The last Illinois governor to serve two full terms in office says it will be “very difficult” for Republicans to stop Governor JB Pritzker from winning re-election in November.

Sitting down with The Illinoize for nearly an hour Tuesday in Springfield, former Governor Jim Edgar painted a picture of a GOP that has alienated suburbanites, centrists, and women.

Edgar, a traditional moderate Republican who is fiscally conservative and socially moderate, says the GOP needs to welcome more centrist Republicans.

“I think if the Republican Party wants to be successful statewide, particularly in a state like Illinois, there has to be [more moderates.] There aren’t enough conservative Republicans or far-right Republicans to win a statewide election of any importance,” he said. “The suburbs are really the key in statewide elections and if the Republican Party is too far to the right, I think they’re going to have a hard time getting the necessary votes out of the suburbs to be successful in a statewide election.”

Edgar says a key for Republicans this year would have been to avoid social issues, like abortion. But he says the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe vs. Wade could have disastrous political repercussions for Republicans.

“I can’t think of a worse thing for trying to calm down American politics than to have Roe vs. Wade overturned,” Edgar said. “Unfortunately, at the state level, for the Republicans in Illinois, particularly, [its] gonna be very detrimental. I think that will take a lot of suburban women, or women who think like the majority of suburban women, and they’re going to say ‘I’m not voting for a Republican.’ They might agree with [Republicans] on fiscal issues, they might agree with them on other social issues even. But that, I think, went too far.”

Edgar called GOP nominee for Governor Darren Bailey “the weakest” of the major primary candidates in the November election, and said the GOP would have an easier time beating Governor JB Pritzker with a moderate.

“I think if we had a moderate Republican candidate for Governor, I think he’d be very viable in this election,” Edgar said, mentioning former State Sen. Kirk Dillard as someone who fits the mold of a candidate that could win a statewide primary and general election.

Edgar says Pritzker has done a “pretty decent” job in his first term.

But, Edgar says, Bailey is too far from the mainstream for most voters.

“Darren Bailey is who he is. He doesn’t seem like he tries to hide his feelings,” Edgar said, calling Bailey “personable.” “I just think many of the policies he believes in, I don’t think the majority of Illinoisans believe in.”

Edgar said if Bailey called to ask for advice for the final seven weeks of the campaign, it would be to focus on crime, avoid social issues, and step away from hot button issues related to former President Donald Trump.

“I’d talk about crime and I’d stop talking about the social issues,” Edgar said. “I would definitely, and I think he kind of did that, say Biden did win [the 2020 election.] I mean, that’s a crazy issue to get tied down in. [You’re] going to have to at least be rational on that issue when you’re trying to convince people to vote for you.”

Edgar says he’s hopeful Republicans can win a statewide race in November, specifically citing the Secretary of State campaign run by Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington), though, he says the top of the ticket will have to do better than polling currently shows.

Patrick Pfingsten

@pfingstenshow

patrick@theillinoize.com