Residents of the 102nd District can meet Rep. Adam Niemerg to discuss state programs and local concerns during Nov. 13 office hours.
ST. JOSEPH - Residents across East Central Illinois will have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with State Representative Adam Niemerg later this month as he brings his “Satellite Office Hours” to seven local communities. The outreach effort, set for Wednesday, Nov. 13, is part of the Republican lawmaker’s ongoing effort to make government services more accessible to constituents in the 102nd District.
“My satellite office hours provide convenient locations for constituents to get help closer to their home,” Niemerg said. “I encourage people to take advantage of these opportunities to get help with state programs or discuss state concerns.”
Throughout the day, Niemerg’s staff will be available to assist residents with questions or issues involving state agencies, programs, or legislation. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments can also be made by calling his Paris district office at (217) 712-2126 or by visiting RepNiemerg.com.
The Nov. 13 schedule includes stops in:
St. Joseph – Swearingen Memorial Library, 201 N. Third St., 9 to 10 a.m.
Homer – Village Hall, 500 E. Second St., 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Fairmount – Fire Department, 403 S. High St., 1 to 2 p.m.
Chrisman – Public Library, 108 N. Illinois St., 3 to 4 p.m.
A Teutopolis native, Niemerg lives in rural Dieterich (Bishop Township) with his wife, Trina, and their two young children. The family belongs to the St. Isidore Catholic Parish and attends St. Aloysius Church. A 2002 graduate of Teutopolis High School, Niemerg earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University before entering public service.
Representing the 102nd District—an area known for its strong farming roots—Niemerg said his family’s agricultural background helps him understand the challenges faced by rural communities. “My grandfather operated a small family farm,” he said. “That experience shaped my perspective on the issues that matter most to families and small businesses throughout our district.”
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Adam Niemerg, Illinois State Representative, Satellite Office Hours, 102nd District Illinois, East Central Illinois government
A federal judge’s order halting National Guard deployment in Chicago remains in place after the Trump administration consented to a 30-day extension.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Andrew Adams
A group of people in military fatigues walks into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview on Thursday, Oct. 9. National Guard troops were deployed to the facility earlier in the day. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
by Hannah Meisel Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO - A federal judge’s order blocking the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Chicago will remain in place indefinitely, setting up a possible trial when the U.S. Supreme Court weighs in on the case.
Quick look
Deployment of the National Guard in Illinois will remain blocked indefinitely after the Trump administration on Wednesday proposed extending U.S. District Judge April Perry’s temporary restraining order until final judgment in the case.
The agreement follows the administration’s emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on late last week asking the justices to stay U.S. District Judge April Perry’s Oct. 9 restraining order.
It’s unclear how quickly the high court might weigh in on the matter, but after a Supreme Court ruling, the case could head to an expedited trial or other accelerated hearing that would result in a final judgment.
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the part of Perry’s ruling blocking the deployment of the National Guard, writing that “political opposition is not rebellion.” But the Trump administration argues that a president’s military actions are not subject to judicial review.
The administration has been barred from deploying guardsmen in Illinois since U.S. District Judge April Perry’s temporary restraining order Oct. 9. But that 14-day order was set to expire Thursday evening.
Department of Justice lawyers originally had proposed extending that order another 30 days in a Tuesday filing. But because a temporary restraining order can only be extended once and there’s no way of knowing when the Supreme Court may rule on the administration’s plea to stay Perry’s ruling, the judge warned Wednesday that “whatever extension we make has to be the right one” to prevent a gap in judicial orders “that would allow troops be deployed on the streets.”
But if the U.S. Supreme Court does stay Perry’s temporary restraining order, the National Guard could be immediately deployed anyway. If that happens, Christopher Wells, a top lawyer in Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office, said the state would be seeking a “quick trial” or other expedited injunction hearing. Either would result in the type of final judgment that would end Perry’s now-extended restraining order.
Wells and his colleagues agreed Wednesday with the DOJ’s indefinite extension proposal but said he wanted it made very clear on the legal record that it was the Trump administration’s suggestion.
“We’re very concerned about possible gamesmanship in other courts and about how what’s happening here will be portrayed,” he said near the end of Wednesday’s hearing.
A similar case in Portland, Oregon, is moving to an expedited trial next week after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday overturned another temporary restraining order blocking National Guard deployment to the West Coast city.
Appeal to SCOTUS
In its filing to the Supreme Court, U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer argued the judicial branch has no right to “second guess” a president’s judgment on national security matters or resulting military actions. The administration maintains National Guard deployment is necessary to protect federal immigration agents and property from protesters.
