Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Illinois Republican Party chairman Bob Grogan (pictured) said the contrast between the GOP and Illinois Democrats is simple: “It’s common sense versus communism.”

Grogan emceed the Republican Day program Thursday at the Illinois State Fair. This election season, virtually anything would be a gain for his group, which holds no statewide offices, only three of seventeen congressional seats, and superminorities in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly.

Illinois Democrats, helped by billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker, whom House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) called “Sugar Daddy,” will almost assuredly outspend the Republicans, but GOP members said Thursday they are running on the issues.

“We’re running on affordability, because the Democrats lose on that,” shouted Aaron Del Mar, the party’s candidate for lieutenant governor.

And McCombie said Republicans hold the upper hand on ethics. “Former Rep. Harry Benton (was) found to have sexually harassed women, and Speaker (Emanuel “Chris”) Welch (D-Hillside) knew about the allegations. He did nothing and then spent $1.4 million to put that creep back in office. He got him re-elected. And what did that do? It opened up the door for Harry Benton to harass more women.”

Welch, buffeted by allegations he asked Benton’s victim to take their own contact offline and that he Liked her social media posts with hearts-for-eyes emojis, did not attend Governor’s Day Wednesday, citing his children’s first day of school.