When the 103rd Illinois General Assembly is seated on Wednesday, Jan. 11, its new GOP Minority Leader Rep. Tony McCombie will be making history in more ways than one. She will be the first woman ever to serve as leader of an Illinois House caucus and the first downstate leader from outside the Chicago suburbs […]
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When the 103rd Illinois General Assembly is seated on Wednesday, Jan. 11, its new GOP Minority Leader Rep. Tony McCombie will be making history in more ways than one.
She will be the first woman ever to serve as leader of an Illinois House caucus and the first downstate leader from outside the Chicago suburbs to do so in generations when she takes over as House Republican leader from state Rep. Jim Durkin. He resigned as minority leader shortly after the Nov. 8 election in which the GOP lost five seats, increasing the Democrats’ supermajority to 78-40.
Ms. McCombie is, of course, no stranger to Quad Citians. The former Savanna, Illinois, mayor represented a large chunk of the QC in House District 71 until the new Democratic-drawn 2022 map put her in the 89th Illinois House District.
Throughout her House tenure, she also demonstrated she’s not afraid of a fight. She bested a popular Democratic incumbent in 2016 and four years later, chaired the House Republican campaign organization. That was another tough election year for the GOP, and Ms. McCombie readily acknowledges the job of growing her party in blue Illinois has gotten harder.
The QCBJ asked Ms. McCombie to reflect on her political career and the challenges ahead for the House GOP in this Q&A.
How did a small business owner, real estate broker and city official rise to become leader of the Illinois House Republicans?
I was raised by a family with a strong work ethic; by a mother who always said if I was going to complain about something, I best be willing to do something about it. After leaving the corporate world, I opened a small business and got involved with my local chamber. This led me to get more involved and to serve my hometown of Savanna on another level through city government. While serving in the city capacity, I felt that our local voice was not being represented in the Statehouse. I chose to run and take my seat at the table to represent Savanna and the communities within the district. As House minority leader, I will continue to represent my communities and my caucus to bring balance and growth to Illinois.
When you began your political career did you envision that you would make history?
Not at all. Politics can be unpredictable, and I couldn’t envision this outcome two months ago, let alone years ago when I began this service as a state representative.
In your 2016 race for the Illinois House in District 71, you were a first-time state candidate facing a well-known incumbent and a large block of Quad Cities voters who didn’t know you. How did you approach winning the race, and later serving a sprawling district that included the metro area?
I approached the race head on, personally knocking on thousands of doors, regardless of the seriousness of my opposition. I have always approached public service by understanding that most people do not care about political affiliation but need their elected officials to listen and hear their concerns. Meeting the voters personally helped me best understand the district, motivating me to successfully cross the finish line.
As of Jan. 11, you will represent Illinois House District 89, which no longer includes the Quad Cities. What are some of your QC successes? Any regrets?
I will miss representing the Quad Cities. The map gave me a new district, expanding my district from four to seven counties. The Quad Cities is a place with citizens who care so much about their legacy and tradition while combining a strong vision for the future. While I am sad to no longer officially serve the Quad Cities I know I will continue to have relationships with many I have met over the last six years.
You have never had an election in which you went unchallenged. Was that good training for you as you step into the difficult role of Illinois House minority leader?
Absolutely. Running in contested elections helped keep me diligent in my efforts and continuously trying to work harder to serve my district. Until you’ve been through contested elections, it is very difficult to have a sincere understanding of what candidates are facing. This context was very helpful when I ran the House Republican campaign organization and will be helpful in this new role as House Republican Leader as well.
How did your historic election to House GOP leader come about?
I spent election night at our political headquarters in Burr Ridge with some of my colleagues and Leader Jim Durkin. As the evening went on and election results were being announced, Leader Durkin stated that he would not be seeking reelection as leader of our caucus. The next morning, I called my husband to discuss the opportunity and second, my friend Rep. Norine Hammond to ask for her support and help. Within a few days of calling my colleagues, I built a coalition of support and secured the necessary votes to ultimately win against the other candidate considered.
Why do you think House members selected you to help recharge and/or remake the Illinois Republican Party?
I have spent the last six years building trust and relationships with my colleagues. I believe I was selected because of my work ethic, my values, and my overall experience. I have always used a team approach and will build the best team and effectively utilize that team to restore balance to our state. I will work to get our message out to Republican and commonsense independent voters in a way that will crush any preconceived notions of who people think we are as Republicans. We will do things differently and focus on winning results.
After losing five seats, the GOP minority is about half the House Democratic majority. How do you approach rebuilding a party in decline?
We will approach it head on! I don’t believe the Republican Party has declined, but certainly has not been excited enough to outperform the Democrats on the ballot.
The Democrats did not win this cycle because they solved the problems they created. Just look at the economy, increasing crime and corruption. We are determined to change that and will overcome the gerrymandered map handed to Illinois for the next decade by Democrat politicians.
We will grow our voter base with hard work, strong candidate recruitment, factual messaging, and fundraising. We will show an honest contrast to our opponents, which will increase
Republican and independent voter turnout and bring more balance to Illinois.
Is the fact that you’re a downstater an advantage or a challenge in a state dominated by Chicagoland?
I am certain it will be both in time. We have not had a Republican leader in the Illinois House from outside the (Chicago) suburbs for generations in Illinois. As our caucus trends more “downstate” under the new map, there may be some advantages. However, I am also mindful that I will have some challenges to overcome in trying to understand perspectives informed by experiences different from my own. My childhood, business experience, and friendships will serve me well as I travel the state and I look forward to any challenges I may encounter.
The Illinois GOP appears to have been divided along ideological lines even before the election of Donald Trump. How can you bring the factions together to be relevant in Springfield while capturing more seats in the next election?
The Republican Party is no different than Democrats when it comes to having differences from within. What Democrats have learned and practiced is that they come together around their leader regardless of said differences.
Republicans will find a way to retain voters who supported Donald Trump as well as attract the voters we may have lost because of Donald Trump. More than that, we will come together and give voters a reason to vote for Republicans. We will develop a concise, direct message that allows voters to clearly understand the differences between the two sides.
Voters across the board want candidates to VOTE FOR and we will give them that in the next election.
Have you identified short-term goals and targets to help measure your success?
Yes, we have already identified some goals and targets to kick off the new year. I will be honest; this will not be easy, and results will not happen overnight. There are many moving parts in building a successful operation. A comprehensive review of existing processes, policies and strategies is under way. We will set short-, mid- and long-term goals to build our party, focusing on data and measurables that are critical to our growth.
What about your long-term goals for the caucus and the Illinois GOP?
To attract families and employers back to Illinois. To do so, we must grow our caucus to bring balance to our state. The legislative branch is a co-equal branch of government and executive overreach, and Democrat rule has become the pattern.
The Illinois Republican Party must be in a position to positively influence both the process and outcome of the next legislative reapportionment process to ensure a level playing field between parties in the future. Rather than pick up and leave, it would be my long-term goal to excite Illinoisians to stay and build for future generations.
