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Even Republicans acknowledge the Illinois GOP has fought a slow, unresolved policy fight with itself for decades.

For 50 years, the moderate wing of Illinois Republicanism (former Govs. Jim Thompson, Jim Edgar, and marginally Bruce Rauner) had its way, but Tuesdays primary election in which state Sen. Darren Bailey locked up the GOP nomination for governor, might have signaled a tectonic shift. Perhaps no one seemed more surprised by that rumbling under their feet than the old-line moderate leadership.

Some view the shift as a decadelong drift that began with the Tea Party. Others point to former President Donald Trump and his continued prominence both nationally and in some circles of the Illinois Republican Party.

Bailey, whose every public pronouncement signals he is a Trump/MAGA Republican, won the governors primary so handily that it seemed as though he had no serious opposition. Billionaire GOP influencer Ken Griffin spent $50 million on a candidate Aurora Mayor Richard Irwin who finished third.

Former President Donald Trump, right, ushers gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Darren Bailey to the podium at a rally at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Mendon, Ill., Saturday, June 25, 2022. (Mike Sorensen/Quincy Herald-Whig via AP) (Mike Sorensen/AP)

Former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh said Tuesdays results show the Republican Party is shrinking in terms of its appeal, both in Illinois and nationally. He also questioned how Baileys nomination would fare against Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker this fall.

This is still Trumps party, he said. To win a Republican primary, you have to get down on your knees and bow and worship Trump and Trumpism.

U.S. Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois, who spoke at a rally over the weekend with Trump and U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, beat fellow Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis. Catalina Lauf, who had a speaking role at the 2020 Republican National Convention, secured the GOP nomination for Illinois 11th Congressional District. And Thomas DeVore, who fought Pritzkers school mask mandate in court, won the GOP nomination for attorney general.

U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, of Illinois, left, is joined by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, of Colorado, on stage at a rally at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Mendon, Ill., Saturday, June 25, 2022. (Mike Sorensen/Quincy Herald-Whig via AP) (Mike Sorensen/AP)

Speaking on the Illinois gubernatorial primary results, Walsh said Irvin was a bad candidate who didnt deserve to win. Bailey, on that note, assumed the mantle of Trumpism, which carried him forward, he said. Still, Walsh said he doesnt think the odds favor Bailey in Novembers general election.

[Bailey] has no prayer against Pritzker, he said. He wont play in the suburbs or Chicago. Theres a reason Pritzker put money behind Bailey.

Alhough Walsh expects November to go well for Republicans at the national level, he sees the party becoming a rural, regional party in the years to come.

I dont think the party can be saved, he said. Its a party walking away from the suburbs and urban America.

Kristina Zahorik, the McHenry County Democratic Party chairwoman, said the GOP has become too extreme, and is now more exclusive than inclusive.

Stepping away from what Tuesdays results may mean for Democrats in November, Zahorik said the direction Republicans are taking is bad for lawmaking.

For our country and democracy, its very concerning, she said. I dont think it serves any of us well.

Republican Party officials in McHenry and Lake counties disagree with that sentiment.

Mark Shaw, chairman of the Lake County Republican Central Committee, said the most important thing to him was party unity. Overall, he wasnt concerned with the partys direction; its best chance to win is coalescing behind one candidate, he said.

Illinois is very different culturally depending on what area you live in, he said. Sometimes its like six or seven different states.

Republican candidate for Illinois governor Darren Bailey speaks to voters during a campaign stop in Athens, Ill., June 14, 2022. Bailey is seeking the Republican nomination to face Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker in November. (AP Photo/John O'Connor) (John OConnor/AP)

Bailey won in most counties, including Lake County, where he garnered about 43% of the vote, unofficial election results show.

Shaw said he liked all six Republican gubernatorial candidates in the primary and pledged to get behind whoever won the nomination. Considering Baileys margin of victory, Shaw said hes optimistic about GOP chances in the fall.

The party has to be united, he said. Ive said this for six months. Our party will have to come together instantly the day after the primary. Because if we dont, theres not enough time to turn it around before November.

McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Tyler Wilke said he backed the unity concept but thinks Baileys win was positive for the party. In past races, such as with Rauner, it felt like there was no difference in the parties, Wilke said.

[Constituents] are looking for a breath of fresh air, he said. Theres going to be stark differences between Pritzker and a candidate like Bailey. That gives the party a chance to energize the base, and the independent voter has the opportunity to choose what direction they want. Wilke said he thinks Bailey has a reasonable shot at unseating Pritzker.

