Jim Ryan Leads Republicans in New Poll
WSIL

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Editor's Note -- I always promote Republican primary winners. As many of you know, starting immediately upon Jim Ryan's winning the 2002 gubernatorial primary, I did everything I could to help him win the 2002 general election. I posted three 4X8 Jim Ryan signs on the building that used to stand across the street from the Wheaton train station. I urged his primary election opponents to offer to do a television ad in which they would endorse him. I encouraged the voters in my precinct to display yard signs for him. Leading up to the 2002 general election, I spent many hundreds of hours of my life promoting his candidacy. But sadly, many of his promoters made it clear that they did not want my help. All they wanted to do was to punish me for promoting one of his opponents in the primary election. Sadly, immediately upon Jim Ryan losing the 2002 general election, many of his promoters blamed me for his defeat. Sadly, many of his promoters continue to blame me for his defeat, continue to punish me, and continue to call for others to punish me. What does that say about Jim Ryan? What does that say about his promoters? Many Jim Ryan promoters are also Judy Baar Topinka promoters. As many of you know, starting immediately upon Judy Baar Topinka's winning the 2006 gubernatorial primary, I did everything I could to help her win the 2006 general election. Similarly, many of her promoters blamed me for her defeat in the general election, continue to blame me for her defeat, continue to punish me, and continue to call for others to punish me. What does that say about Judy Baar Topinka? What does that say about her promoters? Promoters of other candidates, including promoters of Bill Brady, Jim Dodge, Patrick Hughes, Andy McKenna, and Peter Roskam have also blamed me for their candidate's problems. They demonize and denigrate me for including in GOPUSA ILLINOIS daily emails a) anything negative about the candidate they are currently promoting or b) anything positive about the candidates they are currently working against.

Schoenburg highlights the Illinois Republican Lieutenant Governor primary race
Springfield State Journal Register

SCHOENBURG: Ballot position key? Springfield lawyer DON TRACY thinks this might be the year when ballot position gives him that little extra push that’s needed in a primary race as obscure as the one he’s in - for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor. Four of the six candidates for the nomination filed their petitions at 8 a.m. Oct. 26, putting them in the lottery for top ballot position. That lottery gave Tracy the top spot, followed by JASON PLUMMER of Edwardsville, RANDY WHITE of Hamilton and Carbondale Mayor BRAD COLE. The next two positions on the ballot go to state Sen. MATT MURPHY of Palatine, who filed at 4:25 p.m. on Nov. 2 - the last day to file, and DENNIS COOK of Orland Park, whose petitions were filed two minutes later. “None of us are particularly well known,” Tracy said. And with seven candidates running for the GOP nomination for governor adding to the mix, he said, “ballot position could be more important than ever before.” He doesn’t mind getting a little help from a lottery. Even Abraham Lincoln, he said, looked for a battlefield general that didn’t only have a good track record, but luck as well. “You have to put yourself in a position to be lucky,” Tracy said. Murphy, as political watchers will know, is running as a team with Chicagoan ANDY McKENNA for governor. That means that Murphy’s name appears on McKenna’s signs, and Murphy has been that guy next to McKenna in McKenna’s TV ads. Tracy says that could help Murphy, but there’s also a negative, in that “a lot of people in the party are not happy about Andy resigning” as chairman of the state GOP on the Illinois State Fair’s Republican Day, and later jumping in the race for governor against “some of the same candidates he was to be helping.” McKenna and Murphy have both been strongly opposed to bringing terrorist suspects from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to what is now a largely unused state prison at Thomson in northwest Illinois. Tracy said he hasn’t taken a position on the specific point of bringing terror suspects to the Illinois facility. “We shouldn’t be closing Guantanamo,” Tracy said. But he also said the existence of the Thomson facility, built but not fully staffed, shows the “incompetence” of Illinois state government. “I’m in favor of selling it to the federal government,” he said, to at least house non-Gitmo prisoners. “I understand why the area people want the prisoners and want the jobs,” Tracy said. He said people in his hometown of Mount Sterling “campaigned long and hard” to have the Western Illinois Correctional Center built there in order to bring jobs to the region. Murphy has racked up endorsements from some fellow lawmakers, including at least 10 state representatives and Sens. BRAD BURZYNSKI, JOHN MILLNER and PAM ALTHOFF. Cole has a variety of GOP county chairmen and local officials backing him. Plummer’s endorsers include his campaign chairman, former Senate GOP Leader FRANK WATSON of Greenville. CURT CONRAD, executive director of the state GOP, said the party plans to host a debate for lieutenant governor candidates the evening of Jan. 7 in Springfield.

