Prairie State Wire

Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) recently took her message centered on shaking up the Republican Party to CLTV's "Politics Tonight" for a “we need a new vision” themed discussion. 

In doubling down on her endorsement of Lake County Committeeman Mark Shaw for chairman of the Illinois Republican Party over incumbent Tim Schneider, Ives, who narrowly lost in her GOP primary run against Gov. Bruce Rauner, told host Paul Lisnek, “We need a new vision for the party, a new way to attract voters.”

Shaw also has been publicly endorsed by Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills). 

Mark Shaw

“Mark Shaw’s been around enough; he’s got some innovative ideas on how to change the party and win elections,” Ives said. “He’s willing to work with everybody and he’s got fresh ideas.”

By contrast, she said Schneider has failed the party by allowing more than 30 Democrats to run unopposed during the primary, all while spending most of his time trying to ensure Rauner’s re-election.

Ives said Rauner now throwing his support behind Schneider suggests to her that he didn’t learn his lesson from his razor-thin primary survival.

“Gov. Rauner supporting Tim Schneider is basically saying he never actually heard the message that was sent to him March 20,” she said. “Not only is he supporting Schneider who has failed as state party chairman, he’s actually put challengers up for people who sided with me in the primary. He’s actually looked to take folks out from leadership positions in the party who were working with me. He’s alienating the party.”

While Ives said she has not spoken to Rauner since the election, she said she plans to be on hand in Springfield for the ILGOP State Central Committee meeting on May 19, when the election for state party chairman is scheduled to take place.