Kankakee Times

The latest ad campaign by the Illinois Republican Party, dubbed "Drop the Mike," features a rap of Democratic Party chairman and House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).

The first video was released Feb. 1.

With a strong bass line and lyrics about Madigan and his career in the Illinois House, the ad points out the connections between Madigan and his "boys." While U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) is certainly not one of the "boys," as a gubernatorial candidate the GOP considers her part of the "good old boy" network connected to Madigan.

Kelly has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2013. Previously, she served as Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias' chief of staff. She ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic candidate for state treasurer in 2010.

Her political career began in 2002, when she defeated Republican Kitty Watson. She served as an Illinois state representative for the 38th District from 2003 to 2007.

Kelly is one of more than a dozen potential candidates for the 2018 election, when Gov. Bruce Rauner's first term of office is up. If elected as governor, Kelly would be the first African American and first woman governor of Illinois.

In the press release announcing the new ad campaign, Illinois GOP Spokesman Steven Yaffee expressed his doubts that any Democratic candidate could divest themselves of all ties to Madigan. He alleged that the prospective candidates "are working for the Chicago machine and against the people."

“The people of Illinois deserve to know whether potential gubernatorial candidates will be independent of Mike Madigan," Yaffee said. "Do they support his unprecedented reign as speaker, and will they demand that he step down as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois?”