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Editor's Note -- TAPROOT REPUBLICANS OF ILLINOIS-- All Republicans invited to attend a Lieutenant Governor candidate forum Saturday morning, November 21, in Lombard - Dave Diersenhttp://www.taprootgop.orgAll Republicans are invited to attend TAPROOT's Lieutenant Governor candidate forum Saturday morning, November 21, in the north meeting room of the Old Country Buffet at 551 East Roosevelt Road in Lombard. Candidates Brad Cole, Dennis Cook, Jason Plummer, Don Tracy, and Randy White will participate and Matt Murphy has sent a letter to be read. Doors open at 8:00 AM, the program starts promptly at 8:30 AM, and it will conclude by 10:00 AM. The restaurant is in the High Point Shopping Center on south side of Roosevelt Road, about 5 stop-lights west of Route 83 and about 1 1/2 miles east of Route 355. All Republicans are invited. No RSVP required, but you will need to purchase an all-you-can-eat meal ticket for only $5.99. Phone Dave Diersen at 630-653-0462 or George Kocan at 630-393-6401 with any questions. Please mark your calendars for TAPROOT's 2009 Christmas party 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Sunday, December 13, at the Lisle Hilton.

Hughes goes to Washington, looking for conservative credentials
Daily Herald

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Democrats at risk of losing Obama's old Senate seat Party lacks candidate able to scare off GOP contender Kirk
Chicago Sun-Times

SWEET: Kirk has $2.3 million to $340,048 for Hinsdale real estate developer Patrick Hughes (including $250,000 of his own money). The others on the ballot have a few thousand dollars. Name recognition: Kirk, a veteran lawmaker from the North Shore 10th District, is a favorite of editorial boards. He's running a stealth primary campaign, however, refusing to disclose a political schedule. So far it has worked. Endorsements: Kirk has GOP establishment in Washington and Illinois. Hughes hits Washington on Tuesday to seek backing from conservative groups, hoping to catch a conservative wave, similar to a New York House contest where the moderate Republican was forced out by conservatives. Kirk, billed as a moderate, was caught up in a controversy last week when news leaked out that he solicited Sarah Palin for support. Minus and plus: For Kirk, running to the right, a plus for the primary and a minus -- maybe -- in the general election.

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Editor's Note -- AGAIN, OUTRAGEOUSLY, THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, AN ARM OF THE ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT PARTY, PROCLAIMS THAT CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES, THAT IS, CANDIDATES WHO SUPPORT THE ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM, CANNOT WIN STATEWIDE OFFICES IN ILLINOIS

