State Central Committee

Aaron Schock - Adam Kinzinger - Bobby Schilling - Congress - Conservatives - Dan Patlak - Dan Rutherford - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Joe Walsh - Judy Baar-Topinka - Liberals - Mitt Romney - Pat Brady - Peter Roskam - Politicians Illinois - President - Randy Hultgren - Republicans - SB600 - Senate - State Central Committee - Steve Rauschenberger - Tom Cross - United Republican Fund - Warner Todd Huston

What Happened at the Illinois GOP Convention? Mostly Status Quo, But…

June 10, 2012 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Illinois Republican Party held its 2012 Party Convention this weekend. On the docket was addressing some asked for rules changes and picking a slate of delegates to the GOP national convention to nominate Mitt Romney to carry the Party’s banner in the upcoming presidential election. My ultimate analysis is that this was a status quo convention, but signs show that the status quo might not be too long for this world.

Two things first, here. One, I have to state up front that I intended to be a delegate from my district at the Illinois GOP convention. I registered as such and was accepted by my man Tim Schneider of the Hanover Republicans, but forces outside of politics (in other words, real life) prevented me from participating to the fullest extent. Regardless, I wanted to let you know of my intentions upfront so that you can see that I am not just a disinterested bystander in this deal.

Two, if you want a blow-by-blow account of the many great speeches, see Cal Skinner’s report at McHenry County Blog. I will mention a few things, but won’t do the speech-by-speech analysis. Skinner covered that very well so I don’t feel the need to cover that ground again.


Rep. Aaron Schock plies the crowd after his address

Now, The single most controversial issue that was on the docket was the decision to initiate direct elections. For instance, there are many Republicans who want to change how the members of the State Central Committee are selected. Currently they are appointed by the committeemen but many voices in the party want to change that. They want these party leaders to stand for election (like the Democrats do, incidentally) instead of being appointed by the votes of the committeemen. This issue has been in debate throughout the state for several years already and I’ve covered that debate many times. (Check my out old coverage of SB600 using the search feature)

I am told that several attempts were made by various committeemen to get this issue its due during Friday’s Committee meetings. The issue failed in committee on Friday, but a spirited debate continued that afternoon, anyway. Ultimately, John Parrot of Congressional District 15 attempted to get the direct elections issue brought to the convention floor on Saturday for discussion and a vote as a separate issue. Instead party leaders decided to allow a “yea” or “nay” vote on Saturday.
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What Happened at the Illinois GOP Convention? Mostly Status Quo, But…”

Conservatives - Democracy - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Mitt Romney - Pat Brady - President - Republicans - Rick Perry - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois GOP State Central Committee Meeting: Sound and Fury Signifying No Changes

September 6, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In one of the most well attended yet contentious State Central Committee meetings for some time, the movers and shakers of the Illinois GOP met on Tuesday evening to attempt to decide if the system for certifying delegates for GOP presidential candidates should be changed. The short answer is that there was a lot of sound and fury from party members lower on the food chain, much debate from those on top, and questions all around all of which resulted in a failure of the proposal to make the change. In the end a resolution was passed to keep it all the same as it was in 2008.

Beginning at 5 PM the meeting at the Boilingbrook Country Club was well attended by both SCC members, concerned party members, a few county party chairs, committeemen, and Tea Party activists. House leader Tom Cross made an appearance as did long-time conservative activist Jack Roeser. Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford was also there, like many of the others, to speak about the proposed rules change.

I should note that one reason this rules change was contemplated is that the national Republican Party is trying to get every state to change their system into one of proportional representation of delegates to the convention. The RNC gave Illinois the leeway to change its process and several activists took this opportunity to propose a major change to the system, a change that meets the law as well as state and national party rules.

Certainly the change being contemplated was extensive. Currently, the presidential candidates are awarded delegates via the ballot box, a method only three other states favor. Campaigns come to Illinois, build their Illinois machine, and solicit for delegates. These delegates then have to stand for election on the primary ballot. To do so they must each get 600 signatures of voters in their district so that they, the delegates, can get on the election ballot. Then, those elected are considered official delegates to the GOP nomination convention.
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Illinois GOP State Central Committee Meeting: Sound and Fury Signifying No Changes”

Congress - Elections - Ethics - GOP - Government - Government, Ill. County - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Regulation - Republicans - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois GOP Powerbrokers Taking Even More Power from GOP Voters

August 30, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Recently, an anonymous piece at BigJournalism.com was posted attacking Ill. State Treasurer Dan Rutherford for objecting to proposed changes in the state’s process of choosing delegates to the GOP nomination convention. This article is misguided and misses some important facts.

