About ICU

Vision:  ICU exists to build and maintain a coalition of conservative organizations and to engage and educate grassroots activists throughout the state of Illinois. Our goal is to have a positive impact on the financial and moral trajectory of the state. Conservative values and principles are time-tested, having a proven historical record of success in improving the lives of people around the globe. Illinois Conservative Union is organized as a not-for-profit 501(c)(4), non-partisan, Illinois Bona Fide State Civic Organization.

ICU Special Projects:

  • Serve as a source of information and education for grassroots conservatives across the state to stay on top of current issues.

  • Grow and expand the Conservative movement in Illinois and bring them into leadership positions throughout the state.
  • Host regional events, webinars and conference calls to facilitate training for the grassroots and to offer support to grassroots activists and candidates.

  • Host our yearly “Strategy” conservative activist conference, keenly focused on Illinois-specific problems and solutions, ICU project objectives and providing tools and training for activists.

  • Build a statewide social media brigade to act as a rapid-response team to current issues in Illinois.

  • Build a solid and effective Election Integrity Team, patterning after the successes of Election Integrity Project, California, the North Carolina Voter Integrity Project and others around the nation. Also working in partnership with our connections in national organizations True the Vote (Catherine Engelbrecht) and Judicial Watch (Robert Popper, Eric Lee). Click HERE to visit our Election Integrity Program website.

  • Steer activists toward tools to help them engage. 

  • Provide an ongoing program to recruit and train precinct committeemen and candidates for local board positions. Provide ongoing SUPPORT for conservatives in those positions!

  • Education—support statewide school choice, and provide a counter balance in public schools to the radical Left agenda.

History of ICU

Founded in 1974, Illinois Conservative Union began with a distinguished Board of Directors that included businessmen James R. Evans and Vern I. McCarthy Jr., and publisher Jameson G. Campaigne, Jr.

The organization’s special advisors included State Senators David Regner (R-Mount Prospect) and Mark Rhoads (R-Downers Grove Township), State Representatives Penny Pullen (R-Maine Township), and Don Totten (R-Palatine), Congressmen Phil Crane and Henry Hyde, and Chicago-area business leaders such as the late Gerald Gidwitz (father of Ron and Jim Gidwitz). As the years went by, ICU’s Board, Executive Committee, Policy Board and Legislative Advisory Boards were well-served by a veritable “Who’s Who” of the most memorable Conservatives in Illinois. ICU was an affiliate of The American Conservative Union, the national organization known for it’s yearly CPAC event.

ICU’s mission was to promote the principles of individual liberty and free enterprise through research and educational activities. They also strove to hold Illinois legislators accountable to the citizens of the state. One of their most effective tools, implemented by a key advisor George Ray Hudson, was the ICU Annual Legislative Rating Index. As Mark Rhoads wrote in Illinois Review (September 8, 2011):

“For several years the ICU issued annual reports on the General Assembly and gave ratings to all members of the House and Senate on a variety of issues and a report on the total dollar value of every appropriation bill that each lawmaker voted for. Some Chicago media started to blame the ICU spending report for making it harder to pass appropriation bills because many lawmakers would vote no or present on large appropriations so that they could get a lower score on the annual ICU report.”

According to the Illinois Secretary of State website, the original ICU dissolved in December of 1991. As one of the founders reported, “…it was pretty active until the mid 1980s. Once Ronaldus Magnus [Ronald Reagan] was elected and we took control of the US Senate, too many Conservatives declared ‘Victory’ and sort of retired”. We can only imagine what a different state Illinois might be today if ICU had persevered. But, that’s what Conservatives do: we work hard, we solve the problems, and we get back to our “live and let live” lives. Unfortunately, tyranny is like rust — it never sleeps.

Inspired by the statesmanship and wisdom of it’s original founders, the renewed Illinois Conservative Union has taken up the gauntlet. ICU coalition partners are fully engaged in the battle to save our once-great state, and we hope you’ll join us in this effort. To get involved, sign up here.
(History compiled by Carol Davis, Chairman, Illinois Conservative Union)

West Suburban Patriots & ICU

West Suburban Patriots (WSP) spontaneously began in 2009 as an independent group of concerned citizens in DuPage County. We held monthly “Patriots’ Breakfasts” and hosted many other activities. Starting in 2016 WSP joined with other organizations to host an annual Illinois “Strategy” conference.  In 2018 WSP, with the blessing of original ICU members,  officially became d.b.a. Illinois Conservative Union. 

For “Historical Purposes” and as a place to advertise DuPage County events – our original Home, see our WSP-Page