Baileys got a real opportunity to make changes that help people in Illinois, Wilke said.

Steve Balich, a Republican on the Will County Board, said Tuesdays GOP primary reflected an anti-establishment trend that has been developing for years.

The party direction changed six, seven years ago, Balich said. Whats happening is you have people in the party, like myself, and we care about whats good for American citizens.

Balich is a former Tea Party leader in Will County and was a Republican ward committeeman in the 1980s. He is prone to take on controversial conservative causes. Also Homer Township supervisor, Balich last year led a successful effort to have the township declared a sanctuary for life in an anti-abortion stance.

Were a party of people saying were fed up with big government, he said. We want government to leave us alone. Do you want to call that America First? OK.

Republicans who formed the Tea Party a decade ago have been motivated by Trump, he said.

State Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, said there was nothing particularly new about the way the Republican primary turned out.

He pointed to Rauners nomination in a 2014 primary contest against former state Sen. Kirk Dillard.

Dillard was the establishment guy, and Rauner was the firebrand, far-right kind of guy, Batinick said.

Noting Bill Bradys run for governor in 2010, Batinick said, Of the top-tier candidates, the most conservative has won the nomination.

But Batinick said extremists in both the Republican and Democratic parties have been winning primaries due to gerrymandered electoral maps that favor one party over another. The defeat of U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, on Tuesday was due more to Illinois new electoral map than Trumps support for his opponent, Miller, Batinick said.

The Democrats have moved farther to the left, and gerrymandering has created more hard Republican districts, which moves us to the right, Batinick said. Rodney Davis always won in a swing district. No one even challenged him.

But there was something different about Tuesday, said Christopher Mooney, a W. Russell Arrington Professor of State Politics at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

This primary demonstrated that the Trump wing of the Republican Party has taken over the party in Illinois, Mooney said.

The situation in Illinois has been aggravated by Republicans inability to win statewide elections with the exception of Rauners one term for the past two decades while losing the state legislature to Democrats, he said.

The other thing thats going on in Illinois is a frustration that has been building for years with the Republican Party not being able to win, he said.

When organized parties cannot win elections, people in the party get frustrated, Mooney said. They lash out at their leaders.

Mooney predicted the campaign for governor will be more ideological than is typical as candidates move to the center after primary victories to win election.

Pritzker is just all in on the Progressive agenda, Mooney said.

Pritzker could take his foot off the gas because he is in a strong position to win, Mooney said. But I dont think hes going to do so because I think hes going to run for president.

Seeing farther right candidates win in congressional or state legislative primaries Tuesday is a byproduct of the way districts were redrawn, said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

He said the 13th Congressional District is an example of a district drawn to take in as many urban areas, traditionally Democratic, collecting Champaign-Urbana, Springfield and metro east St. Louis, leaving behind other districts primarily rural and Republican, such as the 15th.

In these districts it is easier for the Republican candidate to move farther right, because there is no Democratic candidate, or any viable one, Redfield said.

Redfield said the mindset changes in more balanced districts, or statewide elections. He said there was a reason Pritzker spent money against Irvin, preferring to face the more right-leaning Bailey.

Redfield said Baileys win is the Republican Party moving in an ideological direction, instead of thinking pragmatically about who can win. He said its not a new dynamic nationwide, but it is in Illinois.

Originally posted here:
Where is Illinois GOP going? Shaw Local - Bureau County Republican

Commentary

In February 2009, a young man posting on a website dubbed The Urban Prankster Network (Headquarters for Global Agents of Stealth Comedy!) suggested a novel way to cool off the city of Austin, Texas, when the inevitable hell of a Texas summer bakes streets and fries brains: a citywide water gun and water balloon war waged by a flash mob.

It could happen. American flash mobs often involve goofy stuntsthe digital social network and cellphone with text-message age equivalent of 1950s-era collegians cramming sophomores into a phone booth (when phone booths still existed).

A flash mob organizer might send four accomplices a message like this: Paint yourself blue and show up at Sixth and Congress in two hours. In concept, the ability to communicate quickly and virally (think exponentseach friend contacts four more friends, and those friends four more) quickly multiplies the number of blue-painted crazies unexpectedly crowding a downtown sidewalk.

A couple of years ago, I overheard two mothers discussing a high school party that included a flash mob-like activity. A text message provided the insta-mob location. Alas, one of the moms had to drive her son to and from the mob scene. Thats an old lesson reinforced: Even improvised anarchy may require parental logistical support.

