CHICAGO – In any other state, Republican leadership – past and present – would be expected to oppose the state's one-party control. But this is Illinois. Despite Democrat Party Chairman Mike Madigan being investigated by the feds, "Republicans" are showing their true colors and lining up to keep Madigan in power of the state's judicial system, as well as Illinois' legislative and executive branches.
Last week, former IL GOP State Chairman Pat Brady made a public stand in support of Leftist Democrat Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) over 2020 Republican challenger Jeanne Ives.
This morning, Crain's Chicago Greg Hinz broke the news that once-Illinois Republican leaders Tom Cross (former IL House Minority Leader) former Chief Justices Ben Miller and Robert Thomas, former Illinois Attorney General Ty Fahner, former U.S. Attorneys Dan Webb and Anton Valukas endorse Democrat IL Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride's retention.
And at the top of the list of endorsers is the late Republican Governor Jim Thompson – who reportedly bestowed support to Kilbride before his recent death.
At the same time, the IL GOP is releasing social media memes like this:
The fact that Kilbride is the deciding vote on "Fair Maps" and against term limits must not mean anything to the Republicans that signed onto Kilbride's re-election to the Illinois Supreme Court.
The IL GOP is backing constitutional conservative Justice David Overstreet in southern Illinois' 5th Judicial District, pointing out that if Overstreet were to be elected, the Republicans would control the Illinois Supreme Court.
More to come on this …