“A federal district court lacks not only the authority but also the competence to wrest control of the military chain of command from the Commander in Chief,” he wrote.
Lawyers for the state of Illinois shot back in its own filing Monday, citing two U.S. Supreme Court decisions from the last century, including one “invalidating presidential seizure of steel mills during the Korean War.”
“Furthermore, ‘federal courts are fully empowered to consider’ claims ‘resulting from military intrusion into the civilian sector,’” lawyers in Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office wrote, citing a 1972 decision. “There are numerous indications that the questions presented here ... fall within this duty.”
President Donald Trump’s Oct. 4 order to federalize, or take control of, 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, along with the deployment of 200 Texas guardsmen and another 16 troops from California, has been blocked since Perry’s Oct. 9 ruling. Perry heard hours of arguments earlier this month, culminating in her temporary restraining order.
The judge said the Department of Justice’s arguments of violence added to a “growing body of evidence that (Department of Homeland Security’s) version of events are unreliable” as the administration’s narrative about “violent” protests in Chicago differed so strongly from the accounts of state and local law enforcement.
Perry also found there was “no credible evidence that there is a danger of rebellion in the state of Illinois.” The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals backed up Perry last week, with a three-judge panel writing in an opinion published Thursday that “political opposition is not rebellion.”
Read more: Judge calls feds ‘unreliable,’ temporarily blocks National Guard deployment to Illinois | Former military leaders decry National Guard deployment in Illinois
The three-judge appeals panel did stay the portion of Perry’s order blocking the administration from federalizing National Guard troops. But the administration accused the 7th circuit of “judicially micromanaging the exercise of the President’s Commander-in-Chief powers” as the appellate judges still sided with Perry on the actual deployment of guardsmen.
Editor’s note: This story was updated after a hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 22 in which the Trump administration suggested extending U.S. District Judge April Perry’s temporary restraining order indefinitely until there’s a final judgment in the case — a longer timeline than the 30 days the administration had agreed to in an Oct. 21 filing.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
TAGS: Trump administration National Guard Chicago dispute, Illinois lawsuit over federal troop deployment, Supreme Court review of Chicago Guard case, Federal court blocks Trump’s Illinois Guard order, Kwame Raoul response to National Guard action, Chicago protests and presidential authority ruling
Trump’s war against “the enemy within” is grounded in lies. Meanwhile, military leaders told to "go along or get out".
byPeter Montgomery OtherWords
A recent gathering at the Pentagon was extraordinary. Not in a good way.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered hundreds of generals and other officers to leave their posts all over the world. He demanded loyalty to the new “culture” he’s imposing on the armed forces. His message: go along or get out.
Hegseth railed against safeguards that protect service members from abuse and hold people accountable for wrongdoing. He mocked “stupid” and “politically correct” rules of engagement. “You kill people and break things for a living,” he said.
“We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enemy,” Hegseth said.
These comments became far more alarming when President Donald Trump took the stage and made it clear who he sees as the enemy. Trump told military leaders that he’s sending them to war against “the enemy within.”
U.S. citizens, immigrants with legal status, and children have been among those detained in increasingly brazen and aggressive encounters...
So the “punishing violence” that Hegseth demands is to be deployed against people here at home. More specifically, Trump said the military should use American cities as “training grounds,” saying, “That’s a war too. It’s a war from within.”
Here’s what that war looked like in Chicago recently: federal agents rappelling from a Black Hawk helicopter onto an apartment building in the middle of the night, border patrol agents breaking into apartments and allegedly zip-tying young children (though DHS denies they were zip-tied), detaining American citizens, and leaving people’s apartments and belongings trashed.
It wasn’t an isolated incident. The Washington Post reported that “U.S. citizens, immigrants with legal status, and children have been among those detained in increasingly brazen and aggressive encounters which pop up daily across neighborhoods in the city of 2.7 million and its many suburbs.”
Trump’s war against “the enemy within” is grounded in lies.
Deployment of the military against American citizens is a frightening abuse of power...
The president and his colleagues have been falsely claiming that Portland, Oregon, is “war-ravaged” and “burning to the ground.” That claim was apparently based on a five-year-old video the president saw on Fox TV. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden responded by posting a current video of people peacefully enjoying a beautiful fall day in Portland.
The Trump team’s lying would be laughable if it weren’t propaganda with a deadly purpose.
Fortunately, a federal judge — a Trump appointee — blocked Trump’s plans to federalize National Guard troops and send them into Portland, saying there are no conditions on the ground that could justify it. For defending the rule of law, the judge was savagely criticized by the White House.
