Illinois Republican Party
Encyclopedia
The Illinois Republican Party is the state-level affiliate of the Republican Party
in Illinois
. Since August 20, 2009, it has been chaired by Pat Brady. The party is one of only three legally established, statewide political parties in Illinois, the others being the Democratic
and Green
parties.
on May 29, 1856. Its founding members came from the former Whig Party in Illinois after its members joined with several powerful local political factions including, notably, the Independent Democrat
movement of Chicago that helped elect James Hutchinson Woodworth
Mayor in 1848.
The early Illinois Republican party enjoyed many members from commerce who shared the vision of Illinois generally, and Chicago in particular, as a gateway to the Western frontier of the United States. The early party members quickly identified their shared anti-slavery sentiment which further differentiated them from the older parties based on the East Coast. Many early members of the party failed to gain statewide office or election to the United States Congress due to this anti-slavery view, although this early position of the party in Illinois would later propel several candidates to prominent office, including the Governorship of Illinois won by Richard Yates, and in the mid 1850s, the election of former Chicago Mayor James Hutchinson Woodworth
to one term in the United States House of Representatives.
On May 9-10, 1860 the Illinois Republican State Convention was held in Decatur
. At this convention Abraham Lincoln
received his first endorsement for president of the United States.
State
Federal
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Since August 20, 2009, it has been chaired by Pat Brady. The party is one of only three legally established, statewide political parties in Illinois, the others being the Democratic
Democratic Party of Illinois
The Democratic Party of Illinois is a political party and affiliate of the United States Democratic Party in Illinois. It is the oldest still-existing state party in Illinois and, along with the Green and Republican Parties, one of just three legally established parties in the state.-History:The...
and Green
Illinois Green Party
The Illinois Green Party is a statewide political party in Illinois.The party is affiliated with the Green Party of the United States. Its stated mission and purpose are to advance the Ten Key Values of the Green Party in Illinois through political means and to support individual members and the...
parties.
History
The Illinois Republican Party was organized at a conference held in Major's Hall in BloomingtonBloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
on May 29, 1856. Its founding members came from the former Whig Party in Illinois after its members joined with several powerful local political factions including, notably, the Independent Democrat
Independent Democrat
Independent Democrat is a term occasionally adopted by American politicians to refer to their party affiliation. Several elected officials, including members of Congress, have identified as " Independent Democrats."...
movement of Chicago that helped elect James Hutchinson Woodworth
James Hutchinson Woodworth
James Hutchinson Woodworth , was a former member of the Illinois State Senate and the Illinois State House of Representatives, served as a Chicago Alderman, was elected to consecutive terms as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois as an Independent Democrat, and served one term in the US House...
Mayor in 1848.
The early Illinois Republican party enjoyed many members from commerce who shared the vision of Illinois generally, and Chicago in particular, as a gateway to the Western frontier of the United States. The early party members quickly identified their shared anti-slavery sentiment which further differentiated them from the older parties based on the East Coast. Many early members of the party failed to gain statewide office or election to the United States Congress due to this anti-slavery view, although this early position of the party in Illinois would later propel several candidates to prominent office, including the Governorship of Illinois won by Richard Yates, and in the mid 1850s, the election of former Chicago Mayor James Hutchinson Woodworth
James Hutchinson Woodworth
James Hutchinson Woodworth , was a former member of the Illinois State Senate and the Illinois State House of Representatives, served as a Chicago Alderman, was elected to consecutive terms as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois as an Independent Democrat, and served one term in the US House...
to one term in the United States House of Representatives.
On May 9-10, 1860 the Illinois Republican State Convention was held in Decatur
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
. At this convention Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
received his first endorsement for president of the United States.
