When they met in 2018, Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar found Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin to be “a bright guy” who was “personable” and ultimately left “a favorable impression.”
Irvin, who had just been elected to lead Illinois’ second-largest city the previous year, was participating in the Edgar Fellows program, a five-day executive training designed by the former governor to influence attitudes and foster mutual understanding among emerging Illinois leaders across partisan, ethnic and regional lines.
Irvin so impressed Edgar that he was invited back to speak on a panel of mayors to a future Edgar Fellows class.
But one impression that was not immediately clear to the former Republican governor was that Irvin, who holds a nonpartisan office, was himself a Republican.
Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar speaks during an event in Charleston in 2011.
“I was impressed with him, but I guess I thought he was a Democrat,” Edgar told me in an interview Tuesday. “And I think that's going to be probably the major challenge for him is to convince Republicans that he's a Republican. Time will tell whether that’s going to happen or not.”
Irvin announced his campaign for the Republican nomination for governor on Monday. He is running as part of a slate of candidates recruited by ex-staffers of former Gov. Bruce Rauner and former Sen. Mark Kirk and expected to be funded by billionaire Ken Griffin and other large donors.
Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin speaks during a news conference, Feb. 15, 2019. Mayor Irvin joined the gubernatorial fray on Monday, entering the race as a Republican challenging incumbent Democrat J.B. Pritzker.
The goal is to beat incumbent Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire himself, with Griffin pledging to go “all in” on the effort. Griffin and other major Republican donors had been searching for a Republican candidate to back against Pritzker, believing the existing field of GOP candidates not viable in a general election.
They believe they found their man in Irvin, an Army veteran and former prosecutor who would be the state’s first African American governor, if elected.
A day after his announcement, Irvin released a list of 60 endorsements from various establishment GOP figures in Illinois, including House Minority Leader Jim Durkin and former U.S. Rep. John Shimkus.
However, the take on Irvin and the GOP “slate” that I wanted to hear most was from Edgar, who knows a thing or two about winning elections as a Republican in a “blue” state.
After all, he was the last Republican to be reelected to a second term as governor of Illinois. He also left office extremely popular — so much so that the national party twice attempted to recruit him to run for U.S. Senate.
Edgar’s successor, Republican Gov. George Ryan, on the other hand, opted not to run for reelection and left office under the cloud of scandal, which eventually led to federal corruption charges and a stint in prison.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner was defeated by Pritzker in 2018 after four years marred by fights with legislative Democrats and a more than two-year budget impasse.
The party is now shut out of all statewide offices and is toiling away in the superminority in the General Assembly.
So, I called Edgar on Tuesday to ask for his thoughts on Irvin and the “slate,” which includes state Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Morrisonville, for lieutenant governor; state Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, for treasurer; lawyer Steve Kim for attorney general; former U.S. Attorney John Milhiser for secretary of state; and McHenry County Auditor Shannon Teresi for comptroller.
State Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Litchfield, speaks at Republicans Day at the Illinois State Fair on Aug. 19, 2021.
“It'll be interesting to see how the party receives that,” Edgar told me. “But, the candidates seem like they're legitimate candidates. I mean, I think they bring something to the table and if Griffin's coming through with the money, money is really important in a primary.”
“If he's going to fund these campaigns, that will definitely give them a leg up,” Edgar said. “Now the drawback, though, is people are going to say, 'well, they're all going to be his puppet,' and they're going to have to handle that charge, particularly in the governor's race.”
Irvin’s announcement featured a tough-on-crime message that played up his background as a prosecutor and his record on the issue as mayor of Aurora.
“I’ve seen it up close. Defund the police is dumb, dangerous and it costs lives. And I believe that all lives matter. Every family should be safe,” Irvin said. “My city is now safe, stronger and full of opportunity. I want that for Illinois.”
However, Irvin has pulled Democratic primary ballots in several recent elections and is on tape praising Pritzker’s pandemic response just within the past year. It’s led some to question his conservative bonafides.
In a sense, Irivin is somewhat of a blank slate regardless as running a city is not inherently the most partisan endeavor. There’s no such thing as Republican potholes or Democratic streetlights.
However, this may play to his advantage in a general election, Edgar said, noting the importance of Republicans winning back moderates in the Chicago suburbs.
