The Power Struggle Inside the Illinois GOP
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider announced this weekend he would step down as state party chairman. One person involved in discussions over Schneider’s successor says the race to replace him is “wide open.”
Even before Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider announced this weekend he would step down as party leader after six years, a movement inside the state central committee to oust him was underway.
The Illinoize spoke with multiple people aware of or involved in the discussions surrounding Schneider’s resignation as chairman, and the brewing war between factions inside the top of the party organization.
Schneider’s pending resignation comes as no surprise. He was installed as an ally of Bruce Rauner, who was then the self-funded GOP nominee for Governor in 2014. Schneider, a former Cook County Commissioner, had reportedly been telling aides, friends, and associates for some time he planned to step aside after the 2020 election cycle.
Schneider was not available for comment Monday.
“It’s no secret Tim was ready to move on,” said one GOP official.
Sources indicate that when word of Schneider’s pending announcement began to reach members of the Illinois GOP State Central Committee, made up of one elected member from each of the state’s 18 congressional districts, a group supporting Lake County GOP Chairman Mark Shaw attempted to arrange a vote to install Shaw as the new chairman as early as this weekend.
Shaw has long been backed by a group of ultra-conservative members of the state central committee, but the group was unable to secure enough of the weighted vote to force a vote this weekend.
His leadership in Lake County has been questioned by many in recent years as the party has lost its control on many longtime GOP offices in the county.
“Once they knew there was no way in hell it was going to be Shaw, we knew it had to be an open process,” said another GOP official.
“I am committed to a fair and open process,” says Fred Floreth of Springfield and a member of the GOP State Central Committee.
Floreth said he and other central committee members were surprised by Schneider’s announcement.
At this point, Shaw appears to be the only candidate openly working for the job, but we’ve heard of many names for the position, who does not have to be a member of the state central committee.
Sources tell us candidates like former Miss America and 2018 GOP Attorney General Nominee Erika Harold of Urbana has been discussed as a candidate. She did not return an e-mail from The Illinoize Monday night.
Lake Forest businessman and former State Senate candidate Barrett Davie as well as Chicago Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts have been mentioned as candidates. A spokesman for Ricketts did not respond to a request for comment Monday night.
One observer suggested Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), who has been a vocal critic of Governor JB Pritzker’s COVID-19 executive orders. Another official laughed when we mentioned Bailey’s name. Another current lawmaker mentioned to us is State Senator Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), though Barickman’s votes in favor of gay marriage and marijuana legalization may make his candidacy difficult among some more conservative factions of the party. Barickman did not respond to a request for comment, but rumors continue to swirl that he is eyeing a run for Governor.
(Disclosure: I managed Barickman’s first race in 2012 and still consider him a close friend.)
Current suburban Central Committee members Bob Grogan of Downers Grove and Char Foss-Eggemann of Park Ridge were mentioned as potential candidates. Eggemann says she is not interested in the post. Grogan did not return a message from The Illinoize.
“This is wide open,” said one official.
Whoever gets the job has a tough job attempting to unite the conservative-leaning grassroots, especially downstate, with the more business-minded and less socially conservative Republican donors, specifically in Chicago and the suburbs.
Not to mention a race for Governor in 2022 against a billionaire incumbent with an unlimited war chest.
“One thing is for sure, whoever it is will have a big job building bridges if we’re going to position the party well for the next gubernatorial,” said Jay Reyes, a central committee member from suburban Riverside.
Schneider is expected to stay on as Chairman until a successor is chosen. He will likely leave with the longest tenure as state GOP Chairman since Donald “Doc” Adams served in the position for 15 years from 1973-1988.