April 28, 2026
Spain: Illinois Democrats want to make Illinois the “gerrymandering capital” of America
“Illinois Democrats will stop at nothing to preserve their corrupt political power. This Amendment will disenfranchise voters for decades to come and solidify our state as the gerrymandering capital of America,” said Rep. Ryan Spain following House passage of House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 28.
HJRCA 28 is a constitutional amendment filed by Democrats that would change the long-standing fairness standard in the Illinois Constitution used to judge legislative maps. HJRCA 28, was filed just this week by Speaker Chris Welch in response to concerns over a case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, Louisiana v. Callais. The proposal would rewrite Illinois’ constitutional standard for drawing legislative maps.
Under the current standard, maps must be “compact, contiguous and substantially equal in population.” Welch’s proposal would instead create a ranked list of five criteria.
The Amendment to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution on decennial redistricting to require Legislative and Representative Districts to be drawn, in order of priority: (1) to be substantially equal in population; (2) to ensure that no citizen is denied an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and to elect representatives of his or her choice on account of race; (3) to create, where practical, racial coalition or influence Districts; (4) to be contiguous; and (5) to the extent practicable, to be compact. The current requirements are compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population.
Compactness is moved to the bottom of the list and qualified by the phrase “to the extent practicable.” House Republicans argue that change would significantly weaken the compactness requirement and point to their lawsuit filed last year which alleges maps passed by Democrats violate Illinois’ compactness standard in 52 of the state’s 118 House districts.
Rep. Ryan Spain voted NO in both Executive Committee and on the Illinois House floor. The bill passed on Thursday afternoon by a vote of 74-38 and will now go on the State Senate, where action is expected before May 3 in order for the question to be placed on the November General Election ballot.
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» STOP THE DEMOCRATS’ REDISTRICTING POWER GRAB: OPPOSE HJRCA 28
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» Radio Recap: House Republicans on Democrats’ Amendment to Rig Election Maps
Videos >>
» Rep. Ryan Spain lays bare the corruption of absolute power in Democrats’ Redistricting Amendment
» Rep. Spain challenges Speaker Chris Welch about Redistricting in House Executive Committee
Rep. Spain hosts Bradford Village President Sharon Cauthon for Women to Watch Conference in Springfield
State Representative Ryan Spain was proud to nominate and host Bradford Village President Sharon Cauthon for this year’s annual Women to Watch Conference in Springfield on April 22, 2026.
Women to Watch is a networking event put on by Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie and the Illinois House Republican women legislators. The Women to Watch Conference honorees were invited to Springfield for a one-day conference on Wednesday that included panel discussion of women leaders, a luncheon, tours of the State Capitol and Archives, committee hearings and House Floor debate observations, and a networking social hour.
Village President Cauthon accompanied women from all over the state for the event. Sharon Cauthon grew up in Bradford in a family that owned a trucking company. She graduated from Henry-Senachwine High School and began her career at Great Dane Trailers before joining Caterpillar, Inc. where she became a certified track-type tractor operator and later Team Lead for the Black Iron Assembly Line, earning her Six Sigma Green Belt Certification.
In 2017, Sharon moved to Bo/Gar Enterprises in Wyoming as an office assistant and has cross-trained to become Purchasing Agent for Bo/Gar. She was elected Village President of Bradford in April 2025, and has impressed Rep. Spain as, “an outstanding local elected official and a great example of local leadership in the 73rd District.”
Around the District
Rep. Spain was happy to host students from Princeton Christian Academy on the Illinois House Floor last week in Springfield.