“I do think that he would make a viable candidate — if he can get past the primary — in the fall,” Edgar said. “The fact that he seems somewhat moderate; he's well funded; he's African American, so perhaps he can pull over some African American votes, which are really the key to the Democrats in Illinois.”
“But the Republicans, I think, have to realize that they've got to win a lot of independents and moderate Republicans back — and maybe what I call 'thoughtful Democrats.' And you can't go too far to the right to do that,” Edgar continued. “That's why Irvin would have a good shot because I think he will undoubtedly be perceived more in the middle than he will be to the far right.”
But even if Irvin emerges from the GOP primary, it will be an uphill climb in the general election, Edgar said.
“Well, I think an incumbent governor has the advantage going into an election — should have the advantage — unless they've been a terrible governor,” Edgar said. “And I don't think Pritzker has been a terrible governor. I mean, he's had some tough things to deal with, particularly the virus.”
Though Pritzker’s poll numbers could be better, particularly among independents, Edgar thinks “he is the favorite going into this race” as the incumbent and with his unlimited financial resources. But, Irvin would give Republicans a fighting chance that other candidates would not, he said.
“Again, I still think Pritzker would be the favorite, but I think it would be a race," Edgar said. "Whereas some of these other primary candidates, I'm not sure that it would be viewed as a strong race at that point.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during Governor's Day at the Illinois State Fair in August.
The other Republican candidates for governor are state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia; businessman Gary Rabine; former state Sen. Paul Schmipf, R-Waterloo; and venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan.
Edgar acknowledged that “it's tougher than it used to be” to win as a Republican in Illinois, “but it's possible,” he said, if the party can win back voters in the suburbs and exurbs of Chicago who may have been turned off by Rauner and former President Donald Trump.
“If Biden's numbers don't get better, even though he's not on the ballot, it still has an impact on how people vote to some extent,” Edgar said. “In the suburbs, particularly. The suburbs swing more than any other part of the state.”
And, even if Irvin does not win, having a moderate candidate at the top of the ballot may help suburban House and Senate candidates down ballot. And, it could allow other members of the “slate” an opportunity to win.
Milhiser or state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, who are running for secretary of state, would perhaps be in the best position as they are running for an open position.
Edgar, a former secretary of state himself, said “an incumbent has a huge advantage in that office. So not having an incumbent does make it a more level playing field.”
“That, I think, could be a very interesting race, it could be a close race,” Edgar said. “And this is the chance for the Republicans to get that office. Historically that's been a good office to have … It's been a good stepping stone.”
Milhiser
Undoubtedly, the Republican Party has changed since Edgar, a pro-choice moderate, held office.
Still, he’s the most successful living former Republican statewide official. At the very least, his two cents is worth listening to as Republicans decide who they may support in the June primary, which is only 160 days away.
This article has been updated to include the name of state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, whose candidacy for secretary of state was omitted in an earlier version.
Top 10 stories in Illinois government from 2021
Speaker Madigan out, Speaker Welch in
There was no bigger story this year than the ousting of House Speaker Michael Madigan, the state’s most powerful politician and the longest-serving state House speaker in American history, in favor of Emanuel “Chris” Welch, the first Black speaker in Illinois history. Madigan was finally toppled after enough members of his own caucus would not support him for another term as speaker amid a corruption investigation that has embroiled some of his closest confidants. Madigan himself has not been charged with any wrongdoing. Welch has since proclaimed it to be a “new day” in state government and politics, a claim disputed by Republicans, who say it’s “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
Pritzker signs landmark climate legislation
After months of intense negotiations, the General Assembly passed and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed landmark climate legislation that puts Illinois on the path towards 100% clean energy generation by 2050. The law calls for the decarbonization of the state’s electric grid by providing subsidies to keep the state’s fleet of nuclear power plants afloat, the closure of coal-fired and natural gas plants no later than 2045 and doubling the state’s investment in renewable energy projects. There are significant concerns about grid reliability and affordability, especially downstate, as the law gets implemented, but it undoubtedly places Illinois as a leader in the Midwest and nationally when it comes to taking action against climate change.
