Macon Reporter

State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) said it is unlikely GOP House leadership will pull their endorsements from gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin in the wake of leaked texts in which he notes his hate for former President Donald Trump.

“You're not going to get the members of the House who have endorsed the Irvin/Bourne campaign to pull their endorsements. If you find somebody that does that, please call me back,” Caulkins told Chambana Sun. “This revelation can completely destroy all of the negative ads that the campaign has been sending people.”

Caulkins said it's despicable. 

“I've served with Avery Bourne for four years, this is not who she is and the people that are running (the Irvin) campaign are despicable, immoral. Their tactics could very easily destroy the Republican nominees' chance to beat J.B. Pritzker in November,” he said.

Caulkins's comments come amid a movement to ask high-profile endorsees of Irvin to pull their support from the gubernatorial candidate and running mate State Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Pawnee) following the leak of a series of texts in which he calls Trump a "bigot," adding "I hate Trump too!" and "He’s an idiot!!!"

Conservative activists are calling the comments disqualifying, according to the Grundy Reporter.

The revelation comes weeks after Irvin questioned the conservative credentials of opponents State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), one of the most conservative members of the Illinois General Assembly, and downstate tech entrepreneur Jesse Sullivan, Politico reported.

Irvin has been characterized as a puppet candidate put to work by billionaire Citadel owner Ken Griffin, the Dupage Policy Journal reported.

Griffin has also given to the campaigns of his endorsees, such as House Majority Leader Jim Durkin whose campaign recently received $1 million. 

The leaked texts come after weeks of questionable ethics on behalf of the Irvin campaign.

Prominent supporter and Republican National Committeeman for Illinois Richard Porter was accused of stuffing the ballot box in favor of Irvin at the Northfield Township Republican Organization endorsement meeting, according to North Cook News.

Any endorsement was called off after questions arose.

The Irvin campaign is accused of "rigging" a Republican primary straw poll in Lake County by busing in elderly people related to a political operator, the Lake County Gazette reported.