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GOP State Central Committee Votes Tonight

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In the strange electoral calendar in 2022, county party conventions where local chairs are elected and votes (on the Republican side) for the State GOP Central Committee are made take place tonight, about three months later than normal.

Each of the 102 county Republican and Democrat central committees will elect their officers tonight, but Republicans also elect their State Central Committee by weighted vote of each county. Democrats selected their Central Committee members by primary vote last month.

The campaign of Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) seems to be pushing a handful of candidates to shape the direction of the party in his image. Bailey loyalist and former Rep. Jeanne Ives is unopposed for a seat on the State Central Committee. Bailey has also endorsed former Chicago GOP Chairman Chris Cleveland in the Chicago-based 5th District. It also appears Bailey is supporting State Senate candidate Maria Vasquez over Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) in the new 13th District. Vasquez was a Bailey supporter and Butler is close to Congressman Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) and former Congressman Ray LaHood, two Republicans low on the totem pole in Baileyland.

I’ve been told by sources close to the campaign that there is no effort by Bailey’s camp to replace State Party Chairman Don Tracy, and no other candidate appears to have put themselves forward.

The State GOP has not released a list publicly and would not confirm if these are the official candidates for the 17 districts, but thanks to some help from a couple of subscribers, this is what we’ve put together:

Congressional District 1

• Tim Ozinga, Mokena

Congressional District 2

• Judy Diekelman, Thornton

Congressional District 3

• Jeanne Ives, Wheaton

Congressional District 4

• Jay Reyes, Riverside

Congressional District 5

Chris Cleveland, Chicago

• Aaron Del Mar, Palatine

• Jack Dorgan, Rosemont

Congressional District 6

Bob Grogan, Downers Grove

• Sean Morrison, Palos Park

Congressional District 7

Mark Hosty, River Forest

Congressional District 8

• Vacant

Congressional District 9

Julie Cho, Wilmette

• Joan Lasonde, Wilmette

• Sally Nyhan Davis, Glenview

Congressional District 10

Mark Shaw, Lake Forest

Congressional District 11

Laura Pollastrini, Hampshire

Congressional District 12

Rhonda Belford, Elizabethtown

• Ben Stratemeyer, Centralia

Congressional District 13

Tim Butler, Springfield

• Maria Vasquez, Urbana

Congressional District 14

Raquel Mitchell, Bolingbrook

• Larry Smith, Somonauk

Congressional District 15

Jason Plummer, Edwardsville

Congressional District 16

Jim Fisher, Hudson

• Jan Weber, Geneseo

Congressional District 17

• Kurt Glazier, Sterling

• Chad Weaver, Erie

Democrats choose their new chair on Saturday.

Patrick Pfingsten

@pfingstenshow

patrick@theillinoize.com