Rutherford released an open letter urging the GOP State Central Committee, the party’s governing body, not to change the way Illinois arrives at delegates to the national party convention. BigGovernment.com claims that Rutherford is only taking this action because he is a Romney man. I’ll not speculate on Rutherford’s motives re the candidates as it really is irrelevant to the point in this particular case. In other words, BigGovernment.com is wrong in its attack not to mention in its support for the rules change.

Before I get into who said what and who is doing what, we need to describe the rules change, of course. Call this the “fine print” part of the story.
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Illinois GOP Powerbrokers Taking Even More Power from GOP Voters”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

Important Information About Ill. GOP Reform Bill

April 26, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Doug Ibendahl of RepublicanNewsWatch.com has been a leading advocate of the current iteration of a bill that would give Illinois’ Republican voters the opportunity to actually vote in the leaders of their own party. It is currently called SB35 but has been for sometime identified as SB600.

SB35 would reverse the way the members of the Illinois Republican State Central Committee are placed on the governing body of the state party. Currently these folks are appointed to their positions by the affirmation of all the state’s local committeemen. The actual voters have no direct say. Curiously enough, the Democrats do have direct elections of their central committeemen but Republicans do not.

Recently a state representative contacted Mr. Ibendahl for some info about the bill. This is Ibendahl’s letter, which can be seen HERE.

Dear Representative,

I’m sure you must be as amazed as I am regarding the lengths a few selfish players will go to protect a corrupted system that’s been a disaster for Republicans and for our Party. It’s sad that a few are so obsessed with trying to make sure Republican voters have inferior rights compared to every Illinois Democrat.
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Important Information About Ill. GOP Reform Bill”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - SB600 - Senate - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

SB35 (SB600), Republican Vote Reform Unanimously Passes Ill. Senate

April 8, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, we’ve been talking about this bill for years here on the blog, but SB35 has unanimously passed the Illinois Senate.

SB35 was formerly SB600 and this bill provides for Republicans in Illinois to at last be allowed to vote for the members of their own State central Committee, the body that plans policy and runs the state Republican Party.

Currently the Republicans that run the party are not voted onto the state central committee by the state’s Republican voters (though Democrats do vote their committee members onto their own state central committee). The folks that are so instrumental in setting the agenda of the Illinois GOP are appointed by their fellows, not voted onto the committee by the voters.

SB35 will return the responsibility of filling the committee to the voters like it once was.
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SB35 (SB600), Republican Vote Reform Unanimously Passes Ill. Senate”

Chris Lauzen - Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

Chris Lauzen: Direct Election of Republican State Central Committeemen

April 1, 2011 by

From the office of State Senator Chris Lauzen (R, 25th District)…


“You Decide . . . .” That’s what SB35 (the old SB600) is all about.

If you think it’s “OK” for Republican State Central Committeemen to give thousands of dollars and serious support to Mayor Daley, Governor Blagojevich, and other Democrat politicians . . . if you think it makes any sense at all to have Jim Oberweis, who has spent more than $10,000,000 to lose five (5) major elections, advising Republicans about how to win political campaigns . . . and, if you think it is in any way appropriate for the Republican State Central Committee to threaten Republican precinct committeemen with punishment for not supporting every single Republican candidate on the ticket, no matter how corrupt or opposed to the Illinois Republican Party Platform they are . . . do not support fundamental reform and change. No need to read further.

SB35 provides for direct election of Republican State Central Committeemen. Proponents want the right to vote for their leaders just like Republicans had for more than fifty (50) years, before Governor Thompson and his allies took it away through legislation. We want what Democrat primary voters have continued to enjoy.

If Republicans were in good shape in Illinois, I would say it doesn’t make any difference how we elect our leaders. However, Democrats have been slaughtering us with nine (9) years of corrupt or incompetent Governors and nearly veto-proof majorities in the State House and Senate. This gross mismanagement has led to a staggering 67% personal income tax increase, a redefinition of marriage in homosexual “unions”, constant threats to our right to self-defense, the obvious bankruptcy of our state through crippling spending and debt, and now the protection of murderers, terrorists and rapists from the death penalty.
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Chris Lauzen: Direct Election of Republican State Central Committeemen”

Congress - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Pat Brady - Republicans - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois GOP Amends Bylaws on SCC Elections

March 11, 2011 by

From the Illinois GOP…

The State Central Committee of the Illinois Republican Party amended their bylaws yesterday to resolve a long-standing issue with regard to voting open precincts in the election of State Central Committeemen.

