Lake County Gazette

GOP gubernatorial candidate and Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin has not yet taken up the invitation to speak with members and guests of the New Trier Township Republican Committee.  

Of the six GOP gubernatorial candidates invited to speak with the organization, four have taken the opportunity. Irvin remains on the sidelines despite interest from opponents in the June 28 primary. New Trier Township Republican Committee member Kathy Myalls said the group is withholding its endorsement of candidates in the race until May 7. 

"New Trier GOP members will endorse a GOP candidate for governor on May 7," Myalls said in an email to North Cook News. "Regardless of who we endorse, the New Trier GOP will fully support the ultimate Republican nominee for governor, whether that nominee is Darren Bailey, Richard Irvin, Jesse Sullivan, Paul Schimpf, Max Solomon or Gary Rabine." 

The organization, Myalls said, believes it is its "job to give every candidate an opportunity to make his case directly to the voters in New Trier Township, which we have done by inviting all of the candidates to speak to our members and guests." 

"So far, four of the six candidates have spent time speaking to New Trier voters," she said. "The other two candidates have been invited and, we hope, will visit with us before May 7. We trust the Republican voters in Illinois to listen to these candidates and decide which one has the best chance to help Illinois fire Pritzker in November.    

Myalls also said that they "believe that each one of these candidates is a better choice for Illinois than J.B. Pritzker and the failed policies of whichever Democrats have managed to avoid jail terms (a shrinking number, I might point out)."   

"As the New Trier GOP Committeeman, I invoke the 11th commandment and will focus my efforts on criticizing Democrats and their records, not Republicans," Myalls said.   

Irvin skipped the Central Illinois Republican Governor Candidate Forum on April 25 and has been difficult to locate on the campaign trail. Others in the GOP ranks have been more vocal about Irvin’s absence in public forums. 

"Richard Irvin's empty chair on stage Monday will speak volumes to me," Tazewell County Clerk John C. Ackerman said after Irvin refused to participate in the forum, according to the Peoria Standard.

Irvin’s main public exposure was on accusations that he "rigged" a Lake County Republican straw poll on the primary race, the Lake County Gazette reported.

In that instance, multiple sources at the event reported Irvin bussed in a group of elderly Indians who were handed pre-filled ballots with his name already selected, Lake County Gazette earlier reported. That event was planned by seasoned political operatives and a former elected official of Indian descent with ties to an area senior citizen’s home specializing in the care of the Indian population.

Irvin has been slammed for his long voting record for Democrats, Chicago City Wire reported. Amy Jacobson, co-host of Chicago’s Morning Answer on AM-560, called Irvin "uncomfortable in his own skin" when she saw him at a fundraiser hosted by Chicago’s "Common Sense Conservatives."

Jacobson reported Irvin discussed why he supported Black Lives Matter even after it had participated in the destruction of his city to the point where he asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker to call in the National Guard to regain order. 

"Somebody went up to him and asked him about BLM. You know, 'Why are you supporting BLM?'" Jacobson said. "(Irvin) said he supported BLM publicly to save the city from more looting."