Tracy Survives Leadership Challenge
Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy survived a leadership challenge Saturday.
NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.
An effort to oust Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy failed at a State Central Committee meeting Saturday in Edwardsville.
Some conservative activists and party insiders have expressed frustration with Tracy for the party’s failure in the 2022 election cycle and dimmed prospects in the state for the 2024 election cycle.
We were told the group was attempting to draft Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) to succeed Tracy.
Most of the discussion about Tracy Saturday happened in executive session, but we’re told a group of three central committee members, Plummer, former Cook County GOP Chairman and 2022 candidate for Lt. Governor Aaron Del Mar, and former State Representative and failed gubernatorial and congressional candidate Jeanne Ives led the effort against Tracy.
Ousting Tracy would have taken 60% of the weighted vote of the 17 member state central committee. The weight is distributed by the number of Republican votes in each congressional district. Plummer had the largest share (14.2%), but Ives and Del Mar combined for under 5% of the weighted vote. Three other state central committee members, Dean White, Joan Lasonde, and Chad Weaver joined those opposed to
“They looked like fools,” said one Tracy supporter.
But a Tracy opponent says the coalition that was building (and, fell apart) was going to continue to work to remove the embattled chairman.
“This isn’t over,” the opponent said.
