DeVore Forming PAC to Primary McCombie, Allies
Republican candidate for Attorney General, Tom DeVore, campaigns for the office in 2022. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.
A conservative activist, attorney and former candidate for Illinois Attorney General says he’s launching a PAC aimed at primarying House Republican Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna), a top member of her leadership team, and another longtime Republican member of the House.
Tom DeVore, an attorney from downstate Sorento, who rose to fame in conservative circles in during the 2020 pandemic for fighting Governor JB Pritzker’s executive orders, has been a noted critic of McCombie and top GOP officials in the state for votes they’ve taken and campaign contributions they’ve received, mostly from the Illinois Education Association.
DeVore says he’s forming a political action committee, called the “RINO Removal PAC.” “RINO” is a term used by conservatives to attack more centrist GOP officials as ‘Republicans in Name Only.’
DeVore says he’s working to field primary challengers against McCombie, her Deputy Republican Leader, Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb), and Rep. Charlie Meier (R-Okawville).
“A suppressed and a depressed Republican electorate is the biggest problem that we have in Illinois right now,” DeVore said. “There are many things that contribute to that. It's not a one size fits all solution, but a couple of the things that contribute to that is the perception from the electorate that the elected officials we have right now do not take the fight to the Democrats. They take Democrat money, they vote for Democrat bills, and they spend their time more concerned about maintaining their positions than they do beating the Democrats.”
With Republicans already in the superminority and defending some of their 40 seats again in 2026, DeVore says he isn’t concerned about hurting the GOP in the long term.
“Getting out of the superminority is exactly why I'm doing what I'm doing,” DeVore said. “There's only one way to get out of the superminority. That's to win elections against Democrats. The only way we win elections against Democrats is to excite and invigorate the Republican electorate, to vote more consistently and more often, and in greater numbers. That's the only way that we win those elections.”
DeVore had insinuated in social media posts he would target every member of McCombie’s leadership team in the House, but backed off the statement Monday.
Though he did appear to lay down the gauntlet for GOP candidates in more moderate, suburban districts.
“I don't need a more squeamish Republican to try to get some crossover people that were voting for the Democrat in the last cycle or two to vote for the Republican. I need a good, solid Republican,” he said. “They don't have to be MAGA. They don't have to have the red hat charging [up] the hill with Trump signs. I don't care about any of that. They just have to be a solid Republican that's committed to voting for Republican principles. We can get them elected in some of these districts without having a more squeamish, milquetoast Republican. If we spend our time, our money, and our efforts on getting the people to vote that traditionally don't vote.”
DeVore says he has “identified” a candidate to challenge McCombie in a primary and that they have a “few options” for a primary against Hammond. DeVore, who lives in Meier’s district, did not rule out running against the incumbent himself.
He also did not outline a funding source for the effort saying “we’ll talk about that when it happens.”
DeVore has been a consistent critic of McCombie in recent months, including filing a federal lawsuit against her for deleting comments on her campaign Facebook page. The lawsuit is ongoing.
McCombie did not return a message from The Illinoize Monday.
One top Republican we spoke to Monday was critical of DeVore’s efforts.
“Republicans in this state can’t keep doing this to ourselves,” the GOP insider said. “Instead of taking the fight to [House Speaker] Chris Welch, Tom DeVore is using social media to turn Republicans against themselves. It only helps Democrats.”
DeVore has been a lightning rod of sorts in recent years, including for his high profile court wins over COVID mandates that were nearly all overturned by a higher court. He has also been admonished and sanctioned by a federal judge for “highly unprofessional” activities and a romantic relationship with a client who filed for bankruptcy.
