What Does Pat Brady's Resignation Mean for the Illinois Republican Party?

Pundits have various opinions about the decision of the state GOP leader from St. Charles—but most are saying it's not good news for the Republican Party.

You knew Pat Brady's decision to step down as leader of the Illinois Republican Party was big news when Donna Brazile retweeted the Daily Herald online article minutes after the story broke Monday night. Brazile is, of course, an author, academic and political analyst who also happens to be vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. They say all politics is local, and this story—which already has garnered national attention—couldn't be more local for residents of the Tri-Cities. Brady is a longtime resident of St. Charles, and very active in the community. He was even the chairman of the Kevin Burns campaign for Kane County Board chairman last year. Brady resigned as the state GOP chair Tuesday for a couple reasons, one being …

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POLL: Should State GOP Oust Pat Brady for His Position on Same-Sex Marriage?

What do you think about Jim Oberweis' efforts to get rid of Pat Brady as party chair?

A couple of big-name, hyper-local politicians in the state's Grand Old Party are going toe-to-toe over the direction of party leadership and the issue of same-sex marriage. A bunch of Republicans, led by state Sen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove, cancelled a Saturday (March 9) meeting to decide whether to oust state GOP Chairman Pat Brady of St. Charles over Brady's personal position on gay marriage. The meeting was cancelled because the Republican group couldn't get enough votes to remove Brady, according to reports in the Chicago Tribune and other sources. Sixty percent of the party vote is required to make that happen. But it doesn't sound like the issue is going away any time soon. Brady has said on a number of occasions that he supports …

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Poll: Who Looks like the Better Republican Candidate for President Right Now?

Rick Santorum has received a recent bump and has won four primaries. Mitt Romney, also with four, is seen by many to be a front runner, but you can't yet count out Ron Paul or Newt Gingrich.

Illinois's March 20 primary is a little more than a month away and the field of GOP candidates who want to unseat President Obama continues to play out like a game of musical chairs. Until recently, Mitt Romney's nomination was touted largely as an inevitability, but whether that remains so going forward is uncertain. Romney has won Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire and Florida. But according to at least one poll, Rick Santorum has a lead over Romney, polling 29 percent to the former Massachusetts governor's 27 percent. Other polls have his lead as even greater. Like Romney, Santorum also has four primaries under his belt. Ron Paul has shown confidence despite coming off a narrow loss in Maine to Romney and not having won any state primary or …

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Moms POLL: Which GOP Presidential Candidate Would You Choose?

This is a question for moms only.

Maybe you saw the ABC News GOP primary debate last week with moderators Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos. And after you got past the $10,000 bet and the "Newt Romney" sound bites (or perhaps because of them), maybe you started to get a feeling about which candidate might best represent the Grand Old Party come November. We'd like to know what you think—as a woman, as a mom, as an informed voter who cares about the direction of the country. This is Moms Talk, and so we are asking that this conversation really be based on a mom's point of view. What we're saying is, sorry, but if you're male, please don't comment. We can't stop guys from voting (although that would be an interesting amendment to the Constitution), but we hope you have …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: 'There He Goes Again ...' Burns Says Lauzen Still Playing With Numbers

Mayor says grants for parking structure, master plan account for 2011-12 increase in city of Geneva budget.

To the Editor: There he goes again … From Chris Lauzen’s statement as reported in the Nov. 4 Daily Herald and other news outlets, “… the numbers in Geneva’s own budget say all that must be said. Page 13 ofthe 2011-12 budget shows a 7.4 percent increase from the 2010-11 budget. Frankly, this could not be more clear.” Actually, Mr. Lauzen, the budget numbers are clear; if only you were able to understand how municipal budgets are developed and reported. Please accept the following facts as a courtesy to you and those who have tried to mislead: Fact: Page 13 of the City of Geneva’s 2011-12 Budget is one of 288 pages of details—where every dollar comes from and where every dollar is spent and invested. Rendering opinions—and passing said …

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Inside Geneva: Jeff Ward

Jeff Ward: GOP Party Chair Pat Brady Has No Business Chairing a GOP Primary Campaign

This one doesn't pass the laugh test.

Just when I’m convinced that Springfield Democrats have cornered the market on political folderol, our illustrious Illinois GOP just has to go ahead and prove me wrong. Call me crazy, but I believe our political parties should actually aspire to something greater than a downward-spiraling contest to see who can sink to new lows in the name of the political process. But as difficult as you think it might be to top Mike Madigan and his crew of cronies, the Illinois GOP did just that when state Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady signed on as Kevin Burns' campaign chair in his primary race against Chris Lauzen for the Kane County Board chairmanship. If party integrity were at stake, I can see a GOP chairman endorsing one candidate over …

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Letter to the Editor

Chris Lauzen: Glad to See Burns Has Found Fiscal Religion

Letter to the Editor: GOP Kane County Board chair candidate Chris Lauzen responds to opponent Kevin Burns' letter.

To the Editor: In the spirit of my campaign’s Code of Conduct, I am responding to this press release only because I have been asked direct questions by the press. Basically, three points are addressed in Kevin Burns' statements:  1. Board Member Jim Mitchell is proposing an increase in revenue and spending on county operations ... This is not true. Most elected officeholders who are familiar with budget processes already know that (a) the operations portion is only one part of a total budget; (b) the committee proposal is merely a preliminary step in the process; (c) it represents the thought of the entire committee and not one individual opinion’s; and most importantly, (d) despite an approximate $480,000 increased expense for the 2012 …

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Lauzen Announces Campaign Committee for Kane County Board Chair Race

So far, Lauzen is facing off against Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns in the race to see who will follow Karen McConnaughay.

State Sen. Chris Lauzen is vying against Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns for the 2012 GOP nomination in the race for Kane County Board chairman. Both are hoping to follow in the footsteps of County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay, who is running for state senator in the newly created District 33. Got all that? In a press release dated Tuesday, Lauzen announced his regional campaign co-chairs. “I am delighted that these influential, proven community leaders have agreed not only to guide our campaign but also to help me serve the people of Kane County well, if we are successful,” he said. Former state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger will serve as campaign chairman in the northern portion of Kane County including Elgin, Dundee and Carpentersville. As a …

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