San Francisco, however, is fed up with flash mobs that leave litter. The San Francisco Chronicle assured its readers that the citys looming crackdown was not political, ideological or cultural, but a Valentines Day flash mob pillow fight left heaps of icky, sticky feathers for sanitation workersin other words, clean-up costs. The pillow brawl was billed as the fourth annual, which indicates less flash and more coordination. Unless event organizers take responsibility for the trash, the city may shut the next one down. Heres the bumper sticker: Leave Trash? No Flash.

One hundred seventy-four years after the publication of his Democracy in America, French aristocrat and author Alexis de Tocqueville remains the most insightful analyst of American political mores. Tocqueville didnt anticipate flash mob technology, but he understood them in Americas context. He noted in volume two of his masterpiece that Americans formed public associations for many reasons, including entertainment. Freedom of association flows from the First Amendments guarantee of freedom of peaceable assembly.

Tocqueville also noted that this freedom is dangerous. In Europe, crowds signaled revolt. American democracy had produced a paradox, one that had a subtle but profound national security dimension. Tocqueville concluded the liberty of association had become a necessary guarantee against the tyranny of the majority. Civil associationspresumably even pillow fightsfacilitated political association, and free political association kept American democracy vibrant. Association was the dangerous means for thwarting the majoritys omnipotence.

Tocquevilles observations and San Franciscos impending trash-bred quash of flash mobs led me to the internet. I typed in flash mob and tea party. The Google search produced an article on anti-stimulus protests occurring throughout the United States. Scores of demonstrations against congressional pork spending, congressional earmark spending, lack of oversight in bailout spending and congressional corruption have sprung up around the United States.

In some cases, several hundred people have gatheredorganized using flash mob communications techniques. The tea party protesters connect their contemporary gripes with the same anti-tax and anti-autocrat sentiment that spawned the Boston Tea Party of 1773. The internet and cellphones are simply swifter couriers for delivering messages from bloggers and protest organizers, the rough contemporary equivalents of the committees of correspondence that linked American revolutionaries in the 18th century.

Yes, hyper-left San Francisco insists it has no ideological issues with flash mobs but tyrants do. In 2006, Zimbabwes military cracked down on cellphone companies because they provide independent connections (i.e., communications) inside and outside the country. This threatened national security. The military wanted to limit the outflow of information on Zimbabwes terrible internal conditions and deny demonstrators a tool for organizing.

Tocqueville wrote: It cannot be denied that the unrestrained liberty of association for political purposes is the privilege which a people is longest in learning how to exercise.

Americans, he concluded, had learned. The privilege, and its enabling knack, remains revolutionary.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

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Austin Bay is a colonel (ret.) in the U.S. Army Reserve, author, syndicated columnist, and teacher of strategy and strategic theory at the University of TexasAustin. His latest book is Cocktails from Hell: Five Wars Shaping the 21st Century.

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On Point: Flash Mobs, Tea Parties, and Tocqueville - The Epoch Times

The Mississippi Congressional runoff for District 4 will not likely make national news. But what the voters of this district did is a microcosm of the feelings of Americans fed up with Swamp politics in Washington, D.C. Steven Palazzo, despite being swept into Congress riding the last great show of voter anger in 2010 with the TEA party movement, spent six terms in Congress showing that he did not have the fight and fire that voters believed. He was not a trailblazer for freedom or wanting to bring true change to Washington, D.C., swamp politics.

He was what has made Washington so miserable an entrenched, lifetime politician with the backing of big business and special interests. He was not alone back in 2010, as many of those new faces elected to tackle the likes of Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer lifetime, slimy politicians beholden to their own re-election efforts and bringing in campaign donations rode the TEA Party wave to victory.

This country is in a crisis. We have a president who doesnt know where he is half the time and has trouble putting two sentences together. We have a vice president who makes Bidens words sound like Shakespeare. We have a Congress that has printed so much money, the dollar is on the verge of being worthless. Yet time after time, the voters put the same Swamp snakes back in office.

On Tuesday night, voters in District 4 acted and, we hope, charted a course for our government that will be felt through the November general election.If those in power are driving the country off the cliff, or at least being complicit in the nations destruction, they do not deserve to go back for more years to continue the drive toward destruction. Palazzo might not have been driving, since he wasnt much of a leader of anything, but he was firmly entrenched in the bus of national destruction.

He should have been term-limited after four terms, which should be the maximum for House members. But the only way to enact term limits is to have the same Swamp creatures who rely on there being no term limits to pass it themselves. Those in the D.C. club will never do that. Their lives are too cushy inside the beltway. Senators should get two six-year terms. Period. There should be no Chuck Grassley, who, at 88 years old, is seeking a seventh term in the Senate. The likes of McConnell and the even more loathsome Lindsey Graham, who wakes up every morning and decides what side of an issue he needs to come down on, need to be sent packing.

