from Winnetka and a Long Grove businessman whose family owns the Ben Franklin variety store franchise are among those talking to Illinois Republican leaders about running against Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin next year. Both Kevin J.P. O'Hara, the chief administrative officer at the Chicago futures exchange, and Steve Greenberg, the wholesale executive, would seem to have the ability to write a check to cover some or all of the costs of a campaign. State GOP leaders consider that important in finding an opponent for Durbin, given the political dynamics in play. Whoever...

CHICAGO — Illinois’ northernmost bit is north of Cape Cod and its southern tip is south of Richmond, Va. Scattered the length of the state, from the Wisconsin to the Kentucky border are fragments of wreckage from the state party that produced the first Republican president. In the last four presidential elections, Republican candidates have averaged just 40 percent of the Illinois vote. In 2004, the Republican Senate candidate, a raging resident of Maryland, won just 27 percent of the vote. Judy Topinka, 62, the effervescent three-term state treasurer and Republican gubernatorial nominee against Gov. Rod Blagojevich, thinks she can...

If you want to discover how a perfectly healthy pink state turns into a lasting blue one, look no further than Illinois.For years, Republicans often won statewide and federal elective offices. But thanks to a bungling party "leadership" way out of touch with its constituency, Tuesday's primary election to select a GOP nominee for governor presents voters with indecision, disappointment or disgust. Among the candidates, "I don't know" has made a strong showing.We columnists have raked this field of candidates to the point of tedium, but why not? Why should Republicans be forced to choose among marginal, inexperienced, unqualified or...

Tomorrow is primary day in Illinois and there are three races to watch. The first, and biggest, is the GOP primary for Governor which has essentially boiled down to a two person race between moderate Judy Baar Topinka and conservative Jim Oberweis.Topinka is the only Republican currently holding statewide office (Treasurer) which demonstrates her appeal in a state where the GOP has basically been reduced to a smoldering heap of ruins. However, Topinka's longevity also has a downside; she has ties to the lowly-regarded Illinois political establishment and she served with former Governor George Ryan - who sits awaiting...

A post-debate news conference among the Republican governor candidates Monday turned into a sometimes-surreal bash session of state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka. The strange goings-on started after Topinka threw down the gauntlet in her debate closing statement, calling on her wealthy foes to release a decade of tax returns to show how they’ve made their money. With the live Daily Herald/Chicago Public Radio debate on WBEZ 91.5 FM over, Topinka initially sat down with Sugar Grove businessman Jim Oberweis, Bloomington state Sen. Bill Brady, Chicago millionaire Ron Gidwitz and perennial candidate Andy Martin of Chicago to answer questions from reporters....

Illinois GOP: Finding the Promised Land by J. Matt Barber We’re all familiar with the classical Biblical account of how Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt to wander in the wilderness for forty years on a very roundabout journey to the Promised Land. Understandably, there was much frustration and discontent on the part of God’s chosen people as the prize remained just out of reach. In much the same manner, the Illinois Republican party is currently underway, having embarked upon a noble quest for our very own Promised Land – that is to say, a return to power at...

During the days of Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar, there was a center of gravity in the Illinois Republican Party. In Illinois, it could not be called a particularly conservative party, to the irritation of folks like me. But it had a storyline; it was the party of clean, efficient government. People knew what to expect from it. The storyline made an effective contrast with Chicago-centric Democrats. It didn’t stand for all I wanted it to, but it stood for something. So what does the Illinois Republican Party stand for now? Some readers and friends have suggested lately that I...

Better process needed for electing Illinois Republican Party leaders The 19 members of the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) State Central Committee (SCC) lead the IRP. By law, all votes taken by the SCC are weighted. Together, six SCC members have more than 50 percent of the weighted vote -- Senator Dave Syverson (Manzullo-Dist. 16 - 9.8%), Dennis Wiggins (Hastert-Dist. 14 - 8.51%), Jerry Clarke (Johnson-Dist. 15 - 8.51%), MaryAlice Erickson (LaHood-Dist. 18 - 8.41%), Ron Smith (Hyde-Dist. 6 - 8.16%), and Dr. William Dam (Dist. 8 - 7.9%). Recent actions taken by the SCC include the rude and unjustified...

The following is a statement by Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna on Howard Dean’s visit to Chicago this Saturday, February 26, 2005. "When it’s all said and done, Howard Dean will be best remembered for being loud rather than being a leader.” CHICAGO, IL - “Howard Dean’s selection as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee is another perfect example of the Democratic Party moving away from mainstream America. Mr. Dean’s views on taxation, health care and national security represent the far-left wing of his Party - positions rejected by voters in the 2004 presidential election. When it’s all said...

