Here is David E. Smith writing at Illinois Family Action:
The 2016 Illinois Republican Convention was held in Peoria this past weekend on Friday and Saturday. We are thrilled to report that leftists within the party failed to advance their agenda in the newly adopted 2016 Illinois GOP Platform.
If fact, Illinois Republicans strengthened the Right to Life plank in the platform and rejected an attempt to water down and distort the Marriage and Family plank!
THANK YOU to all of you who took time last week to contact the members of the platform committee and helped to spread the word of the attempt to subvert the Marriage and Family plank. YOU made a huge difference.
The eighteen members of the platform committee (one appointee from each of Illinois’ congressional districts) met on Friday to consider new language for section VII of the platform–the plank on Marriage and Family.
While Jan Klaas of the 16th District offered a strong draft version of this plank, the platform committee instead voted to adopt a troubling version submitted by Ryan Higgins of the 8th District. This draft was heavily supported by the disgraced former Illinois GOP chairman, Pat Brady, who for some unknown reason represented the 6th District.
The committee vote was 10 in favor, 7 opposed, and one abstention (55.6%). Thankfully this plank would be rejected on Saturday by 79.4% of the delegates.
…
The seven members of the committee who opposed the Higgins/Brady draft requested a minority report, asking that the Illinois GOP adopt the far superior 2012 Marriage and Family plank in section VII instead. This required the support of 50 delegation heads of the party, which include county chairmen, Cook County Township chairmen, or Chicago Ward Committeemen.
In less than 12 hours, conservative activists and leaders were able to secure the support of 71 delegation heads. A big “thank you” to all who were involved in this process, especially Mark Shaw, Stan Bond, Fred Floreth, Chris Cleveland, Laurie Bluedorn, Sharee Langenstein, Bob Grogan, Kathy Valente, Karen Hayes and David Norck.
According to former Will County GOP Chairman Edward Ronkowski, “[n]o one in the history of Illinois Republican Conventions has been able to meet this high hurdle before. Four years ago in Tinley Park a group came close after working TWO days to get the signatures.”
This was only possible because of the great many conservatives who worked together to get this done. I am deeply grateful for those who refuse to allow the platform to get hijacked by the Left.
The state party certified the minority report, and on Saturday afternoon, it was presented to the full delegation of Republicans. Before the vote, the rules allowed for three proponents and two opponents of the minority report to speak. On our side, State Senator Dan McConchie of Lake Zurich spoke first, followed by State Representative Terri Bryant of Mt. Vernon. State Representative Peter Breen of Lombard closed out the remarks. (Rep. Breen is also an attorney with the Thomas More Society, a law firm that specializes in upholding life, family, and religious liberty.)
Read more: Illinois Family Action
Image credit: Illinois Family Action.
