A Letter to my Fellow Republicans

A letter to my fellow Republicans:

Throughout this campaign I’ve been loudly attacked by an opponent who is threatened by the overwhelming support I have received from you – my fellow Republicans. He is threatened by my being the endorsed candidate of our local Republican Party and he is threatened by my being the endorsed candidate of the local Tea Party organization.

In addition to attacking me, my opponent openly downplays and minimizes his Republican ties and describes himself as an independent conservative. He pursues the endorsement of the local media elite and the support of Springfield insiders while refusing to attend events hosted by our local Republican organizations and does battle with our local Republican party. 

My opponent also doesn’t approve of how I am running my campaign. Of course he doesn’t. My opponent doesn’t approve of how I am running my campaign because he doesn’t value or respect being a Republican.

I challenge my opponent with this question: How can Republicans possibly accomplish meaningful change across Illinois when some of our own candidates actively seek to tear down local Republican organizations?

I say that on March 20th the most important task faced by Republican voters will be to choose the candidate who will best strengthen, support and grow OUR Republican Party.

This is why I have been spending my time going to Republican events, ringing doorbells and calling people. This is why I have been reaching out to the people of this 81st District while my opponent campaigns as an independent and bloviates on the blogs, Twitter and Facebook.

My strategy is simple: Outreach and Engagement with people, not with insiders.

It is time for Republicans to get real. Whether I win or whether my opponent wins, we will both be guests in Michael Madigan's House. Our challenge and our mission must be to evict Speaker Madigan from our house. Our challenge and our mission must be to build a Republican majority so we can win the Governor’s mansion in 2014. To do that we need to grow the Republican Party so we can win statewide races and take control of the Illinois General Assembly.

Otherwise, we can have all the best ideas in the world and it won’t matter.

Illinois Republicans are very substantially united regarding the significant challenges our state faces. We all agree we need to curb out of control spending, we all agree we must accomplish real Medicaid reform and fix the exploding pension crisis. We all agree on the needfulness of repealing job-killing regulations and undoing that stealth income tax increase. 

Of course my opponent and I agree on these things. This isn’t rocket science. Who has the best policy and ideas isn’t the issue. How do we get things done?  That is what matters most.

It would also seem my opponent believes positive change is best achieved by hurling on-line insults at Governor Quinn, for example by issuing statements calling the Governor’s recent budget proposal “asinine.” My opponent also believes positive change is best achieved by being the most prolific Twitter-er in the Illinois legislature. Wow! Now that is an accomplishment to be proud of.

I prefer the advice given by President Teddy Roosevelt (a Republican!) who famously said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”

I believe in speaking softly and working tirelessly to grow our Republican base so we can grow our Republican Party and take control in Springfield. I believe in attending Republican events and going door to door to actually talk with people. I believe in hosting tele-town halls that actually reach out to the residents of our 81st District, with over 1200 listeners at my first event and over 900 listeners at my second event.

Because of my approach to campaigning, I am receiving positive heart-felt letters and emails from the people of this district. I am hearing from people who are hungry to be engaged and respected by their elected representatives; people who want to elect candidates who can talk with them, not bloviate at them.

I am proud to be the one candidate endorsed by our local Republican Party and by the local Tea Party organization. They know I am the candidate who will fight for them, and not for the Springfield insider elites.

I am proud to say that I am the only conservative Republican candidate in the race for the Republican nomination for the 81st District and I humbly ask for your support.

Sincerely

Deborah L. “Debbie” Boyle

Republican candidate for Illinois State Representative, 81st District