House GOP Leader Cross backs McKenna-Murphy
Srringfield State Journal Register

SCHOENBURG: McKenna, 52, placed fourth among GOP candidates in the 2004 primary for U.S. Senate, and even his own campaign has touted him as “the quiet cure” to what ails the state. Cross isn’t disturbed by those factors. He noted that President BARACK OBAMA lost a race for Congress before being elected to the U.S. Senate and the nation’s top office. “People learn from previous elections,” Cross said. “We’re not looking in this election for somebody that’s flashy or the great orator,” Cross added. “We’ve had enough of that in our former governor (ROD BLAGOJEVICH). We need somebody that’s just down to earth, that can make things happen from a jobs and economic standpoint in this state.” McKenna, a Chicago resident, stepped aside as president of his family’s business, Schwartz Supply Source in Morton Grove, to make the run. He became its president in 1996. The former Schwartz Paper Co. had 30 employees in 1980; the firm now has about 350. Cross also thinks the fact that McKenna has never held elective office and that Murphy, of Palatine, is in his first state Senate term, actually improves their chances. “It’s hard to attack a guy like Andy or Matt,” Cross said. “What we see in a lot of elections is pulling out old votes and saying. . .‘How do you explain yourself?’ They’re in a position of not really having to worry about that.” Cross also called having Murphy running with McKenna as a running mate “a big positive.” In Illinois primaries, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are nominated separately, and McKenna and Murphy, so far, are the only two trying to get nominated as a team. Each party’s candidates for governor and lieutenant governor do run together on the November ballot. Murphy said he thinks the McKenna-Murphy television ads, featuring Blagojevich-like hair on pictures of past governors and the state Capitol, have created a “buzz.” “It’s something different,” Murphy said. “If you’re a team on a losing streak, you can’t keep doing the same thing. . .You’ve got to try and do something different, be a little bit more creative.” Democrats now hold all six statewide constitutional offices. Referring to the ads, Murphy said state government’s dysfunctional status is “a serious subject that we wanted to tackle in a little bit lighter way, because obviously, people in this state are sick and tired of being sick and tired. That was a way to say, ‘Hey, we get it,’ without being an overly heavy message.’”

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Editor's Note -- The overwhelming majority of conservatives, that is, platform Republicans, that is, the base of the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) supports SB600, that is, direct election of IRP State Central Committee members. From the beginning, Cross and McKenna have done everything they could to dive those who support SB600 out of the IRP, that is, drive conservatives out of the IRP, that is, drive the base of the IRP out of the IRP. So, if you want to drive the base of the IRP out of the IRP, support McKenna and Murphy.

The Illinois GOP gubernatorial debate (better late than never)
St. Louis Today

MCDERMOTT: The Illinois Republican Party has posted on its website the video of last Thursday’s first debate between the seven GOP gubernatorial candidates. You can watch it here. The downfall of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich this year should give Republicans a huge shot at re-taking power in Springfield. But, this being the Illinois GOP, they may yet blow it. (Example: The baffling decision to only post the debate days after the fact, instead streaming it live online from Chicago as it happened Thursday–thus denying themselves a lot of potential media coverage, including from us.) State Republicans remain deeply divided ideologically, with moderates and conservatives generally going after each other as viciously (or more so) than they do Democrats. But the debate generally glossed over that rift, as you’ll see if you take a peek. The candidates were introduced with a very strange professional-wrestling kind of opening, but then proceeded to mostly agree on some pretty low-friction issues (Blagojevich, bad; Abe Lincoln, good). Not a word about the continuing in-fighting over how the state-level Republicans choose their party leaders, a fight so fractious that the Democrat-controlled Legislature even stuck its nose in this year. Here’s how cautious the debate was: One of the seven GOP candidates is state Sen. Kirk Dillard, who created a firestorm in the party last year by appearing in a Democratic campaign commercial for friend and former state Senate colleague Barack Obama. Dillard, clearly trying to get back into the party fold during the debate, slammed Obama for his health care “boondoggle” - and none of his opponents pointed out that he’d helped put the President in office.

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GOP candidates for governor hold debate
ABC7

THOMAS: The seven candidates for the Republican nomination for governor of Illinois squared off in a debate on Thursday night. Under spotlights with a dramatic fanfare blaring in the background, the seven contenders entered the ballroom with a shared promise to cut government spending and not to raise taxes. . .On Wednesday night, five of the candidates appeared at a debate sponsored by an ultra-conservative "tea party" group in Will County. The lean to the right continued on Thursday night's event. As Kirk Dillard tried to put distance between himself and the healthcare policies of his former Illinois Senate colleague and friend, now-president Barack Obama. "As governor, I'll be damned if I'm going to let a socialistic Washington shove a new mandate down the taxpayers' throats of Illinois," said Sen. Kirk Dillard, (R) candidate for governor. The candidates rarely mentioned each other and there were no direct disagreements during the so-called debate. The state Republican chairman expressed confidence in the party's chance to recapture the governor's office in 2010. "I think the Democrats have created a great opportunity for us. Single party Democratic rule has run the state into the ground. It's time for a change and I think the voters see that," said Pat Brady, Illinois Republican chairman.