Organization and leadership
The Illinois Republican Party is run by the Illinois Republican State Central Committee, which consists of 19 members, one representing each of the state's congressional districts.Past Chairmen (partial list)
| Chairman | Term |
|---|---|
| Rebecca Paul Rebecca Paul Rebecca Paul Hargrove , professionally known as Rebecca Paul, is currently the President and CEO of the Tennessee Lottery. Prior to assuming her current position in 2003, Paul gained national fame within the lottery community for operating lotteries in Illinois, Florida, and Georgia... |
co-chairman ~1985 with Adams |
| Victor L. Smith | 1960–1973 |
| Donald "Doc" Adams | 1973–1988 |
| Al Jourdan | 1988–1993 |
| Harold Byron Smith | 1993–1999 |
| Richard S. Williamson Richard S. Williamson Richard Salisbury Williamson is an American lawyer, diplomat and pedagogue. He currently serves as Special Envoy to Sudan as of January 7, 2008. Williamson is a partner at Winston & Strawn and was also Thomas J... |
1999–2002 |
| Lee A. Daniels Lee A. Daniels Lee A. Daniels served as Illinois State Representative for the 46th district, from 1975 to 2006.Daniels served as Speaker of the House from 1995-1997. Speaker Daniels also served as House Republican Leader from 1983–1995 and again from 1997-2003.He currently serves as an adjunct professor in... |
2001–2002 |
| Dallas Ingemunson | 2002 (interim) |
| Gary MacDougal | 2002–2002 |
| Judy Baar Topinka Judy Baar Topinka Judy Baar Topinka is the Illinois State Comptroller and former Illinois State Treasurer, having served as Treasurer from 1995 to 2007, and former chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party. She was the first woman to become state treasurer, first to be elected to three consecutive terms and the... |
2002–2005 |
| Andrew McKenna Andrew McKenna Andrew McKenna Jr is the immediate past chairman for the Illinois Republican Party. McKenna became the chairman in 2005, and stepped down in August 2009. He was succeeded by Pat Brady. He was preceded by Judy Baar Topinka.... |
2005–2009 |
| Pat Brady | 2009–present Present Present is a time that is neither past nor future.Present may also refer to:- Time and timing :* Present tense, the grammatical tense of a verb* Before Present, radiocarbon dates relative to AD 1950* Presenting, a medical term* Presenteeism... |
Current elected officials
The Illinois Republican Party controls two of the six statewide offices. Republicans also hold one of the state's U.S. Senate seats and 11 of the state's 19 U.S. House seats.State
- Comptroller/Auditor: Judy Baar Topinka Judy Baar TopinkaJudy Baar Topinka is the Illinois State Comptroller and former Illinois State Treasurer, having served as Treasurer from 1995 to 2007, and former chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party. She was the first woman to become state treasurer, first to be elected to three consecutive terms and the...
- Treasurer: Dan RutherfordDan RutherfordDan Rutherford is the Illinois Treasurer. He served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 53rd district, from 2003 to 2011, and in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1993 through 2002.-Early life and education:...
Federal
- U.S. Senate
- Mark KirkMark KirkMark Steven Kirk is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Kirk was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 10th congressional district....
- Mark Kirk
- U.S. House of Representatives
- Peter RoskamPeter RoskamPeter James Roskam is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party and Chief Deputy Whip in the 112th Congress, ranking fourth among house Republican leaders; also served in the Illinois Senate and the Illinois House of Representatives.-Early life,...
, 6th District - Joe WalshJoe Walsh (Illinois politician)William Joseph "Joe" Walsh is the Republican U.S. Representative for Chicago, Illinois's northwest suburban . He has served in Congress since January 2011 after defeating three-term incumbent Democrat Melissa Bean by a margin of 291 votes in a surprising upset. He received little Republican Party...
, 8th District - Robert Dold, 10th District
- Adam KinzingerAdam KinzingerAdam Daniel Kinzinger is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, 11th District - Judy BiggertJudy BiggertJudith Borg "Judy" Biggert is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. She is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, 13th District - Randy HultgrenRandy HultgrenRandall Mark "Randy" Hultgren is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.Hultgren previously represented the 48th district Senate seat in the Illinois General Assembly from 2007 - 2011...
, 14th District - Tim Johnson, 15th District
- Donald Manzullo, 16th District
- Bobby SchillingBobby SchillingRobert Todd "Bobby" Schilling is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2011. Schilling is a member of the Republican Party and was backed by the Tea Party movement in the November 2010 election...
, 17th District - Aaron SchockAaron SchockAaron Schock is the United States Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Peoria and includes part of Springfield. At the age of , Schock is currently the youngest U.S. representative and the first member of the U.S. Congress born...
, 18th District - John ShimkusJohn ShimkusJohn Mondy Shimkus is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, 19th District
- Peter Roskam
External links
- WeAreIllinois.org, the Republican Party of Illinois website
- illinoiscrs.org, Illinois College Republican Federation website