The amendment addressed the issue of allocation of votes from precincts that do not have elected Republican Precinct Committeemen. Prior to the amendment, Republican Party County Chairmen had the ability to cast the votes of the vacant precincts however they pleased. The amendment changed this rule by mandating that upon the election of State Central Committeemen, the weighted vote of the vacant precincts “shall be allocated to each candidate based on the proportion of weighted votes they received from the elected Precinct Committeemen.”
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Illinois GOP Amends Bylaws on SCC Elections”

Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - SB600 - State Central Committee - Warner Todd Huston

SB600 Update: In Da House

November 29, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

I have been a steady advocate for SB600 for the past year or so, now. SB600 would provide for Illinois Republicans to be able to elect their own state Republican committeemen by vote (as Illinois Democrats already do). Currently the people that guide the Illinois GOP are selected by other party operatives instead of the voters. Many feel, me included, this leads to a closed system of party bosses and insiders that is resistant to change and new ideas and is too far removed from the voters.

The bill passed the Senate earlier in the year and now needs a nod from the House of Representatives. If it doesn’t get passed by the House before January 12, 2011, then this bill is dead and would have to go through the entire process all over again to become law.

January 12 is coming very quickly, of course, and many might think it is too late to get this one done. But it’s not all bad news. If the bill is brought to a vote it will likely pass as it did in the Senate.
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SB600 Update: In Da House”

Budget - Chicago - Cook County - Economy/Finances - Illinois - Sam Adams Alliance - State Central Committee - State Government - Taxes - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Sam Adams Alliance: Reading the Tea Leaves

March 18, 2010 by

From the Sam Adams Alliance…

Two weeks ago, Sam Adams Alliance released a groundbreaking study on the Tea Party movement. Our report, The Early Adopters: Reading the Tea Leaves offers the first-ever insights into the Tea Party movement that include a survey sample made up entirely of recognized Tea Party leaders.

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Sam Adams Alliance: Reading the Tea Leaves”

Chicago - Elections - GOP - Illinois - Pat Brady - Republicans - State Central Committee - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

‘Unofficial Roster’ Of the New Slate of Ill. Republican State Central Committeemen

March 7, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Illinois GOP released a list of the presumed slate of State Central Committee Members for the 2010 election cycle. they are “unofficial” because all results have yet to be certified officially but these are the results as reported by the various counties.

For those unaware, the State Central Committee is the deliberative body that decides party goals, rules, and handles the day-to-day operations of the Illinois Republican Party. It is chaired by the Ill. GOP Chairman, currently Pat Brady. (See info at the Ill. GOP website.)

2010 State Central Committee County Conventions were conducted on March 3, 2010. Results for the State Central Committee positions were unofficially reported to the State Party and these may be viewed below. Individual counties will provide their results to the Illinois State Board of Elections for certification.
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‘Unofficial Roster’ Of the New Slate of Ill. Republican State Central Committeemen”

Elections - GOP - Illinois - Republicans - State Central Committee - State Government - Warner Todd Huston

Corruption in Will County, Ill. GOP, ‘That’s What Democrats Do!’

March 7, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

ChampionNews.net has a sad tale to tell of the recent meeting of the Will County, Illinois Republican Party. It is an example of why the Illinois GOP is not accountable to the voters in any way. In fact, it proves that many parts of the Illinois GOP isn’t even accountable to the elected committeemen!

It is the story of Committeeman Mark Batinick of Plainfield, an elected member of the Will County GOP. In this tale of woe, Batinick details how even the votes of the committeemen are ignored by the “combine” styled, powermongers of the moribund Illinois GOP.

He reveals the events surrounding the crushing defeat of Will County Central Committee member Bobbie Peterson who in a straight up vote of the Will County committeemen voted Perterson out and voted challenger Cory Singer in. The lopsided tally was around 9,000 votes for Singer and 4,000 for Peterson according to Batinick.

That seems like a pretty convincing win for Singer, right? Well, hold the boat. It seems that Will County Chairman Dick Kavanagh (just returned to his spot himself earlier this same meeting) and his pals in the combine didn’t want Mr. Singer to take his seat as the 11th District State Central Committee Member no matter how lopsided Singer’s vote was.
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Corruption in Will County, Ill. GOP, ‘That’s What Democrats Do!’”