While many believe that is impossible, as those in power have rigged the game so terribly it is almost impossible to get primaried, voters in District 4 on Tuesday showed that it can happen.

Americans are furious at the direction of this country. They are taking out that angst not on candidates based on what letter might be next to their name, but whether there is a huge S in front of it Swamp. That is what District 4 voters did on Tuesday, voted against a double-S Swamp Steven.

Now, to Mike Ezell, who likely will defeat Democrat Johnny DuPree in the general election, we are all watching. You will be swept into Congress much the way Palazzo was swept in in 2010. We only hope that you show more fortitude and more fight than the man you defeated. Our patience is running thin. If you cant fight and work to bring change, your days will be numbered as well. Americans are awake and they are hacked off.

Be a leader, not just another creature in the D.C. Swamp.

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OUR VIEW: Voters did their part to drain The Swamp - leader-call.com

Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown on comic news stories we missed from the previous day. Have a link to share? Email our team at rundown@multiversitycomics.com.

In case you missed it, we interviewed Rachel Pollack and Joe Corallo about their new comiXology series, The Never Ending Party.

Cover by Jethro Morales

The Young Avengers have returned in the pages of Marvel Voices. Writer Anthony Oliveira and artist Jethro Morales reunited the characters in Marvel Voices: Young Avengers #5, the first in a six-part arc, available now in Marvel Unlimiteds Infinity Comics format. Both Oliveria and Morales expressed excitement at working with the vertical format, with Oliveria saying it really informed the superstructure of the story on a thematic as well as formal level. Oliveria also expressed his love for the characters and the original Young Avengers series, stating, I remember in those early days thinking it was impossible that what seemed to be happening with Wiccan and Hulkling was actually happening queer people like us just werent shown in comics or on TV. It was like a miracle.

Animation company Oddbot has plans to develop three graphic novels into two all-ages series and one hour-long special. The Cardboard Kingdom, Sance Tea Party, and The Okay Witch have been optioned by the Glendale-based production company. The Cardboard Kingdom and The Okay Witch (based on books by Chad Sell and Emma Steinkellner respectively) will be full series, with Sance Tea Party (based on the OGN by Reimena Yee) being the special. Cardboard Kingdom and Sance Tea Party will be CG animated.

The first trailer was released for Amazon Prime Videos Paper Girls, set to debut on the streamer on July 29. Based on the comic from Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, who both serve as executive producers alongside showrunner Christopher C. Rogers, the show follows four teenage girls from the 1980s, who are hunted by time travelers after being thrust into the present day. It will run eight episodes.

In more Amazon news, Charles Soule and Ryan Brownes Eight Billion Genies has been picked up by the streamer. Both creators will executive produce, although no other cast or crew have been announced. Eight Billion Genies follows a world where every person on Earth has their own genie and one wish.

All new manga released on the Shonen Jump+ app will be released simultaneously in English after 2023, publisher Shueisha announced. The English translations will be available on the MANGA Plus app, also available from Shueisha. The announcement was made at the Jump no Mirai 2022 online talk.

Canadian cartoonist Seth has been awarded the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters honor by the French minister of culture. The award was presented on June 17 at the French Consulate in Toronto. French consul general Tudor Alexis called Seth, 59, one of the undisputed masters of autobiographical comics in a speech during the ceremony.

La Voz De M.A.Y.O. Tata Rambo and Helm Greycastle writer Henry Barajas will will take over writing duties on the Gil Thorp comic strip from Neal Rubin. Rubin steps down from the strip after a tenure lasting from 2004 to 2022. He joins Rod Whigham, who has served as artist since 2008. Gil Thorp holds a special place in Barajass heart according to the writer, who states Im excited to tell the best story while putting the titular character and his loved ones through some tough times. His first strips drop on July 11.

Oni Press publisher James Lucas Jones and VP of Creative & Business Development Charlie Chu are no longer with the company. A spokesperson for Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group, LLC, when asked about the matter, simply stated the company recently made personnel changes and will continue in its mission of publishing groundbreaking stories by the best creators in the industry, with a focus on diverse, inclusive, and unique stories. No replacements have been named as of yet.

