Can new leadership revitalize Illinois GOP? Kathy Salvi takes charge amid party divisions

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Republicans feel good about their electoral prospects nationally in November, but the story is different in Illinois, where the party has had limited power for the last 30 years. 

Bruce Rauner was the state's last Republican governor, defeated by J.B. Pritzker in 2018, but the party has held minority status in both statehouse chambers for decades. 

The task of rebuilding the party has only gotten more difficult, as an intra-party civil war has pushed out the former party Chairman, Don Tracy.

Grassroots members want a more Trump-friendly direction, but suburban members believe that will alienate the Chicago area districts they need to win back to regain any footing in state government again. 

The party recently selected suburban attorney Kathy Salvi as its new chairwoman, a former Republican candidate for Senate and a staunch conservative, especially on social issues like abortion. 

But Salvi said there would be room in the party for those that have differing opinions on the divisive issue.

"Everybody has to feel like they have a voice, and they're being listened to," Salvi said during an interview on Thursday before Trump's keynote Republican National Convention speech. "And everyone that is part of the Republican big tent has to feel their voice is being heard, and I've been listening to them."

Salvi said the path back to electoral success is to focus on several issues that plague the state and its largest city, Chicago.

"Crime, corruption, and the cost of living," Salvi said. "We are the first or second state in the nation for the exodus of people. This must stop. The way we do that is have policies in government supported by principals of the Republican agenda that will help people afford gas and groceries."

Democrats have seen their former leader indicted on dozens of counts of bribery and corruption, but have paid little price at the ballot box for it. Salvi says she wants the GOP to be the party that restores faith in government, despite its own history of politicians who have had trouble with the law.

"We need to restore faith in the political process, so I am going to support efforts to clean shop," Salvi said.