Chicago Daily Observer

Two days after the wreckage of Alan Keyes’ 2004 senate candidacy Michael Sneed posed a question in her Sun-Times column, asking, “Is a new Republican Party in Illinois looming?”

Republican fundraiser Thomas Grusecki told Sneed at the time, “the unfunny joke is over. It’s time to rebuild, but without (Keyes). We need fresh blood and new leadership and to get this back to a two-party system.”

Unfortunately, well over three years later, the answer to Sneed’s question is still “no.” New leadership, yes. Rebuilding, no. And certainly no two-party system. That may finally be changing. Under party rules Republican county chairman Liz Gorman must convene the 50 Chicago ward committeemen and 30 suburban township committeemen by March 5 to elect a county chairman.

Though only 80 people will cast ballots, a political contest to be held within days will have a major
effect on Cook County politics, for better ... Read More...

The term “ecumenical,” defined as “tending to support and encourage unity between the various types of the Christian religion,” has often been applied to governance. After all, government tends to work best when ecumenical principles at least season its processes.

Cook County Republican Party Chairman Elizabeth “Liz” Gorman appears more than willing to routinely accommodate Democrats. If only she would spare some of that ecumenical fervor for her own political party. It certainly could use more unity.

With the debacle in the Democratic controlled state house and Governor’s mansion, the exposure of gross mismanagement of the CTA and other agencies under Mayor Richard Daley, and Todd Stroger exhibiting a stunning amalgam of ineptness and arrogance as he shafts taxpayers for the benefit of his inner circle at the Cook County building, you’d think that county Republicans would see a chance to finally begin breaking the hammerlock Democrats have developed ... Read More...