Illinois Republican party chair resigns, blames party infighting

[June 20, 2024]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Illinois Republican party chairman Don Tracy resigned on Wednesday, less than a month before next month's Republican National Convention in neighboring Wisconsin, citing infighting with the party.  

In his resignation letter, Tracy said he spent "too much time dealing with intra party power struggles and local intra party animosities," the Chicago Tribune and local ABC affiliate reported.

"In better days, Illinois Republicans came together after tough intra party elections but now it seems that agreeing 80% of the time, as President Reagan said, is simply not enough for some who would rather fight each other than take on the Democrats," he said in a statement.

Tracy, who served in the position since February 2021, said his resignation was effective upon the election a new chairman "preferably no later than" July 19.

The Republican party will hold its national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from July 15 to 18. During the convention, former U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to be nominated as the party's nominee for the Nov. 5 general election.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Heather Timmons and Sandra Maler)

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