Republican Kathy Salvi running for Senate; may get boost from major Illinois GOP donors

WASHINGTON — Attorney Kathy Salvi filed Monday in the GOP June primary for senator with the potential of major GOP donors getting behind her, as Republicans face an uphill battle to deny Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth a second term.

Monday was the last day to file petitions to get on the June 28 Illinois primary ballot for state, federal and other local offices.

While a group of major Illinois GOP donors and political operatives — establishment members and not part of the Trump conspiracy wing of the party — put together a ticket for the state offices - they never bothered to recruit anyone to run against Duckworth.

Neither did the National Republican Senate Committee, the Senate GOP’s main political operation.

Illinois lost a seat in Congress in the remap following the 2020 census, dropping to 17 districts from 18.

Here’s a rundown:

SENATE

Salvi, from Mundelein, lost a six-way 2006 GOP primary bid for Congress, coming in second. She practices law with her husband, former state Rep. Al Salvi, R-Mundelein. He ran for the Senate in 1996 — Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., beat him — and made a 1998 bid for secretary of state.

In a statement, Salvi took aim at Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the now indicted Mike Madigan, the former state House speaker, as well as the policies of the “radical left” and the “radical progressive agenda” with not much attention paid to Duckworth or the seven other Republicans in the primary.

Salvi said her platform includes “rebuilding the economy, supporting law enforcement and making our communities safer, and addressing the corruption that has run rampant by the Pritzker/Madigan Machine.”

Ron Gidwitz, a major GOP donor and fundraiser, and ex-President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Belgium, is an NRSC national finance co-chair. He told me when we talked Monday he supports Salvi — and that signals that other influential GOP donors — the ones backing Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin with big contributions — could get on board. I’m not talking about Ken Griffin who gave $20 million to Irvin.

“She is very bright, very accomplished, tenacious. She will be a great campaigner and a great asset to the Republican ticket, should she have the good fortune, or we have the good fortune of having her selected in the primary,” Gidwitz said.

I wrote in January about the GOP recruiting failure. Part of the reason, Gidwitz said, is Duckworth is a “formidable candidate.”

One of the GOP Senate candidates is election denier Robert “Bobby” Piton of Geneva, who got involved in the Trump-fueled Arizona election audit.

A Duckworth spokesman said, “Tammy is going to be ready for whomever makes it out of the Republican primary.”

HOUSE CONTESTS

Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Ill., has a lock on reelection, since no one filed against him for the primary and November general election.

Democratic Reps. Brad Schneider, Lauren Underwood and Bill Foster have no primary opponents.

1^st District — A whopping 20 Democratic candidates filed petitions in the heavily Democratic district for the seat being vacated by Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., who is not seeking a 16^th term.

No surprise names surfaced Monday.

3^{rd —} The main Democratic match-up is between state Rep. Delia Ramirez and Ald. Gil Villegas. Republicans see a potential opportunity in this newly created Hispanic influence district with no incumbent since six of them filed to run.

7^{th —} With no Republican filing, the June primary is the ballgame. No major Democrat jumped in at the last minute to challenge Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., who faces three rivals.

11^{th —} Foster’s new district under the remap includes new political territory for him, including the heavily Republican McHenry County area. That’s why seven Republicans filed for the primary.

14^{th —} Most of Underwood’s 14^th district is new because state Democratic mapmakers made it more Democratic. That’s why no well known Republican filed to run in the GOP primary.

POLITICAL INTRIGUE IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY RACES

Monday was also the deadline for Democrats to file for state committeewoman and committeeman party positions.

1^st — Rush, the current committeeman, is running again for the party post and faces potential tough competition from state Reps. Marcus Evans and LaMont Robinson and state Sen. Elgie Sims.

3rd — Ramirez and Villegas are both also running for the party posts. Ramirez is challenging Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez, who is a committeewoman.

7^{th —} Davis is the incumbent and running again. State Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, filed to run. My informed guess is Harmon will drop his bid.