Illinois Republican Party Ignores Republican Sheriff under Attack

Silence from the Illinois Republican State Central Committee as Sheriff Mendrick is attacked

Val Ojeda. Writer

In 2022 DuPage County suffered some devastating losses in the midterm elections. The DuPage County GOP lost some important seats on the county board, including that of the chairmanship. The former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois Evelyn Sanguinetti even lost her race to Democrat Jean Kaczmareck for DuPage County Clerk. 

DuPage County officially became Democrat Blue.

The most devastating of the losses was the race for Illinois House District 45. Republican Deanne Mazzochi declared victory, just to discover she was trailing later by 341 mail-in votes.

Mazzochi chose to contest the race. She obtained legal counsel and sued the DuPage County Clerk, even obtaining affidavits from voters. 

Mazzochi, who trailed by 341 votes in her race for re-election against Democrat Jenn Ladisch Douglass, won a victory when a DuPage County judge ruled the County Clerk couldn’t verify signatures on mail-in ballots using their 2022 ballot application.

That’s a little confusing on its face, so let me try to get into the what and why here.

When you go to the poll to vote on Election Day and sign the poll book, election judges compare that signature to the one on file with your registration. What the Mazzochi campaign was alleging is that the DuPage County Clerk is using the application for the mail-in ballot to verify the signature on the mail-in ballot envelope. Republicans argue it would be far easier to have someone sign an application and mail-in ballot fraudulently if the old signature isn’t checked.

In a letter to DuPage County Election Attorney, Patrick Bond stated:

“We contend that this practice is not only not authorized by statute, it is contrary to a common sense, consistent application of the law. Comparison of the signature on the returned [vote by mail] ballot to the VBM ballot application provides no assurance that the person who has executed the VBM ballot is actually the voter. Rather, in order to be assured that the person who has executed the VBM ballot is actually the voter, it is imperative that that signature be compared to the voter’s registration record.”

In his order, DuPage County Judge James Orel granted Mazzochi’s Temporary Restraining Order request.

“If a voter’s signature on the mail-in ballot does not match the signature on the voter’s registration on file with the DuPage County Clerk’s office, that ballot must be segregated and marked “Rejected” as required by Article 19 of the Election Code and the Clerk shall follow the voter notification procedures set forth therein,” the judge wrote.

Regardless of the court action, Mazzochi still could not get the votes to claim victory against Democrat Jenn Ladisch. Yet again, the Democrats claimed another House seat. 

The question is: Why did Mazzochi have to take this fight on her own? Though she was getting some help from the HRM the House Republican Majority the GOP Caucus, and its leader Jim Durkin who has since stepped down from the post and resigned from the Senate in disgrace, the Illinois Republican Party, and its Chairman Don Tracy was nowhere to be seen. 

December 8 the Illinois Republican State Central Committee met in Bolingbrook for their meeting, but were met by hundreds of upset grassroots Republicans and former candidates. For 6 hours these patriots challenged the Illinois GOP demanding changes including the resignation of Don Tracy it's Chairman. It was discovered that Tracy is actually a Democrat that funded Joe Biden's bid for President. He also donated to and supported other Democrats including himself as he ran for office as a Democrat.

As party chair he was absent as the former President Donald Trump visited Illinois in June 2022. Trump is favored by 85% of Illinois Republicans. Why was he absent? Because he was too busy endorsing and supporting Democrat Richard Irvin who was running for Governor in the Republican primary. 

Trump endorsed Darren Bailey for Governor. Later Bailey won the primary enraging Tracy and most of the 500 leaders of the GOP that endorsed Irvin creating a split in the party. The leadership versus the leadership. Many candidates that supported Bailey were abandoned and ignored, not receiving one cent of the 2.5 million they collected in donations.

The Illinois GOP should be ashamed of themselves for not providing funding and support to Rep. Mazzochi in her fight to reclaim her seat. Instead, they ignored her. Not one central Committee member offered any assistance. I blame this loss not on Mazzochi, but the Illinois Republican leadership. 

