Is This Tim Ozinga's 2026 Rollout?
Former Rep. Tim Ozinga, who could be plotting a 2026 statewide run.
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OPINION
Former Rep. Tim Ozinga could very well be the first Republican in the field for Governor in 2026.
But his abrupt exit from the legislature last week and odd silence in the wake of his resignation was a less than graceful way to position himself for a primary less than two years away.
Ozinga has formed an group called the “Big Tent Coalition,” that plans to recruit and train candidates, I guess.
From their website:
Big Tent Coalition (BTC) is revolutionizing the political landscape of Illinois through an innovative blend of old-school campaigning tactics and new-school data-driven strategies. Amidst a political climate lacking checks and balances due to party supermajorities, BTC is committed to restoring balance and fostering meaningful, intelligent political discourse. BTC is redefining grassroots campaigns by focusing on relationship-driven, targeted door-to-door campaigning, superior data analysis, building a bench of talented politicos, and challenging an inefficient group of opportunists. With core values emphasizing empathy, collaboration, courage, innovation, and excellence, BTC is on a mission to win and rebuild hope for Illinois. By 2030, we aim to make Illinois a battleground state, choosing candidates with integrity, problem-solving skills, and a dedication to service.
There’s also an associated PAC, which has around $5,000 in it.
But outside of super-insider Republicans, the group has very little visibility and no successes to show to this point.
Typically if a lawmaker wants to step away from the General Assembly to use their big new platform as a springboard to higher office they may, you know, talk about it.
He’s not speaking at Republican Lincoln Day dinners this spring or putting feelers out to donors or grassroots conservatives.
It’s probably a good time to tell you he hasn’t returned our calls or texts and has never really put himself in front of the media since coming to the House, something a person with ambitions of statewide office usually tries to get pretty good at.
In more than three years in the House, Ozinga doesn’t really have any policy accomplishments, built few relationships in his caucus or on the rail, and has done little to raise his public profile.
He led the House GOP campaign arm for about 20 minutes before quitting that and now isn’t finishing his second term. It hasn’t necessarily endeared him with party leaders, either.
Why bail now?
It’s also completely possible that Ozinga just hated being in the House and didn’t want to deal with more time in Springfield away from his young family.
The haphazard way Ozinga exited Springfield could signal just that. Maybe the job just sucks, especially when you come from a business with your name on it where you can say something and it gets done.
If Tim Ozinga wants to be governor, he probably wouldn’t be likely to achieve that from the back bench of the House of Representatives (a Senate backbencher didn’t do so well last year or in 2010, so there’s a precedent there.) There’s still plenty of time to raise his profile and make himself a contender statewide in less than two years, but he walked away from a built in bully pulpit to get his name on TV all across the state.
As far as political calculations go, it raises a lot of questions.