Democratic lawmakers approve gerrymandered maps
Democrats, with supermajorities in the legislature and control of the Governor’s Mansion, drew new state legislative and congressional districts that maximize the party’s opportunities and essentially guarantee Democrats will remain in power in Springfield while sending a Democratic-majority congressional delegation to Washington for another decade. They also redrew Illinois Supreme Court districts, which will change the state judiciary’s boundaries for the first time since the 1960s and give Democrats a better chance to keep their slim 4-3 majority on the court after Justice Thomas Kilbride lost his retention election in 2020.
Major criminal justice reform becomes law
There’s perhaps no state that had a more active legislative response to the 2020 protests for racial justice following the police killing of George Floyd than Illinois. The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus went to work, pushing a major criminal justice proposal that, among other things, makes Illinois the first state in the country to ban cash bail and mandates all police officers wear body cameras by 2025. Pritzker signed the legislation in February, which was near-universally condemned in the law enforcement community. Several other “pillars” for the Black Caucus’ reform agenda dealing with economic access, equity and opportunity; education and workforce development; and health and human services were also signed into law by Pritzker.
Rollout of COVID-19 vaccine
There was perhaps no more consequential task this year than ensuring the successful rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, which could allow a relative “return to normalcy” should enough residents take their shots. After an initial phased rollout, vaccines became available to all Illinoisans in mid-April. The state peaked at 167,422 shots in arms on April 9. As of Dec. 23, more than 60% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated, including nearly 68% of Illinoisans five or older. But hesitancy remains high in conservative portions of the state, where rates significantly lag the state as a whole. This and the emergence of new variants have kept the state from turning the page. Just this week, a single-day record for new cases was reached, which has cities like Chicago considering the implementation of proof of vaccination for entry into certain public places like bars or restaurants.
Illinois repeals last anti-abortion law on books
With Roe v. Wade appearing increasingly likely to be struck down or significantly gutted, Illinois lawmakers repealed the Parental Notification Act, a law that required an abortion provider give an adult family member at least 48 hours notice before the procedure was performed on a girl under the age of 18. It was considered among the last anti-abortion measures left on the books in Illinois. Its repeal continues a trend of Illinois enacting among the most liberal abortion laws in the country and further solidified the state’s status as an oasis in the Midwest for access to the procedure.
State receives first credit upgrades since 1990s
Illinois, long the poster child for fiscal irresponsibility, received its first credit rating upgrades in more than 20 years in 2021. It represents a remarkable reversal from 2017, when years of unbalanced budgets, pension holidays and — ultimately — going more than two years without a spending plan, placed the state just one notch above “junk” status. But, with a few years of relative budget stability, enhanced tax revenue and federal COVID-19 relief funds, the state’s fiscal picture is better than it has been in a long time. Illinois still has the lowest bond rating of any state in the country and fiscal challenges remain on the horizon, but it is worth noting some good news, for a change.
Sports betting legislation adjusted
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation that amends the state’s sports betting law that will finally allow bets to be made on in-state college sports teams while lifting the ban on online registration starting in March 2022. The former was an annoyance, especially as the Illinois and Loyola men’s basketball teams faced off in March Madness. The latter was an impediment to the continued growth of Illinois’ industry since the vast majority of bets are placed online. The state has a top five sports betting handle in the country, which is now expected to grow with the changes enacted.
Illinois at center of January 6
Illinois politicians have been at the center of the Jan. 6 insurrection of the U.S. Capitol in a number of ways. Most directly, state Rep. Chris Miller, R-Oakland, was in Washington and attended a speech President Donald Trump gave ahead of the riot. A photo later surfaced showing a pickup truck belonging to Miller with the decal of a far-right wing militia group on its back window. The truck was parked near the Capitol. On the other side of things, U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, one of Trump’s fiercest GOP critics, was named to the House committee formed to investigate the incident.
Governor’s race kicks off
Four GOP challengers have announced campaigns to challenge Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the 2022 election. They are state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia; businessman Gary Rabine, former state Sen. Paul Schmipf; and venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan. Since, they have been crisscrossing the state in an attempt to win over conservative voters needed to win the primary. Meanwhile, Pritzker announced his campaign for reelection in July. Democrats and Republicans convened for rallies at the state fairgrounds on consecutive days in mid-August, seeking to build enthusiasm ahead of a long campaign.