On top of all of this, Trump has repeatedly violated the foundational military tradition of nonpartisanship. Speaking to cadets at a recent event honoring the Navy’s 250th anniversary, Trump declared, “We have to take care of this little gnat that’s on our shoulder called the Democrats.” As one commenter noted, Trump basically told the Navy to view half of the country as the enemy.
That’s dangerous. And it’s un-American.
People sometimes interpret Trump’s unhinged rhetoric as a strategy to distract people from other stories. It’s worse than that.
I’m sure the president would like people to ignore that he shut down the federal government to preserve tax cuts for the richest 1 percent while forcing millions of families to face huge increases for health insurance or lose their coverage completely.
But Trump’s “enemy within” is more than a distraction. It is even more than a violent threat against millions of our fellow Americans. It’s promotion for a war the president is already waging — one that’s been denounced by retired generals and veterans.
The unjustifiable deployment of the military against American citizens is a frightening abuse of power that should alarm Republicans and independents as well as Democrats. The Constitution can protect all of us only if we defend the Constitution.
Peter Montgomery is a Senior Fellow at People for the American Way. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.
TAGS: Trump's unhinged rhetoric, foundational military tradition, border patrol agents breaking into apartments, gathering at the Pentagon
The Social Security Tax Freedom Act is the second pillar of Chlebek’s MAGNA Agenda, which aims to reduce taxes, reward work, and restore opportunity. Property taxes remain a defining issue for Republican primary voters.
PARK RIDGE - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Casey Chlebek on Monday renewed his call for the Illinois General Assembly to place a statewide advisory referendum on the 2026 ballot that would give voters a direct say on abolishing property taxes.
A new campaign survey of 350 registered Republican voters across Illinois shows overwhelming support for reforming or abolishing the state’s property tax system. According to the results:
92% believe Illinois property taxes are too high.
83% report they or someone they know has been directly impacted by high property taxes—losing a home, being at risk of losing a home, or struggling to afford one.
86% want property tax reform to be a top issue in the 2026 elections.
63% support replacing property tax funding with alternative funding sources so that schools, police, and fire departments remain fully funded.
“These numbers confirm what I’ve been saying from the start: Illinois families are being crushed by the highest property taxes in America,” Chlebek said. “Homeownership should mean freedom—not perpetual rent to the government. Voters are demanding change, and I am the only candidate with a plan to deliver it while protecting schools, police, and fire services by exploring alternative funding options.”
Chlebek emphasized that only the legislature and the governor can authorize an advisory referendum but argued that Springfield has no excuse to delay when voters so clearly demand relief. His Property Tax Freedom Plan, the first pillar of his MAGNA Agenda (Making America the Greatest Nation Again), ensures that essential local services remain fully funded through replacement revenue while families finally get relief.
The survey results provide the clearest evidence yet that property taxes are not only a financial burden but also a defining campaign issue for Republican primary voters in Illinois.
Casey Chlebek, a business leader, public policy advocate, and proud Polish-American, has officially declared intention to be the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Illinois. His MAGNA Agenda also includes the Social Security Tax Freedom Act, the second of seven pillars designed to reduce taxes, reward work, and restore opportunity.
TAGS: Casey Chlebek property tax reform, Illinois Senate 2026, MAGNA Agenda tax plan, Republican primary Illinois, Property Tax Freedom Plan
Darren Bailey kicks off his second gubernatorial campaign with a renewed focus on Chicago and its suburbs.
by Ben Szalinski Capitol News Illinois
BLOOMINGTON - Darren Bailey’s second campaign for governor will take a different approach to Chicago and its suburbs following his unsuccessful 2022 bid, the downstate farmer and former Republican state lawmaker told supporters Thursday.
“This journey is going to look different than it did four years ago,” Bailey said at the second leg of a three-stop campaign kickoff tour in Bloomington. “We're out to win. We're on a mission.”
Bailey began the campaign in downstate Carterville before taking a helicopter owned and piloted by his son to Bloomington, then departing for his opening rally in Oak Brook later in the evening.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Ben Szalinski
Former Republican State Sen. Darren Bailey speaks to supporters at a rally in Bloomington to open his 2026 campaign for governor on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Bailey named Cook County Republican Party Chair Aaron Del Mar as his running mate.
Bailey, who called Chicago a “hellhole” four years ago, is emphasizing that his campaign will focus more on the city and its suburbs than in 2022. He chose Cook County Republican Party Chair Aaron Del Mar as his running mate, and his campaign logo now includes the skyline of Chicago. Bailey told reporters he believes voters in the Chicago area are more dissatisfied with Gov. JB Pritzker than in 2022.
