UPDATED: Some GOP Operatives Believe Irvin Campaign Has Taken Over Illinois GOP
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy speaks during Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair in 2021. Some Republican operatives believe the GOP is coordinating with the gubernatorial campaign of Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin.
Numerous Republicans are raising questions regarding alleged coordination between the gubernatorial campaign of Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin and the Illinois Republican Party.
In recent weeks, state GOP Executive Director Derek Murphy resigned to take a post as political director of Irvin’s campaign. The party communications staff has also begun sending daily e-mails attacking Governor JB Pritzker within around an hour of a similar daily press e-mail from the Irvin campaign. A handful of Republican operatives we spoke to say it appears the campaign and state party are using similar talking points.
Illinois GOP spokesman Joe Hackler denied the Irvin campaign and state party are coordinating their messaging or working together. He said the timing of the daily e-mails are a coincidence.
“The ILGOP is committed to focusing on the issues that people care about instead of the noise, [issues like] taxes, crime, and corruption,” Hackler said. “To that end, I hope all Republican campaigns do the same.”
The Irvin campaign did not return messages seeking comment. Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy was not made available when The Illinoize requested comment.
UPDATE (10:30 A.M.):
Tracy sent a statement to The Illinoize this morning:
"The Illinois Republican Party has been neutral and will always be neutral in the GOP primary for governor. Any accusation that we are coordinating with a particular campaign is absolutely false and I find it personally offensive to suggest otherwise. It is our duty as the state party to focus on and take the fight to Governor Pritzker on a daily basis. I'm proud of our efforts. All Republicans and every campaign at every level should be pointing out how Pritzker is a disaster for our state."
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Many high level staffers on the Irvin campaign comes from the campaign or administration of former Governor Bruce Rauner. In that position, Rauner loyalists were often in charge at the Illinois Republican Party and worked to beef up Rauner’s accomplishments and attacks.
Political operatives we spoke to, on condition of anonymity as to speak freely, say even if the Irvin campaign hasn’t taken over the state party, it will attempt to.
“They sure are trying, with an assist from [GOP National Committeeman] Richard Porter and Chairman Tracy,” said a GOP operative with ties to another gubernatorial campaign. “No need to call an appraiser, the value of the Illinois GOP is a flat $20 million.”
$20 million is the amount billionaire Ken Griffin donated to Irvin’s campaign earlier this month.
Another Republican operative believes the Irvin campaign is funded by self-interested opportunists.
“What we’re seeing in Illinois is the capturing of a skeleton political party by a mercenary crop of political profiteers. This amoral group of operators has found their latest vessel, and wielded an inside relationship with one large donor to scare the party establishment into submission,” said the Republican. “Despite the fecklessness and gridlock of the Bruce Rauner years, they are back again. But, not because they believe their ideology or values are at stake, but because they have chosen politics as the profession through which to get rich.”
The operative continued to wonder aloud why Irvin is even running for Governor.
“Bailey is a true believer. Sullivan seems to be in it for the right reasons. Rabine is having the time of his life,” said the operative. “But find me a person in Illinois who can explain why Richard Irvin is running for governor, other than that a group of party people told him it would be easy and they’d get him lots of money to do so.”
Whether Irvin, an African American who has voted in 5 of the last 6 Democratic primaries can win a primary of a party focused on mask mandates and Trumpism is another story. If Irvin can’t, one operative speculates it will put an end to the careers of Rauner acolytes.
“They are banking on a hugely flawed candidate in Irvin,” the operative said. If he loses the primary, team Rauner will have trouble getting hired to do a Peoria City Council race.”