MATTESON - Leading up to the 2010 GOP romping in Congress, then-RNC Chairman Michael Steele came through the Chicago area on the "Fire Pelosi" bus tour, which stopped in Jesse Jackson Jr's 2nd Congressional District, where GOP challenger Isaac Hayes ran an enthusiastic campaign. Hayes didn't run again in 2012, and has chosen to stay out of the special election to replace Jackson, who resigned after he won re-election in November 2012.
With the focus once again on the 2nd CD, it was recalled that ILGOP Chair Pat Brady publicly promising to build his Party's south suburban minority community. Thus far, there has been little, if any, follow through, local activists tell Illinois Review. The 2nd CD is now remapped to take in larger portions of south suburban Cook and Will Counties, where more Republicans are registered and politically active.