“The people in Cook County, in Chicago are affected much more, I believe, than they were, you know, four years ago,” Bailey told reporters. “So staying on, you know, the message is really pretty simple and pretty obvious. I mean, taxes are too high. Opportunity doesn't exist. Our children are moving out of the state, and people just simply can't afford to be able to live and work here.”
Bailey argued he and Del Mar can relate more to an average person’s economic struggles than Pritzker — their billionaire opponent if they win the March 17 primary. They said affordability will be their top issue. Bailey pointed to a poll last month by a conservative policy organization that showed Pritzker’s approval rating below 50% for the first time. He said he believes there’s growing momentum for a Republican candidate, despite Pritzker winning the past two elections by double digits.
“The climate here in Illinois is a lot more obvious and conducive than it was three and four years ago,” he said. “People have woke up and they've realized that, ‘wow, why did we just go through these last three years?’ And that they're tired of it.”
Bailey owns and operates a more than 12,000-acre farm in Clay County south of Effingham.
After losing to Pritzker, Bailey lost a congressional primary in 2024. Democrats didn’t show any disappointment in seeing him on the ticket again. Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association President Mark Guethle said in a statement Bailey’s decision to run again is “fine by us!”
A new running mate
Bailey said he had not been planning to run for governor until a few weeks ago. Friends encouraged him to consider picking Del Mar as his running mate, he said, despite the pair’s history of disagreements. They met earlier this month to iron out their differences.
“We put it aside; we let the bygones be bygones,” Del Mar said. “And we came out and we said we're going to run together as a team. We're going to bring everybody from the southern area, from the country. We're going to bring everybody from the north.”
Del Mar has long been active in suburban Republican politics and was McHenry County businessman Gary Rabine’s running mate in the 2022 GOP primary for governor. He told Bailey’s supporters on Thursday that he had been planning to run for governor himself. Bailey’s 2022 running mate was Stephanie Trussell, a DuPage County resident and conservative radio host.
Who is Darren Bailey
Bailey owns and operates a more than 12,000-acre farm in Clay County south of Effingham. He’s made the farmer lifestyle a pillar of his statewide campaigns as he often discusses learning the values of hard work and family from the farm. In 2022, Bailey ran a TV ad about building his business by working with his hands. It drew a contrast to Pritzker who inherited wealth, though Pritzker also had a long philanthropic and business career before becoming governor.
He was first elected to the Illinois House in 2018, but his political profile exploded in 2020 after he filed lawsuits challenging Illinois’ stay-at-home and mask orders in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuits helped lionize Bailey among Illinois conservatives who believed the public health restrictions were illegal for the governor to impose.
Bailey won a race for Illinois Senate in 2020 and then launched his 2022 campaign for governor hoping to capitalize on his growing reputation as the most vocal opponent to pandemic mitigations in the legislature.
Bailey’s past results
Bailey cruised to victory in the 2022 Republican primary with 57% of the vote in a field of six candidates. He trounced the favored candidate of establishment Republicans, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who also had a fundraising advantage over Bailey.
But Irvin struggled to articulate his positions on issues while Bailey appealed to conservative voters. Some of that appeal came with the help of Pritzker’s campaign, who, along with the Democratic Governors Association, ran TV ads attacking Bailey during the primary as “too conservative” for Illinois.
The ads boosted Bailey’s conservative credentials in the partisan contest, helping Bailey win 100 of 102 counties. He struggled to gain traction in the general election against Pritzker, though. Bailey's tough-on-crime message failed to land with voters and Pritzker cruised to a 13-point victory that was called within minutes of the polls closing. Bailey won 42% of the vote, including just 24% of Cook County voters.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
State Sen. Darren Bailey appears at a news conference alongside law enforcement officers during his 2022 campaign for governor. Bailey plans a second run for Illinois governor in 2026 with Aaron Del Mar as his running mate.
Bailey came back to the campaign trail in 2024 and billed himself as a more conservative alternative to Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in the 12th Congressional District across southern Illinois. Bost was an ally of President Donald Trump, who endorsed Bost over Bailey, despite endorsing Bailey’s candidacy for governor. Bailey came up about 2,700 votes short.
Bailey told reporters on Thursday he has not spoken with Trump but would consider seeking his endorsement. Bailey joins the Republican primary field of DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, conservative researcher Ted Dabrowski and Lake Forest businessman Joe Severino.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Moms across the U.S. are sharing similar struggles, highlighting the systemic failures in family and child care policy. Stories from Sweden, Norway, Canada, and Portugal show alternatives where child care is affordable and supportive of parents.
by Brea Harris OtherWords
At three months old, my son was kicked out of his daycare.