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Editor's Note -- Attendees at this outstanding event included Jeff Berkowitz, Tolbert Chisum, Brad Cole, Mike Connelly, Dan Curry, Gene Dawson, Demetra DeMonte, Carol Donovan, Christine Dudley, Jim Durkin, Ty Fahner, Matt Ferguson, Ron Gidwitz, Greg Hinz, Charlie Johnston, William Kelly, Matt Murphy, Jim Nalepa, Jason Plummer, Rafael Rivadeneira, Darlene Senger, Brien Sheahan, Rick Stock, Doug Whitley, and Gabriela Wyatt. Democrats and RINOs intend to demonize Americans and to denigrate Americans when they call them "conservative" and call them "ultra-conservative." ABC7 reemphasizes that it is a tool of Democrats and a tool RINOs by calling the organizers of the Wednesday Tea Party debate in Will County "ultra-conservative."

700+ turnout for Tea Party forum; Five Republican gubernatorial candidates, but no Democrats speak
Southtown Star

RAKOW: Some 700 people turned out Wednesday night in Homer Glen for a gubernatorial candidate forum sponsored by the Will County Tea Party Alliance. Five Republican candidates participated in the event: Adam Andrzejewski, a Hinsdale businessman; Dan Proft, a political consultant and conservative activist; Bob Schillerstrom, chairman of the DuPage County Board; and state senators Bill Brady and Kirk Dillard. The candidates responded to questions posed from a four-member panel and then took questions from the audience. All 13 Republican and Democratic candidates running for governor were invited to the forum, held at DiNolfo's Banquet Hall, 14447 W. 159th St. Gov. Patrick Quinn and his main challenger, state Comptroller Dan Hynes, skipped the forum. Third-party candidates were not invited because they're unopposed in the Feb. 2 primary election. The forum follows a series of successful Tea Party rallies against big government and excessive taxation that were held across the nation during the summer, said Tim Krauldis, chairman of the Joliet Tax Day Tea Party. "We need to engage the system," Krauldis said. "It's the right thing to do. You can only carry a sign and go to a rally for so long. The system is in place. If you don't engage it, you can't complain." Bob Dylik, of Tinley Park, said he attended to get his first look at some of the candidates running for governor. "I want to see what we have coming up for the governor's race and see what they stand for," Dylik said, adding that he was encouraged by the large turnout. "We have become complacent as a society. People need to know they can get together with other like-minded people. This is a wake-up call." Bob Camp, of Darien, said he attended the forum to support Proft. Bill Christakes, of New Lenox, who attended the forum with Camp, saw the event as a success. "I think it's a great idea to get out here and energize the citizenry," Christakes said.

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Editor's Note -- Attendees at this outstanding event included Brad Cole, Dennis Cook, Jim Dodge, Fran Eaton, Robert Enriquez, Doug Ibendahl, Dennis LaComb, David McAloon, Jason Plummer, Jack Roeser, Cathy Santos, Carl Segvich, David E. Smith, Jill Stanek, Kathy Valenti, and Eric Wallace.

370 attend Milton Township GOP fundraiser; Mark Kirk wins straw poll
Milton Township Republican Central Committee

