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Prominent Illinois GOP Member Resigns

The Senate Republican Leader of the State of Illinois has resigned according to reports released Dec. 31st. Senator Bill Brady announced Thursday that he would resign as a Member the State legislature effective at 11:59PM. Senator Brady posted from his official twitter and subsequently deleted his account.

Some personal news. #twill pic.twitter.com/xpkmL9Exts

— Bill Brady (@SenBillBrady) December 31, 2020

Another GOP Member who fought the long defeat

Brady is just the latest in a string of State and local level Republican resignations following massive failures to rally State Legislatures against COVID19 restrictions and for Election Integrity. It could be worse though, at least this isn’t another case of a turncoat jumping ship. Brady appears to have been pretty solid, but soundly defeated again and again.

Brady has made headlines throughout 2020 fiercely advocating to stop devastating COVID19 lockdowns and re-open the Illinois economy.

Downstate Illinois has fought the long defeat against domination by Cook County and it seems that Brady is done fighting it. The Chicago Tribune wrote “Brady, of Bloomington, made three unsuccessful bids for governor and came close to victory in 2014. After this fall’s election, he said he would be stepping down from his GOP leadership post in the Senate amid an effort to oust him.”

The State Journal-Register reports that while Brady’s reasons for resigning remain unknown, it could be a consequence of the dismal performance of Illinois Republicans in the 2020 race.

“Christopher Mooney, professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said he wasn’t privy to the reasons behind Brady’s resignation.

But Mooney said leading a legislative caucus with little chance of winning enough seats to gain a majority can attract criticism, whether deserved or not.

“Winning is wonderful,” Mooney said. “Losing sucks. As a legislative leader, success glosses over a lot of problems.

“Being a minority leader is very painful, especially when you are in a permanent minority,” Mooney said. “People get ornery. They don’t like it. Therefore, the leader seems to be a continual failure.”  

Senate Republicans hold 19 seats — versus 40 for Democrats — in the chamber and will see their numbers shrink by one seat when the 102nd General Assembly is sworn in Jan. 13.”

The timing of Brady’s resignation was a calculated move which allows for his Republican County chairmen to appoint his replacement rather than calling a special election for the seat and risking another loss. The chairmen must meet within the next 30 days to designate a successor.

Brady’s Goodbye

Brady wrote in his resignation letter,

“I am proud of the work I have done throughout my career in the Illinois legislature, both in the Illinois House and the Senate, and most proud of my tenure leading the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus over the last three-and-a-half years,”

“Over the years, our caucus was successful in securing additional funding for our public schools; helping create a tax-credit private school scholarship program for low and middle-income students, standing up against incomes tax hikes that hurt working families, and working tirelessly to improve our state’s crumbling infrastructure,”

Brady’s day-to-day Democrat opponent, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon complimented his political foe.

According to NBC5Chicago,

“I will miss working with Leader Brady. He has proven time and again to be a results-driven lawmaker and leader. While we have our political differences, he always came to the negotiating table looking for common ground and success, not conflict. The people he represented and the caucus he led were well-served by Leader Brady’s approach. I wish Bill the best.”

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