I had spent my pregnancy navigating my city’s brutal child care landscape — posting on social media looking for nanny shares, adding my name to year-long waitlists, and wondering how I was going to pay the astronomical daycare fees.
So when I found this place, I felt a flood of relief. It was close to my job, half the cost of others in the area, and had a gold star recommendation from a friend of a friend. It seemed like a unicorn amidst daycares. It seemed like the perfect fit.
Yet less than a week after I returned to work, I received a call asking me to pick up my son because he was crying too much. The next day, same call. After a few days I was told “it was not a good fit.” I had until the end of the month.
I quickly learned that I’m not alone. Almost every mom I know has a story like this.
I had exhausted my PTO and depleted my savings in an attempt to offset the costs of my unpaid leave. I don’t have family nearby. I’m a single mom working in healthcare unable to work remotely or stay home full time. And I had no idea where I was going to send my three month old son during the day while I worked.
I sent out desperate pleas to mom groups in my area and eventually, through the power of the moms in my community, I found the daycare he now attends.
I love this daycare. However, it costs more than my rent — it puts a $1,600 deficit in my monthly budget. So with each passing month I fall further behind on car payments, student loans, utilities. And every day I field calls from debt collectors.
All of this is due to the cost of child care.
It was moms that helped me secure a last minute daycare spot.
When I started sharing my story with friends, coworkers, and random moms on the playground, I quickly learned that I’m not alone. Almost every mom I know has a story like this. They’ve been juggling budget deficits to afford care, pleading for financial aid, adding their names to yearlong wait lists, reducing their work hours, or cutting their careers short.
The details vary, but the common thread is this: Child care costs are unsustainable.
This late night rabbit hole affirmed what I already knew in my gut: moms in the U.S. are struggling due to systemic issues and policy failures. And it does not have to be this way.
In my 13 months of motherhood, I’ve already witnessed the power moms have when we band together. It was moms that helped me secure a last minute daycare spot. It was moms who recently gathered at a local park to swap baby gear in response to rising prices.
And it will be moms who demand more from our policymakers when it comes to the accessibility of child care in our country.
The First Amendment ensures speech, not paychecks. From TV hosts to pastors, free expression at work often collides with financial realities.
The first amendment protects our free speech but employers will protect their bottom line.
However, to some extent, there are some limitations and barriers for all of us. When he began his career, national radio personality Howard Stern couldn’t keep a job. His content was so raw and shocking that station owners and managers couldn’t afford to keep him on because advertisers couldn’t afford to risk supporting him. Things changed. He eventually became acceptable to enough listeners that he was hugely profitable. A massive contract with Sirius XM radio gave him a huge audience, allowed him to say whatever he wanted and paid him handsomely. Since 2004, they have paid him hundreds of millions of dollars. His employer found him to be profitable and accepted by many.
Stearns’ contract recently expired and his deal hasn’t been renewed. The renewal won’t be based on Stearns’ freedom of speech but it will be based on whether he will be profitable for Sirius XM radio which means he probably won’t be returning.
Glenn Mollette
Jimmy Kimmel is off the air, for now. He has been making a nice $15M a year salary from the Disney corporation who owns ABC and the ESPN network as well. He has had a nice job with them for 20 years and come out five nights a week saying whatever he wanted to say. After some recent comments made about Charlie Kirk that have been replayed numerous times on national TV, Disney decided to take his show down for a while, possibly forever.
Stations across the country let it be known to Disney they weren’t going to air Kimmel’s show after his remarks about Kirk and Disney listened. It was about money. Disney is in the business to make money, big money. The Stephen Colbert show was losing $40M a year and Colbert’s show had better ratings than Kimmel. The idea of losing millions of dollars on Kimmel was unacceptable to Disney. If TV station chains, cable companies and local stations around the country had applauded Kimmel, if ratings and profitability had soared, Disney would have kept Kimmel on.
No employer is going to keep you on the payroll if your mouth is bankrupting the business. You may have the right to speak but you may be speaking on the street corner somewhere without a paycheck if the employer doesn’t like what you are saying.
The minister of your local church may have the freedom to preach the Bible. Yet, he or she could find themselves unemployed if they ruffle enough feathers of the congregation’s leadership. A politician may speak freely but only has a job if he or she can sway enough voters. You can walk into wherever you work and say whatever you want about the company or your boss. Most likely, you’ll end up in the unemployment line. Plus, you will not be able to obtain a reference or recommendation for your next interview.
