Prairie State Wire

Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy is cautioning Illinois Republicans to not in-fight in a tough election season in which Democrats forced incumbents into the same district.  

"This election cycle, thanks in part to the Democrats’ extremely one-sided remapping of congressional and state legislative districts, we have several primaries that could easily engender hard feelings and divisiveness," Tracy said in his weekly memo. 

The election will be the first since a Democrat remap that favored the party’s incumbent over others. Gov. J.B. Pritzker was accused of flip-flopping on a campaign promise to veto unfair maps. The legislative maps were drawn behind closed doors and passed along party lines despite concerns over verification. 

"We also have spirited races for the Republican nominations for governor and other statewide offices," Tracy added. "I have previously written in this Memo about the need to constantly keep in mind President Reagan’s 11th Commandment. Please appropriately remind your friends and candidates of the 11th Commandment as needed." 

The tactics used to separate voters based on common characteristics have been characterized as negative for minorities. As the remapping was under way, Illinois State Conference NAACP President Teresa Haley spoke out against such tactics. Packing, stacking and cracking are all phrases that refer to methods of diluting minority groups' voting power in favor of a political party.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which represents a group of Latino voters in the Chicago area, joined Senate Minority President Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) in filing a lawsuit against the remapping. The NAACP's East St. Louis branch joined the complaint, claiming that a black-majority district was purposely split up and dispersed across many House districts to preserve two white incumbent Democrats. House Speaker Chris Welch, Senate President Don Harmon and the Illinois State Board of Elections, along with its individual members, were named as defendants.