DIERSEN: 370 attend outstanding Milton Township Republican Central Committee's (MTRCC) 30th annual Oktoberfest fundraiser; 306 vote in a straw poll; Mark Kirk wins U.S. Senate straw poll with 224 of 304 votes cast in that race; Bob Schillerstrom wins governor poll with 142 of 265 votes; Jason Plumber wins lieutenant governor poll with 107 of 226 votes; Jim Dodge wins comptroller poll with 102 of 217 votes; U.S. Senate candidates Patrick Hughes and Mark Kirk, gubernatorial candidates Adam Andrzejewski and Bob Schillerstrom, and lieutenant governor candidates Brad Cole and Jason Plummer address the audience; statewide candidates Kirk Dillard, Dan Proft, and Judy Baar Topinka attend; attendees include Bolds, Bowler, Bucholz, Brauer, Carlson, Carr, Cherry, Mike Connelly, Cronin, Dabrowski, Earl, Edwards, Falbo, Fortner, French, Fuesting, Grasso, Grogan, Guerin, Hage, Heidorn, Henry, Hinds, Hinkle, Hultgren, Hundhausen, Johns, Jorgensen, Kachiroubas, King, Kinsella, Kmiecik, Koch, Krzyzewski, Larsen, Leventis, Manzzullo, McBride, McKillip, Menna, Muehlfelt, Al Murphy, Barbara Murphy, Olson, Ossyra, Pihos, Pierotti, Prueter, Roskam, Ruscitti, Saverino, Schostok, Smith, Sutter, Vician, Whelan, Zahm, and Zaruba; MTRCC Chairman Mike Formento served as master of ceremonies - The results of straw polls taken at Milton Township Republican Central Committee (MTRCC) Oktoberfest fundraisers are very important for many reasons -- Milton Township is at the heart of DuPage County and DuPage County is at the heart of the Illinois Republican Party. Many of those who vote in MTRCC Oktoberfests straw polls are opinion leaders. 370 attended MTRCC's outstanding 30th annual Oktoberfest fundraiser Friday evening, October 30, 2009 at the Abbington Banquet Hall in Glen Ellyn. 306 voted in a straw poll. Mark Kirk won the U.S. Senate straw poll with 224 of 306 votes cast in that race -- Patrick Hughes received 55 votes, Eric Wallace 15 votes, Don Lowery 4 votes, John Arrington 3 votes, Kathleen Thomas 2 votes, and Ed Varga 1 vote; Bob Schillerstrom won the governor poll with 142 of 265 votes -- Kirk Dillard received 37 votes, Adam Andrzejewski 36 votes, Bill Brady 29 votes, Jim Ryan 13 votes, Dan Proft 6 votes, and Andy McKenna 2 votes; Jason Plumber won the lieutenant governor poll with 107 of 226 votes -- Brad Cole received 54 votes, Matt Murphy 36 votes, Dennis Cook 17 votes, Don Tracy 7 votes, and Randy White 5 votes; Jim Dodge won the comptroller poll with 102 of 217 votes -- Judy Baar Topinka received 86 votes and William Kelly 29; U.S. Senate candidates Patrick Hughes and Mark Kirk, gubernatorial candidates Adam Andrzejewski and Bob Schillerstrom, and lieutenant governor candidates Brad Cole and Jason Plummer addressed the audience; statewide candidates Kirk Dillard, Dan Proft, and Judy Baar Topinka attended; attendees included Bolds, Bowler, Brauer, Bucholz, Carlson, Carr, Cherry, Mike Connelly, Cronin, Dabrowski, Earl, Edwards, Falbo, Fortner, French, Fuesting, Grasso, Grogan, Guerin, Hage, Heidorn, Henry, Hinds, Hinkle, Hultgren, Hundhausen, Johns, Jorgensen, Kachiroubas, King, Kinsella, Kmiecik, Koch, Krzyzewski, Larsen, Leventis, Manzzullo, McBride, McKillip, Menna, Muehlfelt, Al Murphy, Barbara Murphy, Olson, Ossyra, Pihos, Pierotti, Prueter, Roskam, Ruscitti, Saverino, Schostok, Smith, Sutter, Vician, Whelan, Zahm, and Zaruba; MTRCC Chairman Mike Formento served as master of ceremonies. Ads in the outstanding 2009-2010 MTRCC Directory were taken out by Anderson, Andrzejewski, Birkett, Bucholz, Carr, Chinchilla, Coladipietro, Cole, Mike Connelly, Cronin, Earl, Eckhoff, Edwards, Formento, Fortner, French, Grasso, GOPUSA ILLINOIS, Gresk, Grogan, Guerin, Heidorn, Henry, Hinkle, Jorgensen, Kachiroubas, Keller, King, Kotecki, McBride, McKillip, Muehlfelt, Olson, Pankau, Pierotti, Pihos, Plummer, Puchalski, Roskam, Ruscitti, Schillerstrom, Schostok, Siekmann, Spitzzeri, Sutter, Wheaton Woman's Republican Club, and Zaruba. Coming soon: listing of those who sponsored tables and donated auction items.

