Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady announces resignation

Brady, who previously made three unsuccessful bids for governor, did not give a reason for his departure.

SHARE Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady announces resignation
State Senate Republic Leader Bill Brady pictured at a Chicago press conference in July 2017. Brady announced his resignation Thursday.

State Senate Republic Leader Bill Brady announced his resignation Thursday.

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file

Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady announced his resignation Thursday, ending a nearly three-decade tenure in Springfield.

The minority GOP leader from downstate Bloomington did not give a reason for his resignation, which was announced about 12 hours before taking effect at 11:59 p.m. New Year’s Eve.

Brady served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1993 to 2000 before taking office in the state Senate in 2002.

He also made three unsuccessful bids for governor before becoming the leader of the Senate Republican caucus in 2017. Last month, Brady announced he wouldn’t run again for the leadership post, which will soon be held by Hawthorn Woods Republican Sen. Dan McConchie.

“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 income tax hikes that hurt working families, and working tirelessly to improve our state’s crumbling infrastructure,” Brady said in a statement.

“Illinois has much it can be proud of, and I am proud to have made a contribution to this state, and especially the citizens of Central Illinois, during my time in office,” he said.

The longtime Republican voice in a Democratic stronghold state said he “looks forward to future avenues that will allow me the opportunity to serve the people of Illinois” but did not reveal any plans.

Brady, a millionaire businessman in the private sector, has been a vocal opponent of Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 mitigation policies, particularly the ban on indoor service at bars and restaurants. Pritzker is up for reelection in 2022.

In a statement, Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said: “Bill Brady has been a colleague and a friend for many years. I commend him for his service to the State of Illinois and wish him well.”

Springfield state Rep. Tim Butler is interested in Brady’s Senate seat and is considered a front runner, a party source said Thursday.

On Wednesday, state Rep. Jonathan “Yoni” Pizer, D-Chicago, announced his resignation, citing health insurance concerns.

The Latest
Alex Caruso has been looking for a defensive showing like the one he and his teammates put on display in the win over the Pacers, but Caruso also knows it needs staying power. Could Javonte Green help that process moving forward?
Christian I. Soto, 22, was charged with murder, attempted murder and home invasion, officials announced Thursday. Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said earlier investigators haven’t determined a motive for the attacks.
Can a message generated by an algorithm ever match hearing from a human?
White Sox fans from all over will flock to Guaranteed Rate Field on Thursday for the team’s home opener against the Tigers.
Despite the addition of some new characters (human and otherwise) the film comes across as a relatively uninspired and fairly forgettable chapter in the Monsterverse saga.