Curran Deposes Senate GOP Leader McConchie With Help of McConchie's Deputy
Incoming Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove).
NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.
Senate Republicans dispatched current Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) Tuesday, and he may have his to top lieutenant to blame.
Multiple sources say Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris), the current Senate Deputy Republican Leader orchestrated the overthrow of McConchie, who served just two years as Leader.
“This is 100 percent a Sue Rezin coup,” a source said.
Senate Republicans selected Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) to be its fourth leader in five years last night.
“In private, [Rezin] orchestrated a majority consensus among the superminority,” one Republican said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “Rezin has wanted to be leader forever. She did the same thing to Bill Brady and has never been able to get the votes [to become Leader]. I have full confidence she’ll be in the second position again. She keeps flipping leaders until she gets the job or a leader bows down to her.”
Rezin did not return messages from The Illinoize Tuesday or Wednesday.
Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) told us Wednesday morning characterizations that Rezin orchestrated McConchie's ouster are “categorically, completely false.”
Curran, a former offensive lineman for the University of Illinois football team, was appointed to the Senate in 2017, replacing then-Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno. He won a close race to keep the seat in 2018 and was unopposed in the 2022 election. He is an attorney at a suburban firm led by former Senator and outgoing DuPage County Board member Dan Cronin.
Curran is generally regarded as a political moderate, especially on gun issues. His ascension was mostly backed by downstate conservatives like Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville), Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia), and Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield). A gun rights group tried to drum up opposition to Curran but was unsuccessful in turning around his supporters.
The conservatives were reportedly unhappy with “significant internal and external shortcomings in both the state and political operations,” a source said, calling Senate GOP operations a “disaster.”
Curran did not return a call from The Illinoize last night, but in a statement, thanked his colleagues for their support.
“I am humbled and honored to have the full support of my Senate Republican colleagues to serve as their new leader in the 103rd General Assembly,” he said. “We stand ready, with our focus directed toward the future, on developing solutions that will address the critical issues facing our state. We are equally dedicated to growing our ranks, which will give all Illinoisans greater representation and balance in their state government.”
McConchie issued a statement Tuesday night saying he was “proud of my records and accomplishments” as leader.
“When I assumed this role, I committed to grow the Caucus by recruiting outstanding candidates and providing them with resources so they had a chance to win despite Pritzker’s wallet and the gerrymandered maps that put us at a severe disadvantage,” he said. “To that end, I was able to raise the most money the Senate Republicans have perhaps ever seen and will leave the Caucus with more members than I started - even as our party saw defeats in every other area.”
Senate Republicans won two Democrat-held seats last week for a net gain of one seat. It is the first gain for the Senate GOP since 2014.
Sources say Curran committed to the caucus a less top-down approach to legislating.
“[Members are] not under the impression that strong caucus positions will be taken,” a source said. “He is telling [members] to work your district, work hard, raise money, and be relevant.”