Yes, we have freedom of speech but it has limitations and consequences. Charlie Kirk was his own employer. That seems to be about the only way you can really pull off free speech. He said just about whatever he wanted and there wasn’t anyone to fire him, so someone killed him. Sadly, Charlie Kirk’s free speech cost him his life.
There is almost always a price to be paid for freedom of speech. It is important and it is American, but your employer doesn’t have to agree with you or keep you on the payroll.
About the author ~
Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.
The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
Charlie Kirk assassination legacy, history of assassinated American leaders, free speech and violence in America, political debate versus violence, legacy of voices after tragedy
Charlie Kirk’s death echoes America’s tragic history of assassinated leaders, reminding us that violence cannot silence free speech.
Charlie Kirk was a man who had opinions and vocalized them. He believed in free speech. He also believed in the right of free speech for those who disagreed with him. In his Turning Point rallies, he gave untold numbers of people the opportunity to express their opinions and to debate him. He respectfully gave each person the time to state their case on whatever the subject. Charlie was adamant, profound and articulated strong convictions.
Glenn Mollette
Sadly, a deranged 22-year-old man from Utah took Charlie’s life. It has been reported that the gunman had previously stated at a family dinner that he thought Kirk was filled with hate.
When Kirk spoke at a University rally in Utah, the gunman plotted and positioned himself to shoot a single long-range rifle shot that took Kirk’s life. The man ran back to his home where he later had no choice but to confess to his father that he was indeed the man who had been videotaped at the rally who took Charlie Kirk’s life.
The lone assassin is an evil coward who silenced one of America’s star voices. At least he thought he did. Charlie Kirk has become more known and his sound clips have been heard more in the last few days than in his entire ministry/career. Kirk has been propelled by the assassin to a status in American culture that will never be forgotten. Instead of silencing Kirk he magnified Kirk’s voice and message a hundred or more times. Kirk is now being remembered around the world.
It’s one thing to have a hateful, negative thought, but it’s another to allow hate to act itself out in such a way.
Charlie Kirk used his voice. Every American is entitled to this freedom. His voice cost him his life.
Abraham Lincoln gave his life reuniting our country and abolishing slavery. A cowardly assassin took Lincoln’s life as he leisurely watched a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. John F. Kennedy used his voice to excite the American people and to bring about a positive attitude in the country, but was gunned down by an assassin from a hidden window in downtown Dallas, Texas. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man with a great voice who stirred the hearts of millions of Americans and brought about liberating change for black Americans. An assassin who disagreed with King cowardly hid and took King’s life with a bullet. Malcom X and Bobby Kennedy were orators for positive change in America but someone who disagreed with their views killed them.
The greatest voice of hope, love, change and forgiveness, who ever lived, was Jesus Christ. A cowardly crowd yelled for him to be executed.
These mentioned voices were not silenced by hideous crowds or hidden gunmen. Each of their voices have rung loudly and clearly. Their legacies have only grown bolder and stronger.
It is sad that Charlie Kirk’s assassin did not go down to the rally, stand up like a man and challenge Kirk in a debate. He could have told Kirk what he thought about him and given Kirk a chance to respond. But no, he was a weak, spineless man filled with more hate than probably anyone in America at that given moment.
It’s one thing to have a hateful, negative thought, but it’s another to allow hate to act itself out in such a way.
Violence is never the answer. Let’s keep America free. Free to speak, free to debate, free to practice and express our religion. Let’s have peaceful and strong conversation not assassination.
About the author ~
Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.
The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
Charlie Kirk assassination legacy, history of assassinated American leaders, free speech and violence in America, political debate versus violence, legacy of voices after tragedy
With strong early financial support, Ted Dabrowski announced his bid for Illinois governor in the 2026 Republican primary. His campaign focuses on conservative reform and moral clarity, setting him up as the GOP fundraising frontrunner.
SPRINGFIELD - Ted Dabrowski, the leader of a conservative research publication, officially announced Friday he will run for Illinois governor in the 2026 Republican primary.
Dabrowski’s Wirepoints.org publishes research and commentary on state policy issues and advocates for conservative solutions on pensions, taxes, governance and other public policy issues. Before joining Wirepoints in 2017, Dabrowski was vice president of policy for the conservative Illinois Policy Institute think tank after spending nearly 20 years in banking.
“I am not from the political system,” Dabrowski said from his Wilmette home. “I know the system; I know the players. I know how the sausage is made and why it tastes so bad. And I know that if we don't revitalize the Republican Party with strong executive leadership, we cannot resuscitate the state of Illinois.”
