Could Rep. Tom Demmer Be Plotting a Run for Governor?
Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) is taking aim at Governor JB Pritzker in a new set of digital ads, adding to speculation about his 2022 plans.
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There has been some buzz about Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) moving closer to a Secretary of State run after launching a digital ad campaign this week. Spending data on Facebook or Google aren’t available yet, but sources provided some of the art to The Illinoize:
There’s a part of the new ad campaign where Demmer is trying to increase his name ID among Republican primary voters and gather data on potential contacts for a statewide run. But these two are clearly aimed at Governor JB Pritzker and the other two (supporting police and a classic “right/wrong direction” piece) aren’t necessarily aimed at anything he’s publicly considering running for, like Secretary of State.
Could it be that Demmer is considering a run for Governor?
There’s a reason for him to consider it. He filed with more than $450,000 in the bank at the end of July, only a few thousand behind Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) at the end of July. He’s incredibly well respected in Springfield, has a great understanding of how government works and how it could be reformed, is conservative without scaring away suburban moms, has a good looking family, and isn’t just another old, white, conservative.
With Congressman Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) and Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) slow rolling any potential announcement at this point, it may give Demmer an opening.
Asking around, it seems like Demmer is still leaning toward running for Secretary of State, but as long as the GOP primary for Governor remains “unsettled,” Demmer is keeping the option on the table.
Demmer didn’t return a text yesterday asking for an update, but he told me last month there is “plenty of time before petitions go out, so [I’m] keeping all options on the table.”
