McConchie on COVID Vaccinations, 2022 Campaign
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) shakes hands with a constituent following a town hall in Crystal Lake Tuesday.
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Following a town hall in suburban Crystal Lake Tuesday night, Senate GOP Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) spoke with The Illinoize on a range of issues.
McConchie says Republicans aren’t to blame for vaccine hesitancy and pushback on mask mandates.
“The former head of our party, Donald Trump, helped come up with the vaccine in record time. There are people in the party that have differing views in regard to that, but I dismiss the characterization that this is a party position.”
McConchie says he is vaccinated.
He did take aim at Governor JB Pritzker for what he calls “hypocrisy” early in the pandemic and a “go it alone” approach that doesn’t involve the legislature.
“That is the biggest problem with this entire process,” McConchie said. “You have people who then say if the Governor just does what he wants to in the state without any sort of oversight, whether from the legislative branch or the judicial branch, then [those people say] ‘I’m not gonna trust or I’m not gonna do what he says.’ If the Governor wants to bring everyone together then he should do that by having the legislature be involved as a part of the decision making process. That’s what brings people together.”
Regarding 2022 elections, McConchie says the GOP can compete in multiple districts next year (if, of course, they’re upheld by the courts or unchanged by Democrats), even with a cash deficit to Senate Democrats.
“The party has to stand for something. It has to be a party of ideas. We were a party against Mike Madigan, instead of providing an alternative,” he said. “We have some people today who just want to be against JB Pritzker. They still want to be against Mike Madigan. I just shun that. I say let’s demonstrate to people what it is we’re about, what we’re for, and, from there, excite people about what is really possible in the future.”
Subscribers will learn more about what McConchie said about the GOP field for Governor in Friday’s subscriber-only newsletter.