By DOUG IBENDAHL • April 28, 2010
It may seem like inside baseball. But when the Republicans slated Alan Keyes to run in 2004 and when Scott Lee Cohen withdrew from the Democratic ballot this year, each party’s State Central Committee was thrust into the news.
Both major Illinois parties have a State Central Committee. Just one responsibility is filling vacancies on the statewide ticket. This senior committee functions essentially as a board of directors, setting policy and overseeing the operation of the state party.
These top party leaders have important duties. The method by which they are chosen is therefore crucial.
Illinois Democrats directly elect the members of their State Central Committee to a four year term. Democratic voters in each congressional district elected a man and a woman to represent them on the committee in the February 2nd primary election.
Illinois Republicans had that same system for many decades. But about 20 years ago, GOP insiders succeeded in changing the law, but only for Republicans. Rank-and-file Republicans no longer have a voice in choosing the members of their State Central Committee. On the Republican side it’s now done exclusively by other party officials.
SB600 is a bill pending in Springfield that would give all Republicans back their vote. Passage would reverse the power grab that made the Illinois Republican Party unaccountable to its own voters. Regular Republicans would no longer be treated as second class citizens. Republicans and Democrats would once again directly elect their top party leaders under the same law.
The state senate overwhelmingly approved SB600 last year and the bill now awaits passage in the house. Republican Bill Brady voted against the bill as a state senator, but it’s never too late to do the right thing.
Brady needs motivated supporters if he expects to prevail in November in this Blue State. Brady wants to be governor and he wants your vote. Is it too much to ask that he support a reform that would restore the vote for another important office?
If Republicans are good enough to donate their time and money, they are good enough to have a vote, the same vote every Illinois Democrat already enjoys. Brady can demonstrate that he truly cares about change and accountability by publicly calling for passage of SB600.
Isn’t it time we gave the Illinois Republican Party back to Republicans?
Doug Ibendahl is a Chicago Attorney and a former General Counsel of the Illinois Republican Party.
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