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
Ted Dabrowski talks to fellow Republicans at a State Central Committee meeting in Springfield on Aug. 14, 2025.
Though Dabrowski has built his reputation in Illinois politics by leaning into analytical, data-driven arguments, he signaled that his message on the campaign trail might be different.
“We will win this race by laying out a competing vision for Illinois, one rooted in conservative reform principles,” Dabrowski said. “And as much as I like charts and graphs, the main feature of my candidacy will be the moral clarity on those matters which impact the quality of life for productive Illinoisians who play by the rules.”
Dabrowski announced that his running mate will be Carrie Mendoza, an emergency room doctor from the Chicago area. She previously held a director position at the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism, a group that has opposed lessons on gender in schools.
Dabrowski did not take questions from reporters following his announcement.
Fundraising leader
Dabrowski enters the race as the immediate leader in fundraising after first saying last month that he planned to run for governor.
Dabrowski has raised $1.2 million, including from his own seed money, in contributions of $1,000 or more.
State Board of Election records show Dabrowski loaned $250,000 to his campaign at the end of August — a move that eliminated fundraising restrictions for all candidates in the race.
Other contributions reported to the State Board of Elections over the last month show he has received several other large contributions of $100,000 or more from various people in finance and philanthropy in the Chicago area.
two candidates in the race have also not reported substantial fundraising.
The stiffest competition for Dabrowski and other Republican candidates for governor — former state Sen. Darren Bailey — is likely to officially enter the race in the coming days. Bailey was the party’s 2022 nominee for governor, and sources confirmed he’s planning a second run to try to beat Gov. JB Pritzker. He received 57% of the vote in the 2022 primary.
It’s still unclear who Bailey’s financial backers will be as he has not been actively fundraising for state office. He had just $2,800 in his campaign fund as of June 30. Lake Forest billionaire Dick Uihlein was his primary funding source in 2022.
“I'm very aware of the skepticism about the Republican Party's prospects and Illinois' future, but we have a strong team, and we are and will be well-funded,” Dabrowski said. “Illinoisans have Pritzker fatigue, and they're looking for a credible alternative.”
The other two candidates in the race have also not reported substantial fundraising. DuPage County Sheriff Jim Mendrick’s financial records show he had $100,588 on hand at the end of June and has reported $11,000 in contributions of $1,000 or more since then. Joe Severino, a Lake Forest resident who is also running for governor, has not reported any contributions to the State Board of Elections.
One of Dabrowski’s earliest supporters is Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, who is chair of his campaign.
“He has spent 15 years researching, digging and offering solutions, highlighting the failings,” Plummer said “A lot of people in the state may not know the name Ted Dabrowski yet, but I assure you they know his work. He has shed light on so many of our problems.”
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Bailey, who lost to JB Pritzker in 2022, re-enters the governor’s race with new campaign strategy.
SPRINGFIELD - Darren Bailey plans to run for governor for a second time in 2026, Capitol News Illinois confirmed with sources close to the campaign.
The former state senator and farmer from Clay County would become the highest-profile Republican to enter the race, having lost the 2022 campaign against Gov. JB Pritzker and a close primary race in 2024 against U.S. Rep. Mike Bost for a downstate congressional seat.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
State Sen. Darren Bailey appears at a news conference alongside law enforcement officers during his 2022 campaign for governor. Bailey plans a second run for Illinois governor in 2026 with Aaron Del Mar as his running mate.
A formal announcement is expected next week. News of the planned announcement was first reported by NBC Chicago on Monday afternoon.
Bailey rose to statewide notoriety in 2020 as a state lawmaker who opposed mask mandates and other COVID-19 emergency actions early in the pandemic. He capitalized on his opposition to Pritzker-imposed restrictions and ran for governor in 2022.
Bailey plans to enlist Cook County Republican Party Chair Aaron Del Mar as his running mate
Bailey easily won the Republican primary that year with 57 percent of the vote. His campaign was indirectly helped by Pritzker, who ran TV ads during the primary calling Bailey “too conservative” for Illinois, which helped boost his credentials with Republican voters.
But Pritzker handily won a second term with 55 percent of the vote, defeating Bailey by 13 points in a race the Associated Press called just moments after polls closed. Pritzker spent millions on his campaign as Bailey struggled to compete despite receiving financial help from Lake Forest billionaire Dick Uihlein.
Bailey then tried to unseat Bost in 2024 in the 12th Congressional District but came up about 2,700 votes short. While he received President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the governor’s race, Trump endorsed Bost over Bailey in 2024.