The party of Lincoln isn't what it used to be. Long before the Alan Keyes election debacle, long before George Ryan's troubles, the seeds for the party's downfall were planted. What would Abe say?State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano was mad. His face red and his nerves frayed, Saviano glared incredulously at the political creme de la creme of the Illinois Republican Party arrayed around the horseshoe-shaped table in the Union League Club, Chicago's posh and historic rendezvous for the rich and powerful. The Illinois Republican State Central Committee once seemed as well suited to the Union League as the painting...

CANDIDATE SERIES: John Cox, candidate for IL GOP state party chairman Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - Fran Eaton, special to IllinoisLeader.com John Cox says the IL GOP should reach out, but should make sure the party's base is fed and comfortable. He is submitting his name to replace state chairman Judy Baar-Topinka whose resignation is effective January 31. Cox offered to replace party nominee Jack Ryan last summer. The State Central Committee chose Alan Keyes to fill the vacancy. CANDIDATE SERIES -- In a scenario eerily similar to the one Democrats are experiencing at the national level, Republicans in Illinois...

     CHICAGO -- On Friday, the Illinois Republican Party’s State Central Committee will meet in Springfield. Although the agenda hasn’t been publicly disclosed, insiders speculate the committeemen will discuss who is likely to be the sixth state party chairman in seven years. Sunday night, St. Clair County’s state central committeeman Steve McGlynn told conservative columnist Tom Roeser he wanted the job. While interviewed on Chicago's WLS 890, McGlynn said he was confident he had enough votes to be selected at Friday’s meeting, despite predictions that former U.S. Senate candidate Andy McKenna, Jr. was favored. Two weeks ago, the state...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - In a 2001 speech announcing the end of his political career, then-Gov. George Ryan left his fellow Illinois Republicans with a warning: The state GOP, he said, was being taken over by "conservative, right-wing elements" that ultimately would topple the party. On Tuesday, the sound of a party toppling could be heard from Chicago to Cairo. Even as the national GOP enjoyed a political rebirth in Tuesday's elections, the Illinois Republican Party looked deader than ever. Most notably, the state's second U.S. Senate seat switched to the Democratic column after Republican Alan Keyes' fire-and-brimstone campaign captured less...

State GOP wrestling for identity Poll shows far right failing to connect By John Chase Tribune staff reporter Published September 26, 2004 Reeling from scandal and election defeats, the Illinois GOP is locked in an ideological civil war the Republican right blames on a party leadership that has strayed from core beliefs and values. But a Tribune/WGN-TV poll of Republican voters in the state suggests it may be the most conservative elements of the party who are out of step. While the right wing is dismayed by the direction of the party under moderate state GOP Chairman Judy Baar Topinka,...

Reeling from scandal and election defeats, the Illinois GOP is locked in an ideological civil war the Republican right blames on a party leadership that has strayed from core beliefs and values. But a Tribune/WGN-TV poll of Republican voters in the state suggests it may be the most conservative elements of the party who are out of step. While the right wing is dismayed by the direction of the party under moderate state GOP Chairman Judy Baar Topinka, most Republican voters in the state are happy with her leadership, the survey found. In addition, the poll shows most Republicans are...

What really happened behind closed doors when Alan Keyes was given the GOP senatorial nomination by the Republican State Central Committee? To find out, I called on a veteran source I'll name Deep Background. "The first thing you should know," said D.B., "is that Judy Baar Topinka, whom you've criticized, was a thorough-going professional, truly an honest broker and good soldier. In the past, conservatives like you were wrong about her." "The second thing you might be interested in: We could have had another Alan: Alan Dixon! Steve McGlynn [party vice chairman, from Belleville] gave us an indication that he...

Watching the Republican Party in the Land of Lincoln wear jester hats should be funny, since they've happily been making fools of themselves for weeks now. But behind the Krusty the Clown makeup and the wigs, a desperate political fight is going on between somewhat discredited establishment GOP bosses and warring conservative factions over the future shape of their party. State GOP bosses on Wednesday argued behind closed doors at the Union League Club to pick one of the following Senate candidates to replace the imploded Jack Ryan and face Democrat Barack Obama in November: Either a sort-of Democrat who...

Obama Speech Obscures Left-Wing Record by David Freddoso Posted Jul 30, 2004 Barack Obama cemented his position as a rising Democrat star with his keynote convention address July 27. He delivered his well-crafted speech with a perfect mixture of frankness and passion, deftly stirring the crowd from rapt silence to raucus enthusiasm--a home run. There was only one problem: change a few sentences here and there, and the young black Senate candidate from Illinois could have given the same speech at the Republican National Convention. In his speech, Obama said things like "government alone can't teach kids to learn," and...