Cal SKINNER served as Republican House member from 1974-1982 and 1992-2000. Ran for Statewide office twice and they target him for defeat from 1996 thru 2000 in primaries because he was fed up with the way the party had lost it's way.
The GOP hierarchy has an iron grip on the primary system, this was the first year in a quarter century they had a real contested primary for GOV, they fund their prefered candidates in ILLINOIS usually backing more liberal or centrist ones with conservatives money and expect the conservatives to back their candidate. He is running as a Libertarian because they asked and he told them he was pro life and wouldn't endorse their legalized drug program, he's a conservative and they just wanted a good candidate to run.
Maybe the Libertarians are learning something, if they start running some of these type of candidates they will start winning some seats.
SF author, futurist David Brin challenges Libertarian Party to offer 'new product'
"Maybe it still is, somewhere in America. Not in Illinois. "
Naw, it applies to the national party too.
So true. And today's Republican is not my Daddy's Republican, either.
Very few Republicans actually believe anymore that government shouldn't be doing most of what it is doing. They don't ask the fundamental questions. The lure of bought votes, easy pork, and quiet re-elections proved too strong for them.