Illinois Republican Party elects Kathy Salvi as new chair

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The State Central Committee of the Illinois Republican Party has elected its next Chair.

Kathy Salvi, a lawyer and former Lake County assistant public defender, will take over on July 19.

Salvi replaces Don Tracy, who announced last month that he would step down once the Republican National Convention wraps in Milwaukee. In part, the outgoing chairman cited intra-party power struggles for his resignation.

Tracy said, “Congratulations to Kathy Salvi for taking on this challenging yet important position to build a brighter future for Illinois. Republicans in this state are united behind President Trump and understand that the Biden/Pritzker agenda is wrong for our families. We will show in Milwaukee this week that we are unified in purpose – to make this state and this country great once again with a message of hope and prosperity for the future.”

The Democratic Party of Illinois also reacted to the vote, saying in part, “Kathy Salvi’s extreme stances on healthcare, immigration, and women’s rights are fundamentally at odds with the values of Illinois working families…Salvi will fit right in with the modern-day ILGOP as she is no stranger to losing elections.”

In 2022, Salvi unsuccessfully ran against Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth.

The RNC is Monday, July 15 through Thursday, July 18.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.