Illinois GOP chairman resigns: 'Not comfortable' with direction of party

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Embattled Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy announced his resignation on Wednesday.

Tracy made the announcement in a letter to party members this afternoon. Tracy took the volunteer post three-and-a-half years ago advocating for party unity.

"Unfortunately, I have had to spend far too much time dealing with intra-party power struggles and local intra-party animosities that continued after primaries and County Chair elections," Tracy said.

The Illinois Democratic Party has continued its political dominance in the state under Tracy’s watch. Republicans currently hold no statewide constitutional offices and have super-minority status in both the House and Senate.

Don Tracy, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, speaks during Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Springfield, Illinois. (Trent Sprague/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Tracy acknowledged deep rifts in the state GOP and unease with grassroots leaders that led him to his decision.

"Recent events, including the RNC Committeeman election, immediately followed by the retribution sacking of the losing candidate Vice Chair Mark Shaw, a long-time State Party leader and worker, without due process and without taking any step disciplining others for alleged or admitted Convention misconduct, portends a direction of the state party I am not comfortable with," Tracy said.

His resignation will take effect on July 19.

Tonight, the Illinois Democratic Party released the following statement:

"While the IL GOP finds itself in chaos, the Democratic Party of Illinois enters the 2024 general election as a united party standing for freedom and opportunity for all of Illinois’ working families. As a reminder, last cycle, Illinois Democrats defeated the IL GOP’s MAGA candidate for Governor, re-elected Senator Tammy Duckworth, protected supermajorities in the IL General Assembly, and expanded our representation in Congress. In contrast, the IL GOP has been defined by a litany of electoral disasters, constant infighting, meager fundraising, and a strict adherence to a losing set of anti-choice, anti-worker, pro-Trump policies.

While we don’t expect new leadership to change any of that, we do wish the best of luck to the inevitable MAGA extremist who will succeed Don Tracy as Chair."