In more Oni Press news, Virginia Beach attorney and State Delegate Tim Anderson and his client, former Republican congressional candidate Tommy Altmann, have launched a second lawsuit attacking Maia Kobabes Gender Queer. Anderson and Altmann had previously pursued legal action against a local Barnes & Noble which sold the book. The current lawsuit goes after Oni Press and Kobabe directly, accusing the publisher and author of obscenity. Oni Presss lawyers state the lawsuit against the young adult graphic novel is unfounded, explaining, Petitioner here attempts to redefine Code 18.2-384 to have book declared obscene as it relates to one subset of the Community: minors in the Hampton Roads and Virginia Beach areas.

Finally, Emerald City Comic Con announced they will be not be doing vaccination or COVID-19 testing at Augusts edition of the convention, in-line with King County, Washingtons current health and safety regulations. The news was met largely negatively online, with comics creators like Zac Thompson, James Asmus, and Seanan McGuire criticizing the decision in the replies. Others, like Christopher Sebela, noted the timing of the announcement, which came after payment deadlines for tables at the event. ECCCs decision follows a similar one made by Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), which is also run by ReedPOP.

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The Rundown: June 30, 2022 Multiversity Comics - Multiversity Comics

Tennessee is celebrating the 4th of July with parades, festivals, and special events all across the state. Heres where you can catch some of the more unique events across the Volunteer State:

Perhaps the very first celebration in the state is Gatlinburgs 4th of July Midnight Parade. Starting at exactly 12:01 a.m. on July 4, this award-winning parade stretches more than a mile and is a highlight for locals and visitors. The parade started in 1975 and has been kicking off Independence Day ever since. It includes colorful floats, balloons, and a massive fireworks display at the end. Heres another nighttime activity to check out while youre in Gatlinburg.

Jonesborough is Tennessees oldest town and it celebrates its heritage with the annual Jonesborough Days on 4th of July weekend. A traditional low-country shrimp boil paired with live music kicks off the festivities on June 30. On July 2, the family-friendly festival begins with a parade through town. Music, contests, and magicians run through July 3, when a large fireworks display wraps up the event. A market will feature local artists selling homemade items and food trucks will be on hand to serve up festival favorites like funnel cakes and ice cream. There will also be storytellers on hand because Jonesborough is considered the Storytelling Capital of the World.

Forget fireworks and parades, why not celebrate the 4th of July with anvils? Thats right, head to the small town of Norris, north of Knoxville, to watch 200-pound anvils shoot through the air. Why anvil shoots? Its how pioneers used to celebrate special occasions like holidays and elections. The Museum of Appalachias celebration also includes a bell-ringing ceremony, live music, and demonstrations from beekeepers, blacksmiths, and more! This is a ticketed event; you can grab them here.

Other 4th of July celebrations in eastern Tennessee include:

Celebrate true Appalachian culture at the 51st annual Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Craft Festival. Every 4th of July weekend, the event brings in traditional bluegrass musicians to delight festival-goers throughout the 2-day event. There will be more than 35 dancers and musicians, as well as local crafters selling handmade items. The family-friendly festival also includes food trucks and kicks off on Friday, July 1.

Classic cars are at the center of this Independence Day celebration. The annual Red, White, & Boom 4th of July Celebration kicks off on July 3 with a class car show, where cars, trucks, and cycles will be on display during the day. At night, the 129th U.S. Army Band puts on a patriotic concert. The celebration continues on July 4 with an evening concert before the states second largest fireworks show. Round out your trip to Cookeville with our favorite nearby activities.

Other 4th of July celebrations in middle Tennessee include:

You cant celebrate the 4th of July in Tennessee without a tribute to the legend himself, Elvis Presley. The All-American 4th of July Weekend at Graceland features southern barbecue, an Elvis tribute concert, gospel brunch, and hidden tours of Graceland all with the backdrop of the historic Graceland mansion lit up in red, white, and blue. The events begin Saturday, July 2, and end with an Elvis-inspired fireworks show the night of Sunday, July 3. Most of the events are ticketed, so securing your spot in advance is a must. You can buy individual tickets or opt for a package. Get all the ticket details here. If you arent too full from all the barbecue, check out our favorite places in Memphis to get local cuisine.

Getting back to the roots of Independence Day is at the core of this 4-day event. The West Tennessee Independence Day Celebration features a reading of the Declaration of Independence, a re-enactment of the Boston Tea Party, and the ringing of the bells. There are also traditional celebrations as well, like music, food, and a fireworks display on Sunday, July 3. This is a family-friendly event that has a healthy dose of history incorporated into the fun.

Other 4th of July celebrations in western Tennessee include:

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7 Festive 4th Of July Events This Weekend In Tennessee - TravelAwaits