I have always seen the Republican party in Illinois hamstrung as the Chicago area portion is part of the machine politics.
Incorrect. In Illinois we have The Combine. There is really no difference between the two on a party level. Oh, we have some fine individual conservatives rattling around. But the Central Committee downstate is every bit as corrupt as the upstate Dem Committee is.
I know. I was personally involved at the County level.
Rauner is about as Republican as Pritzker is.
L