They also abandoned Sean Noonan, a Bloomingdale Police Sergeant and former DuPage County Board member who ran for county board district 2 and declared victory election night, just to trail later because of mail-in votes to Democrat Paula Garcia. Noonan financed this recount himself. The Illinois GOP leadership were once again absent to assist in the recount. Offering no financial resources or support. 

I took it upon myself to contact State Central Committeeman Dean White to show our support at the recount. We met with other grassroots supporters, but absent of course was anyone from the party. 

Also present to offer his support was Jeff Regnier, owner of Kee Firearms and Training, who himself paid for a recount in his race for Congress in the 1st Congressional district. Regnier ran in the 2022 primary and conducted a discovery recount in 4 different counties. Spending over $100,000. He sought the help of the Illinois Republican Party for his support of Bailey. 

Regnier was a candidate for a slot on the State Central Committee, but Rep. Tim Ozinga was chosen instead.

Recently, the Illinois General Assembly passed HB5471, the Illinois Gun Ban, which was signed into law by Governor Pritzker. This law takes effect immediately, banning many pistols, AR's and other devices.

Right away, the NRA and the State Rifle Association challenged the law and took it to the courts. Attorney Tom Devore and gun rights plaintiffs filed suit as well. Friday night, 860 of them declared victory with a TRO Temporary Restraining Order. Yesterday Tom Devore filed another suit with Darren Bailey including 1,500 other plaintiffs, many of whom are gun store owners.

Absent once again was the Illinois Republican Party. They offered no support. They could have sued on their own, as this law challenges conservatives and their gun rights. They are the ones targeted. Once again silence from the party.

The majority of the 102 Sheriffs, following guidance from the Illinois Sheriff's Association, put out statements that they would not enforce the order. Out of all the sheriff's stood one from the others that the Democrats despised. So feared as he was that they chose not to run Democrat for his seat in 2022. DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick. 

Mendrick also put out a statement that he would not enforce the illegal gun ban. As Sheriff, they never consulted him before passing the law or provided funding for any actions to enforce the law using police services. 

Instead, he stated that his loyalty is to the constitution of the United States that he swore an oath too. He would not go door to door confiscating guns. 

The Democrats responded in anger, demanding his resignation. The Governor made the threat of removal of any Sheriff who refused his orders. Mendrick stood his ground.

Yesterday, Congressman Sean Casteen supported by over 20 other elected Democrats and other members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation demanded Mendrick resign. They demanded his arrest if he failed to carry out the confiscations. Mendrick responded in kind.

Today, hundreds of Mendricks supporters showed their support by attending the meeting of the DuPage County Board. They love and support their Sheriff because he defends them. He defends their constitutional right to bear arms. He defends the constitution.

Yet, who was absent to defend Sheriff Mendrick? The Illinois Republican Party!

It's time they step up and issue a press release showing their support for Sheriff Mendrick. This is a deceitful attack by the Democrats on a great Republican that supported the party. Now they should utilize their resources to support him. 

If they fail to do this then Republicans all over the state will know their answer. It's time to put aside any personal differences and circle the wagons to defend conservatism, gun rights and the constitution. To defend any Republican under attack. Sheriff Ron Hain from Kane County is taking the same stance as Sheriff Mendrick yet the Democrats do not attack him because he is Democrat. 

If they show their allegiance to another Democrat the Illinois GOP leadership should do the same starting now starting with Sheriff Mendrick.

Chairman Don Tracy the ball is in your court. If you were serious in supporting Republicans I would begin with an ad campaign to show your support to not only Mendrick but 2A and the lawsuits fighting it. 

We shall see!

Val Ojeda is a Republican Author, Media Personality, Strategist and Consultant. Ojeda manages federal political campaigns also serving as President Trump's Hispanic Coalition Leader. Ojeda is also a businessman, entrepreneur and the founder of FAMA a 501c3 Chamber of Commerce. Ojeda served as law enforcement Veteran Officer/Detective.