Bloomington, IL — On Tuesday, September 10, the McLean County Republican Party will host a special reception in honor of newly elected Illinois GOP leader, Kathy Salvi. The event will take place at the DoubleTree Hotel and Convention Center in Bloomington, Illinois, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., preceding the Party’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner.

	Darren Bailey There is Hope for Illinois	Kathy Salvi The Future of Our GOP

The McLean County Republican Party is thrilled to announce its Annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner, set to take place on Tuesday, September 10, at DoubleTree Hotel & Conference Center in Bloomington. This gala event will begin at 6:30 p.m., with a pre-dinner meet-and-greet reception. This premier fundraising and awards extravaganza will feature keynote addresses by two prominent conservative leaders: State Representative Darren Bailey, the former Republican candidate for Illinois governor in 2022, and Kathy Salvi, the current chair of the Illinois Republican Party. (Click the title above to continue if necessary.)

As the November election draws closer, voters are thinking about which Party to support through the ballot box. It used to be a knee-jerk reaction with Democrats voting for Democrats and Republicans voting for Republicans. With a questionable Democrat presidential candidate and the Party leaving its membership behind to embrace progressivism, many Democrats are now reconsidering. They are (or should be) looking at what Democrats have done to this nation over the past three and a half years. I want to offer some advice by providing an analysis. (Click on the title above to continue reading if necessary.)

Is there any hope for change in our state? What can single individuals do to stop the decline? It begins right here in McLean County. Your local Republican Party – the McLean County Republicans (MCGOP) – represents your conservative values and promotes and retains conservative elected officials. We can hold decision-makers accountable to our community. The constant goal is to replace progressive politicians at all levels of government – local, state, and national. Successful change can come through the support of our local party organization. (Click on the title above to continue reading if necessary.)

In many of my recent columns, I have focused on what Democrats favor. It has been pretty much everything Republicans oppose. So, voters have plenty of good reasons NOT to vote for Democrats. But what are the reasons for voters to support Republicans? With this column, I’m making the first of several efforts to explain what Republicans stand for. I will explain why our candidates deserve your financial support and vote. (Click on the title above to continue reading if necessary.)

According to a recent survey by the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee, President Biden has had numerous “victories” during his term. They list most of these “victories” as half-truths or misleading statements, hoping that uninformed voters will swallow these claims hook, line, and sinker. In perpetrating such misinformation, they expect to reel in barely living fish – what I would call low-information and low-propensity voters. It’s time for some fact-checking. Let’s examine these claims and shine the light of truth on each. (Click on the title above to continue if necessary.)

In my last On the Issues op-ed (Paradoxical Support for the Democrat Party – Part 1), I noted that many aspects of the Democrat Party platform are at odds with the values of the conventional Christian community. In Part 2 of this essay, I’ll address why I believe it is that some liberal Christians hold progressive positions on specific issues despite the apparent contradiction with traditional conservative Christian beliefs. (Click on the title above to continue reading if necessary.)

Almost every Sunday morning, in the parking lot outside of my church, I see bumper stickers supporting candidates or policies of the progressive Left. I know that the traditional Christian Faith strongly opposes many of the Left's progressive policies. Don't those Christians sporting the bumper stickers and attending my church understand this? Aren't they ashamed of what their bumper stickers say or imply? I should think so, but evidently not. (Click on the title above to continue reading if necessary.)

The autumn presidential election season is fast approaching. In addition to the office of president, in November, we are voting for congressional representatives and, in some states, senators. Locally, we vote for our leadership in Springfield and members of our County Board. While looking at the candidates before deciding who we will support is essential, it also pays to look at where the dominant political parties have taken us during the nearly four years since Joe Biden assumed the presidency. As voters move toward the ballot box, it's time to start taking a closer look at what the progressive Left has done to us. (Click on the title above to continue reading if necessary.)

Illinois Politicians Critique State Budget Process in Legislative Update

Bloomington, IL - June 1, 2024 – Four state lawmakers recently gathered in Bloomington on Saturday (May 31) to deliver a legislative update on Illinois’ budget process, with a focus on transparency and fiscal responsibility. Representatives Dan Caulkins and Dennis Tipsword, alongside Senators Sally Turner and Tom Bennett, provided a comprehensive critique of the recently passed budget. (Click on the title above to continue reading if necessary.)