In a letter explaining his decision, Don Tracy, the Chair of the Illinois Republican Party, has announced his resignation from his political post, expressing his dissatisfaction with the constant infighting within the party. Tracy criticized his colleagues for prioritizing internal power struggles over the primary goal of defeating incumbent Democrats.

Tracy, who has held the position since 2021, revealed in a statement sent to party members on Wednesday that he was spending too much time dealing with conflicts within the party rather than focusing on strategic efforts to win elections. His resignation comes just four weeks prior to the GOP convention in Milwaukee.

The Republican Party in Illinois has faced significant disagreements and tensions over the past year, mainly revolving around the selection of the party's 2024 presidential candidate. Former President Donald Trump clashed with rivals Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former U.S. U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley in a divisive contest. After a series of primary wins, Trump has now become the presumptive GOP nominee for the 2024 election.

In his resignation letter, Tracy expressed his frustration with the internal divisions among Illinois Republicans. He underlined the importance of unity after challenging elections and criticized party members who "would rather fight other Republicans than engage in the harder work of defeating incumbent Democrats by convincing swing voters to vote Republican."

Tracy highlighted recent conflicts over internal elections as a contributing factor to his decision to step down voluntarily. He called for his replacement to be appointed no later than July 19, which is a day after the 2024 GOP convention.

The Democratic Party currently dominates the political landscape in Illinois, holding the governorship and controlling both chambers of the state legislature. In response to Tracy's resignation, the local Democratic Party emphasized its unity and success in previous elections, boasting about defeating the Republican Party's candidate for governor, reelecting Senator Tammy Duckworth, and expanding their representation in Congress.

While Tracy's departure symbolizes further challenges for the already-struggling Illinois Republican Party, it remains to be seen how new leadership will address the party's internal divisions. Meanwhile, Republicans in Texas have also faced their own bouts of infighting, with the GOP House Speaker narrowly surviving a challenge from a Trump-backed party rival in May.

Newsweek reached out to the Republican Party of Illinois for comment on Tracy's resignation, but no response was received at the time of reporting.