GOP Loses Mayoral Races Across State
Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin concededs his defeat for a third term Tuesady Night. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
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This time three years ago, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin had $50 million in backing, the Illinois GOP’s most successful (if not controversial) campaign team, and was likely the favorite to with the Republican nomination for Governor in 2022.
My how things change.
A bad campaign message and $30 million in attack ads from billionaire Governor JB Pritzker dropped Irvin to third in that race and sent him back to preside over the second largest city in the state.
Three years later, Irvin has lost the Mayor’s office, too.
After six figures in spending from the Democratic Party of Illinois attacking Irvin, tying him to President Donald Trump, he was defeated by Alderman John Laesch in Tuesday’s municipal election.
While the race is technically non-partisan, Laesch is a Democrat and Irvin has generally identified as a Republican since 2022.
With 100% of precincts reporting late Tuesday night, Laesch leads Irvin 9,078 to 8,374, a 52%-48% difference. Irvin conceded defeat earlier in the evening.
The race essentially became a proxy war between Democrats, who wanted to win the seat back and embarrass Irvin after his 2022 gubernatorial run, and a state Republican party which was thoroughly unengaged in the race.
“We fought hard. We fought long. Unfortunately, we came up short,” Irvin said on stage at his campaign’s watch party in downtown Aurora, according to the Chicago Tribune.
While Democrats spent six figures to attack Irvin and boost Laesch, the Illinois Republican Party spent $0.
“Where was the Illinois GOP when Irvin needed them,” one Republican operative asked Tuesday night. “After insiders destroyed him by running a disaster of a governor’s campaign for him, they just left him for dead [yesterday.]”
Another Republican operative was critical of a lack of coordinated Republican efforts to protect Irvin.
“We absolutely dropped the ball here,” the operative said. “No excuses. The GOP doesn’t know what it’s priorities are.”
Democrats sent more than a dozen pieces of mail into the city to attack Irvin and spent tens of thousands more on digital ads. Irvin’s major backing came from the Local 150 Operators union, which, sources say, sent four pieces of mail on Irvin’s behalf, did paid door knocking, digital ads, and texting. Local 150 had not reported those expenditures as of Tuesday night.
In a statement Tuesday night, Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Ben Hardin called the results, like in Aurora, a victory for Democrats.
“For weeks, the party has been making sure voters know which candidates are aligned with Democratic values and which ones will take their communities down the wrong path,” he said. “In addition, DPI provided candidates with the training, mentorship and tools they needed to run efficient and effective campaigns. Our comprehensive direct mail, digital, and text communications programs raised awareness of these critical local races to help supported candidates win.”
We reached out to the Illinois GOP late Tuesday night to ask why the party wasn’t engaged on Irvin’s behalf and if it had a reaction to the race. We have not heard back.
Republican mayors and candidates suffered similar defeats across the state.
Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau, a 2022 GOP candidate for Congress, was defeated for re-election by Jim Dodge, a former Republican allied with Democratic interests. Dodge leads Pekau 8,938-6,710, a 57%-43% advantage.
Mike Thoms, incumbent Mayor of Rock Island, who ran for Senate as a Republican in 2022, lost his bid for re-election to Ashley Harris, an Army veteran who is a machinist for John Deere. Harris leads Thoms 2,811-2,661, 51%-49% with all precincts reporting.
Sal Raspanti, a 2022 GOP candidate for Senate and the Park Ridge City Clerk, lost his challenge to incumbent Mayor Marty Maloney. Maloney leads Raspanti 5,422-3,013, a 64%-36% difference with all precincts reporting.
In Normal, where the McLean County GOP funneled a $28,000 donation to Mayoral candidate Kathleen Lorenz in the final days of her race with incumbent Chris Koos, didn’t help propel her over the longtime incumbent. Koos leads Lorenz 3,914 to 3,444 in a three way race. His lead is 46%-40%.
“These results across Illinois show just how much of a disaster the Illinois GOP is and why Democrats will continue to dominate politics in our state,” the Republican operative said.
The one bright spot for the GOP was in Bloomington, where longtime State Representative Dan Brady, the party’s nominee for Secretary of State in 2022, won a three way race for Mayor. Brady defeated City Councilman Cody Hendricks and incumbent Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe to earn the job.
With 100% of precincts reporting, Brady leads with 7,936 votes. Hendricks has 5,525, and Mwilambwe is third with 3,106. That’s 48% for Brady, 33% for Hendricks, and 19% for Mwilambwe.
“Bloomington is my home, and I truly believe this community is the heart of our state,” Brady said in a statement Tuesday night. “We deserve leaders who will advocate for the betterment of our great city, a mayor who will tackle the hard issues, and someone who works with everyone in order to ensure the future of Bloomington is bright. I'm ready to get to work as your new mayor.”
