If the Illinois GOP moved to the center, it would be a vast improvement, since it is currently way to the liberal side. That Topinka lady who is the IL GOP Chairman is more liberal than most Democrats in Downstate Illinois.
Republican primary voters nominated a conservative in Jack Ryan, and Topinka and the other RINOs did everything they could to sink his candidacy, and when a minor scandal hit him they forced him to resign. Then they sought out an extremely liberal repalcement (that Grubb lady), and when the majority of the committee selected Dr. Keyes instead, the RINOs made sure that Keyes never got a fair shake.
President Bush got 45% of the vote in Illinois, so it's not like conservatism is anathema in the state. What Republicans in Illinois need to do is to kick out the RINO establishment and replace them with grassroots conservatives who know how to attract votes from the conservative Democrats of West Chicago and Downstate Illinois that are the voters who decide elections in the state.
ping
Spot on analysis . . . and she hopes to be the next GOP candidate for governor.