By IL Public Radio
Chicago, Ill. – Some rank and file Republicans in Illinois want to change the way the party picks its leader.
A committee of top party brass handpicks the chairman.
But Doug Ibendahl, with the group Republican Young Professionals, is among those who want a convention. Ibendahl says a convention would give Republican voters in Illinois a chance to at least meet and talk to those who want to be chairman.
"I'm sure some of the old guard will say 'Oh no, this could get out of hand; this will be messy,' Ibendahl says. "Well, you know what, sometimes democracy is messy.
"If we have any hope of getting [Ill. Gov. Rod] Blagojevich out of the [Governor's] Mansion in 2006, we need to make some changes and we ahve to make them pretty quick."
Republicans didn't gain much in Illinois this year and their nominee at the top of the ticket lost a lopsided U.S. Senate race.
The current Republican chair in Illinois - Judy Baar Topinka - will leave that post early next year. The state Central Committee could pick a new chair as early as this week.