Prairie State Wire

A Republican State Central Committee member is appealing to conservative Republicans statewide to donate to former State Rep. Bob Winchester’s (R-Rosiclare) nearly year-long legal battle to have him declared the rightful victor in the race for Central Committee in the 15th Congressional district.

John McGlasson, Central Committee member in the 16th district, wrote in an open letter that Winchester had “his seat stolen from him” a year ago as part of a larger effort by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to purge the ILGOP of conservatives, and by the state Chairman Tim Schneider to protect his position in the party. State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) was recorded by the party as the winner in the race.

Winchester appealed his loss to the courts, challenging that some counties submitted the vote tallies by acclamation – a move that gives the candidate with more than half of the votes the entire final tally, which violates party rules and may violate state law.

Bob Winchester

"This caused Bob’s opponent to receive 100% of the vote for those counties even though he barely won,” McGlasson wrote. “The same thing was attempted against me; so I know this happened.”

McGlasson survived his challenge.

McGlasson said that the party’s attorneys on salary have delayed Winchester’s legal challenge, exhausting his funds.

“The ‘bad guys’ will be able to maintain control if we cannot continue the lawsuit,” he wrote. “That will mean that conservative Republicans will continue to be ignored. We will have no say in party policy, the selection of candidates, and THE PARTY’S PLATFORM IN 2020!”

McGlasson asks for checks – whatever donors can afford – to be made payable to the Peraica and Associates law firm, with Bob Winchester in the memo line. Send checks to

John McGlasson, Republican State Central Committee Member, 16th Cong. District, 402 Payson Street, Pontiac, Illinois 61764

Contributions will also be accepted using a credit card or PayPal at www.fundedjustice.com/61UQ7e?ref=ab_5819J3_ab_982Lv3

McGlasson wrote that the money will be returned if enough funds aren’t raised to continue the legal fight.