Doug Ibendahl

Having the same right to directly elect the members of the central committee of the state party, the organization that is arguably more powerful and more important than any single county organization, would just seem to be common sense.

I’m optimistic that if Trump supporters stand up for President Donald Trump in Illinois, he’ll stand up for us. It’s what the man does.

The reality is the Illinois Republican Party simply isn’t organized to win elections.

Many are now saying Jussie Smollett needs to apologize to Chicago. But why? How is the hate exhibited by Smollett towards President Trump and his supporters materially different from the hate many pillars of the Chicago community direct towards President Trump on a daily basis?

Republicans in other states get it, but the Illinois GOP remains clueless – and cowardly.

In this age of Trump, it’s not about pigeonholing people by ideology, it’s about doers. That’s what we’re woefully lacking in Illinois.

People ask me if I’m voting for Rauner Tuesday, and I say of course not. I didn’t vote for him four years ago, so I’m certainly not voting for him now when everything I warned about came to fruition.

Until Trump came along, the GOP’s first instinct was to fold to pressure which of course only emboldened the other side, sending the clear signal that character assassination works.

Latest example of the kind of pettiness and self-dealing that continues to keep the Republican Party from being a serious winning force in Illinois.

The American people executed a master stroke when they hired a hardworking builder who knows how to get things done.