As Donald Trump takes the stage tonight, we expect he will continue this streak of restrictive, harmful rhetoric.

Chicago, IL - As the Republican National Convention concludes, the Illinois GOP wraps up a week of cozying up to Donald Trump and ignoring his lies, criminal record and hateful rhetoric. The Democratic Party of Illinois wants you to know more about the GOP’s blatant anti-woman, anti-LGBTQ+ and whitewashing agenda:

While Illinois Democrats continue to uphold our state’s status as a beacon for care and the Biden-Harris administration fights for reproductive justice, the GOP is hellbent on restricting women’s access to health care:

Reproductive choice

WTTW: New Illinois GOP Chair Stops Short of Calling for a Nationwide Abortion Ban: Newly elected Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi, who lost a 2022 bid for the U.S. Senate, deflected questions about abortion by urging reporters to question Democratic politicians about “atrocities” and their “radical” position on abortion.

19th News: JD Vance, who has a specific vision for America’s families, focuses on his own in RNC speech: Vance attacks diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, childless women and abortion access. By contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris is a woman of color who has made reproductive rights a central issue and is a stepmother to two.

Climate change

While Illinois Democrats continue working to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis and create jobs in the process, and President Biden delivered historic investment in clean energy, the GOP is too busy denying climate change exists:

WTTW: As Illinois RNC Delegation Celebrates Agriculture, Congresswoman Decries ‘Communist Environmental Movement’ and ‘Demonized’ Carbon Dioxide: U.S. Rep. Mary Miller (R-Illinois) made fiery comments at Wednesday morning’s breakfast for Illinois delegates to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, saying climate change advocates like Al Gore have been getting rich running a scam and accusing them of having “demonized” carbon dioxide.

New York Times: At the Republican National Convention, Climate Change Isn’t a Problem: The United States is experiencing scorching new levels of heat fueled by climate change this summer, with dozens of people dying in the West, millions sweating under heat advisories and nearly three-quarters of Americans saying the government must prioritize global warming.

But as the Republican Party opens its national convention in Milwaukee with a prime-time focus on energy on Monday night, the party has no plan to address climate change.

Threats to democracy

While Illinois Democrats maintain that January 6th was a disgraceful attack on our country, and President Biden continues to rebuke the insurrection, the GOP is still propagating the Big Lie:

The Washington Post: Jan. 6 marchers at Republican convention complicate efforts to avoid subject: The first session of the Republican National Convention opened with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Debbie Kraulidis, an Illinois activist who attended the Jan. 6, 2021, rally on the National Mall that led to a riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Associated Press: Vance’s night but Trump’s party, Jan. 6 curtain call, Trump health still under wraps: RNC Takeaways: Some delegates chanted, “Let them go! Let them go!” in a reference to hundreds of people convicted for their parts in the Jan. 6 attack. It was a surreal moment for a party that has long portrayed itself as a staunch defender of law and order. It also served as a fresh reminder of the legal troubles faced by Trump, who was convicted of a felony in May, as well as numerous aides, advisers and allies who have been indicted or imprisoned for violating the law in his service.

Education

While Illinois Democrats champion education for students of all ages, and President Biden continuously slashes student loan debt, the GOP is focusing on revising history and shaming LGBTQ+ students:

Chalkbeat: GOP platform promises funding cuts for ‘woke’ schools, no teacher tenure, school choice for all: Formally adopted Monday by delegates at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, the platform says that Republicans will “stop woke government” and calls for rolling back protections for gay and transgender students. It also calls for expanding parental rights and school choice, promoting career training and “patriotic” civics education, and beefing up student discipline, positions that Republicans hope will resonate beyond their base on Election Day.

The Hill: GOP education platform big on parents’ rights, short on details: Other Republican issues at the national level that GOP states have fought in their legislatures include efforts against critical race theory and teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools.  

Eighteen states have already banned critical race theory in K-12 classrooms, with others looking to join in.

LGBTQ+ rights

While Illinois Democrats are actively working to expand and protect the health care and safety of LGBTQ+ Illinoisans and neighbors and President Biden has continuously worked to support the community, the GOP want to reinforce homophobia and transphobia:

Roll Call: With Roe overturned, Trump’s GOP turns to transgender health care: The 2024 Republican platform refers to “radical gender ideology,” and on the campaign trail Trump often talks about banning transgender people from sports, getting rid of any government funds that go toward gender-affirming care and reversing Biden’s changes to Title IX education regulations. The platform also says the GOP will defund schools that participate in “gender indoctrination.”

The Baltimore Banner: Vice presidential nominee JD Vance energizes LGBTQIA+ opposition: Anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric has been heard throughout the Republican National Convention. “Let me state this clearly: There are only two genders,” said Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Michigan Rep. John James verbally attacked transgender women playing sports. The announcement of Vance had the LGBTQ+ community bracing for even more attacks and what a Trump administration could mean for their rights.

The New Republic: A “Unity” Convention? For Trans Americans, It’s Quite the Opposite: Donald Trump Jr. treated the audience to a greatest-hits compilation of right-wing talking points: “Left-wing activists are pretending to be educators, teaching our kids that there are 57 genders, but they can’t even define what a woman is! On one hand, they think free speech protects their right to expose your children to explicit drag shows. On the other hand, they want to put you in jail for making a meme.”

As Donald Trump takes the stage tonight, we expect he will continue this streak of restrictive, harmful rhetoric.