Deering supports Georgia House member in party switch: 'We need more courageous politicians in Springfield, like this lawmaker'

Regan Deering, Republican candidate for Illinois House of Representatives District 88 | Regan for Illinois/Facebook

By Macon Reporter Report

Jul 13, 2023

Illinois' 88th state House District Republican candidate Regan Deering is calling out Democrats after a high-profile defection in Georgia.

“Issues like education, crime, tax relief and jobs are not about politics,” Deering said on Facebook this week. “Policy should be about people, not special interests. It’s a shame that some elected officials can have their votes bought. We need more courageous politicians in Springfield, like this lawmaker from Georgia, who stick to their principles, not dark money from teachers unions.”

Deering’s comments came after Mesha Mainor, a Democrat who represented Georgia's District 56 in the state House of Representatives, announced her switch to the Republican Party. She cited her dissatisfaction with the Democrats' treatment of her when she supported a school choice bill and her belief that the Democratic Party has exploited the black community.

Mainor emphasized that her decision was a moral one and criticized Democrats for kowtowing to teacher’s unions as her rationale to quit the party, a FOX News report said this week. She noted that she is not backing down.

"It's ironic," Mainor said in the FOX News report. "I'll say every election year, I hear ‘Black Lives Matter.’ But do they? I see every other minority being prioritized except Black children living in poverty that can't read, We'll send $1,000,000 to the border for immigrant services. But Black communities, not even a shout-out. I'm sorry, I don't agree with this. I'm not backing down and I'm actually just getting started."

Deering, a former congressional candidate and current Mount Zion school board member, announced in June her bid for the Illinois General Assembly in the 88th House District. She emphasized her experience as a problem solver and her commitment to creating success for everyone. In a June Macon Reporter article, Deering noted that she aims to stand up for commonsense conservatives and fight for conservative values, parental rights and individual freedoms. She hopes to succeed state Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur).

In a recent Macon Reporter article, Deering criticized the Illinois Democrat supermajority for implementing tax increases, including the second gas tax increase of the year and the reinstatement of the 1% tax on groceries. She argued that the tax hikes burden residents who already face high property taxes and called for relief for families in need.