New running mate
Bailey plans to enlist Cook County Republican Party Chair Aaron Del Mar as his running mate, a source said.
Del Mar ran for lieutenant governor in 2022 alongside Gary Rabine, receiving 6.5 percent of the vote.
He was elected to lead the Cook County Republican Party earlier this year, marking the second time he has held that role after previously leading the party in the early 2010s. He is also a member of the Illinois GOP’s State Central Committee and serves as Palatine Township’s highway commissioner.
Outside of politics, Del Mar has led a career in business and as an entrepreneur.
Bailey ran in 2022 with Stephanie Trussell, a conservative radio host from the suburbs.
Bailey’s message
It is unclear how Bailey plans to overcome his 2022 loss and what message he will take to voters in 2026.
He focused much of his 2022 campaign on crime and public safety, criticizing the SAFE-T Act and bashing Chicago as a “hellhole.”
The message failed to gain traction with voters, however, as Democrats focused heavily on abortion rights in the months after Roe v. Wade was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Facebook has been Bailey’s primary communication platform to voters, and in recent weeks, he has focused many of his posts on Pritzker and ways he believes the governor has failed Illinois. Like other Republicans, Bailey has criticized Pritzker’s growing national profile.
“In 2026, we have the chance to stop him,” Bailey wrote in a post Monday. “But it will take ALL of us. Every Illinoisan who knows we deserve better. Together, we can end JB’s presidential ambitions before they even begin and finally turn Illinois around.”
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
Former state senator and unsuccessful candidate for governor and later Congress Darren Bailey is pictured at the 2023 Illinois State Fair during his unsuccessful congressional campaign.
Bailey would become at least the fourth candidate to enter the Republican primary for governor, which has been slowly taking shape this fall.
DuPage County Sheriff Jim Mendrick, Lake Forest resident Joe Severino, and conservative media writer Ted Dabrowski have also formed committees to run for governor.
Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner released a statement Sunday saying he was also considering running.
Pritzker is running for a rare third term as governor amid speculation he will also run for president in 2028.
Candidates must turn their petitions in to the State Board of Elections by the end of October.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
LWV Illinois and ICIRR lead a Chicago march opposing ICE buildup. Protesters urged to plan ahead and prioritize safety.
CHICAGO - A broad coalition of community organizations, led by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and the League of Women Voters Illinois, will stage a protest in downtown Chicago this weekend in opposition to the federal government’s deployment of immigration enforcement agents and military resources to the city.
The peaceful demonstration is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Ida B. Wells Drive. Organizers say the event will send a clear message against what they describe as “federal abuse of power” under the Trump administration.
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that an intensive deployment of ICE agents will be stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Base in North Chicago. Civil rights groups say the move is designed to create fear and normalize racial and ethnic profiling in immigrant communities.
Safety and preparation
The League of Women Voters Illinois has urged participants to make safety a priority, stressing that anyone planning to attend should travel in groups, use public transportation when possible, and prepare for long waits. Suggested items include water, snacks, a backup cell phone battery, and a small first-aid kit.
The League also recommends writing the name and phone number of an emergency contact on one’s arm in permanent ink in case a phone becomes unavailable, as well as disabling biometric phone locks in favor of a passcode. Protesters are advised to create and share a plan that includes exit routes and safe meet-up points.
“Peaceful protest is a constitutional right,” the organization said in its advisory. “But ensuring your safety and the safety of others must come first.”
Legal concerns
Legal observers have raised concerns after Cook County’s newly elected state’s attorney revoked formal “peaceful protest” protections earlier this year. While the office has clarified that it does not intend to restrict First Amendment rights, groups are warning participants to avoid confrontations with law enforcement.
The League’s statement emphasized that protesters should refrain from language or behavior that could be interpreted as intentionally provocative or threatening toward officials.
Building a rapid response
ICIRR and its partners are organizing a phone tree to quickly mobilize future demonstrations should federal agents appear in Chicago neighborhoods. The coalition has urged community members to stay connected through League In Action alerts and to prepare rapid response teams that can move within 24 hours of deployment.
The League of Women Voters Illinois said members of its Chicago chapter will be present at Saturday’s event and can be identified by purple, star-shaped balloons.
The groups behind the march say the purpose is not only to resist the expansion of federal enforcement but also to affirm immigrant rights and civil liberties at a time of growing federal intervention in local jurisdictions.
TAGGED: Chicago protest September 2025, League of Women Voters Illinois ICE protest, Michigan Avenue Ida B Wells rally, ICE deployment Chicago response, immigrant rights protest Chicago
Peter Montgomery is a Senior Fellow at People for the American Way. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.
