Pat Brady, the Chair of the Republican Party in Illinois, resigned on Tuesday, after months of being targeted by Republicans for his support for legalizing gay marriage in the state.
Brady announced his resignation on Tuesday in a letter to the state Republican party's central committee, telling the Associated Press that it was due to his wife's cancer, and not calls for his resignation over gay marriage.
From ABC7 Chicago:
In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Brady says his wife has been battling "very serious" cancer for two years and he wants to focus on her and their four children.
He declined to discuss divisions within the party since its poor showing in last year's elections, but said persistent calls for him to step down had nothing to do with his decision.
The Chicago Tribune reports:
Though Brady survived immediate attempts to dump him, a meeting of the Republican State Central Committee in Tinley Park last month made clear his fate. GOP leaders agreed to put together a succession plan, allowing Brady, of St. Charles, an exit strategy that made clear his days were numbered as they began a search for a new chairman.
The legislation passed the state Senate in February, and supporters say they almost have the required votes needed for it to pass out of the House.
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