Appearing on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson, Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi offered a wide-ranging look at the state party’s recent progress, ongoing initiatives, and the path forward as the GOP tries to regain relevance in a state long dominated by Democrats.
Salvi, a former U.S. Senate candidate who took the helm of the party just before the 2024 election, defended the work being done behind the scenes to grow the Republican vote, clean up voter rolls, and support candidates across the state. Despite Illinois’ deep-blue reputation, Salvi believes the party is showing signs of life—and laying the groundwork for a Republican renaissance.
She highlighted the party’s 2024 get-out-the-vote effort, which she described as the most robust in Illinois GOP history. Over 2.9 million voters were contacted through digital, text, and mail campaigns. The effort led to a 35% increase in Republican mail-in and early voting turnout compared to previous cycles, with 77,000 low-propensity Republicans returning mail ballots and 202,000 voting early. According to Salvi, the GOP outperformed both Democrats and independents in this window, and for the first time since 2016, Donald Trump closed the gap in Illinois to single digits.
While the state party does not directly run or fund campaigns, Salvi explained, it acts as the infrastructure supporting candidates—what she calls the “yeast in the dough.” She said the focus now is on building local capacity in all 102 counties, urging grassroots Republicans to get involved by volunteering, becoming precinct committeemen, and even running for office.
One of the party’s top ongoing priorities is election integrity. Salvi said the Illinois GOP formed a statewide committee in early 2023 to monitor voter rolls and identify irregularities. In partnership with Judicial Watch and other organizations, the party has compared state voter registration data with national change-of-address databases to flag duplicates, out-of-state voters, and the deceased. Salvi claimed that in Cook County alone, more than 800,000 questionable registrations have been identified.
She emphasized that local election authorities are responsible for cleaning up the rolls, but the party has been active in presenting them with the data and pushing for accountability. While results vary by county, she said the Chicago Board of Elections has been relatively cooperative and that this project continues on a weekly basis.
Salvi also pushed back on the perception that the state party lacks a voice. She said she has been active in all 102 counties, attending events and releasing public statements on issues like Governor J.B. Pritzker’s testimony before Congress. She also called out former Republicans like Pat Brady and Jim Edgar for misrepresenting the current party’s direction, arguing that true Republican messaging must come from leaders who reflect today’s conservative base.
Looking ahead to 2026, Salvi said the party plans to build on its 2024 voter contact and ballot return programs. She encouraged Republicans statewide to sign up for the party’s newsletter, get involved locally, and prepare to support primary winners at every level.
While she declined to name potential gubernatorial or U.S. Senate candidates, Salvi reiterated that the Illinois GOP does not recruit or handpick nominees. Instead, she said, the party will back whoever emerges from the primaries, offering support and resources to help them cross the finish line in a tough electoral climate.
Salvi ended with a call to action. Citing the efforts of party volunteers across Illinois, she said now is the time for conservatives to move beyond cynicism and get involved directly. “Let’s end this blue funk,” she said. “And allow this Republican renaissance to take root.”