Illinoisans continue to struggle to make ends meet as the rising cost of groceries and other daily necessities puts a strain on family budgets. But as the state’s unemployment rate remains the third highest in the nation, Governor JB Pritzker has focused his energy on traveling across the country to raise his national profile.

This has prompted members of the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus to renew calls for Pritzker to put his national ambitions on hold and focus on Illinois.

They highlight several issues plaguing the state under Pritzker’s leadership, including raising taxes by nearly a billion dollars to fund spending more than a billion dollars per year on programs for non-citizens. They also point to the rising crime rates across the state, including a 60% increase in major crimes in Chicago since 2019, with more than 100 shootings occurring over the July 4th weekend.

Senate Republicans said that the people of Illinois are tired of being seen as little more than a piggy bank to fund the Governor’s progressive agenda. They are calling on the Governor to “Think Illinois” and shift his focus back to Illinois and prioritize improving the lives of its residents.