Dupage Policy Journal

State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) is calling on Winfield Township Chairman Burt Minor to withdraw from the Republican primary for the seat she is vacating in the 42nd District after he allegedly made comments about GOP state’s attorney candidate Erika Harold that were perceived to be racist and sexist.

“I join my colleagues in calling for Mr. Minor to withdraw from the primary election to be the nominee for the seat I currently hold,” Ives, who is challenging Gov. Bruce Rauner in the primary, said in a press release. “Mr. Minor's alleged comments are inexcusable, indefensible and disqualifying.”

Several media outlets have reported Minor referred to Harold, a former Miss America and now the party-backed candidate for state's attorney, as a “lesbo” and openly used the derogatory N-word in her presence.

Gov. Bruce Rauner

According to Politico, Republican House floor leader Peter Breen (R-Lombard) and Rauner have already called for Minor’s removal from the ticket.

Though he hails from Ives’ district, Minor is a known Rauner supporter who counts the Daily Herald among his endorsements. The newspaper formally endorsed Minor in a Feb. 21 editorial. 

Days before that, the editorial board officially threw its support behind Rauner in an op-ed where it argued Ives “cannot win in November” when the general election is scheduled to take place. 

A hardline conservative, Ives has based her campaign on a platform of fiscal responsibility and restoring order to Springfield.