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Editor's Note -- Illinois Review Liveblogs Milton Township's Oktoberfest Candidate Forum & Straw Poll -- SEE: http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2009/10/ir-liveblogs-milton-townships-oktoberfest-candidate-forum-straw-poll.html

2009 GOPUSA ILLINOIS Wish List
GOPUSA ILLINOIS

DIERSEN: The Republican Party platform is conservative and the Republican Party exists to help elect Republican candidates who can and will advance that platform. The Democrat Party platform is liberal and the Democrat Party exists to help elect Democrat candidates who can and will advance that platform. The Combine exists in Illinois to a) advance the personal financial interests of its members, b) advance the Democrat Party platform, and c) defeat candidates who can and will advance the Republican Party platform. Bills in the Illinois Senate and House would return to Illinois Republican primary election voters the power to directly elect those who govern the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) -- the 19 members of the IRP State Central Committee (SCC). Tragically, for decades, the IRP, and especially the SCC, has been dominated by the Combine. Tragically, efforts to rebuild the IRP and efforts to motivate regular Republicans to contribute to the IRP are severely hampered if not futile as long as the Combine continues to dominate the IRP.GOPUSA ILLINOIS 2009 wish list:-- Illinois Republican voters are given back the opportunity to directly elect their representative in the IRP SCC;-- Obama's U.S. Senate seat is filled by a Republican, a Republican who can, will, and does advance the Republican Party platform;-- All Republican candidates in contested races on February 2, 2010 ballots in Illinois sign and fully comply with the IRP Campaign Code of Conduct (http://www.digitalvictorycms.com/_uploaded/347054-IRPCodeofCampaignConduct.pdf);-- Illinois voters elect Republican candidates in the February 2, 2010 primary election who will also win in the November 2, 2010 general election and who can and will do the best job of advancing the Republican Party platform;-- Many from Illinois attend the 2009 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, DC February 26-27;-- All Republican candidates in the April 7, 2009 election win;-- Illinois Republican Precinct Committeemen vote to amend their township party and county party by-laws to include recall provisions and to disqualify from holding leadership positions in their township party those who have recently voted in a Democrat primary election, who have recently accepted money from a Democrat, who have recently given money to Democrat, or who reject a major plank in the Republican Party platform; -- The IRP SCC amends its by-laws (http://www.digitalvictorycms.com/_uploaded/887310-bylaws.pdf) to include recall provisions and to disqualify from holding leadership positions in the Republican Party those who have recently accepted money from a Democrat, who have recently given money to Democrat, or who reject a major plank in the Republican Party platform; -- Federal and state prosecutors indict, convict, and sent to jail everyone who has broken laws, especially Combine members;-- The IRP SCC moves aggressively to enforce the IRP Code of Ethics (http://www.digitalvictorycms.com/_uploaded/324865-code_of_ethics.pdf); -- The liberal Illinois news media stops any kind of political reporting that is designed to promote a) candidates or officials who promote the Democrat Party platform, b) members of the Combine, c) people controlled by the Combine, d) people who want to be a member of the Combine, or e) people who lack what it takes to stand up to the Combine;-- Many Republican elected officials, candidates, and party leaders walk in Independence Day parades across Illinois, especially in Wheaton; more Republicans than ever attend Republican Day events at the State Fair; and many attend Patriot Day ceremonies across Illinois;-- All Illinois Republican candidates, Illinois Republican elected officials, and Illinois Republican party organizations include GOPUSA ILLINOIS in their press advisory lists and their press release distribution lists;-- Liberal Democrats who move to prosperous and safe areas that conservative Republicans created, like DuPage County a) rapidly come to realize that conservative Republican values, not liberal Democrat values, bring forth prosperity and safety; b) rapidly and permanently abandon their liberal Democrat values, and c) immediately begin voting for conservative Republican candidates; and-- No Republican official does anything that conflicts with the Republican Party platform.

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