Brady committee to analyze GOP's 2012 election losses
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady is organizing a committee of the party faithful to analyze the GOP's significant 2012 election losses and plan for 2014.
The Daily Herald reported today that Brady, of St. Charles, is facing a possible challenge to his leadership post. State Sen. Jim Oberweis, a Sugar Grove Republican and state central committeeman, is trying to round up enough votes to call a meeting for a vote to oust Brady.
Brady's letter appoints Mike Bigger, a party chairman from Stark County in western Illinois, to lead the effort.
“Recently, Committeeman Bigger and I, along with local activists, elected officials and donors met with RNC Chairman (Reince) Priebus to update him on our efforts in Illinois, and discussed how we can work together in laying the foundation for a Republican gubernatorial win in Illinois in 2014,” the letter reads.
Republicans suffered big losses in the suburbs in November, falling in the three hottest congressional races to lose former U.S. Reps. Judy Biggert of Hinsdale, Joe Walsh of McHenry and Robert Dold of Kenilworth.
In addition, Democrats picked up unprecedented majorities in Springfield, largely on the heels of big suburban gains.
Though he has no official role in the party, Walsh today continued to the push to get Brady to step aside.
“Two weeks ago, I publicly called on Pat Brady to step down as Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party. Pat is a good guy, but as he has still not retracted his public statements on same sex marriage, again, I call on him to step down,” he said in a statement. “He can't, in his position as Chairman of the Party, publicly refute a major piece of our party's platform.”
Brady didn't address his own future in his letter.
“The Illinois Republican Party, the party of Abraham Lincoln, is at a critical point in its history,” Brady's letter said. “The unfortunate reality is that Illinois is run by Chicago Democrats who have brought our state to the brink of financial collapse and have exhibited no inclination towards getting our fiscal house in order or reigniting the job creation engine that was once was the state of Illinois.”
Brady took over the state GOP reins in 2009.