Ill. GOP Chairman Shown Door After Supporting Marriage Equality

The Republican elite of blue state Illinois are still not comfortable with same-sex marriage, dumping the state chairman of their party after he advocated for marriage equality.

When Illinois was debating marriage equality in January, Pat Brady made phone calls to state party members encouraging their support (the legislation is still pending). Brady later said he was not lobbying on behalf of the Republican party, but doing so as a citizen. As the state party's platform still designates opposition to marriage equality, GOP elite were not pleased.

Brady, from St. Clair in the southwest part of the state, outlived efforts to oust him earlier in the year. But at a meeting last month, party leaders drew up a succession plan and made clear to Brady that his three-year tenure was coming to an end. In his resignation letter, Brady thanked Mark Kirk, the GOP senator who succeeded the Senate seat vacated by President Obama.

The Illinois GOP party suffered major losses in 2012, handing veto-proof majorities to Democrats in the state house and senate. Illinois also has a Democratic governor, Pat Quinn. Brady had tried to push his party to be more inclusive to turn things around.