 Jack Roeser at his office in Carpentersville in April of 2010. (Stacey Wescott/ Chicago Tribune / June 13, 2014) |
Long time conservative Republican activist Jack Roeser, a Carpentersville businessman who helped develop the tea party movement in Illinois, has died, GOP leaders said today.
Roeser, who used publishing, radio and the internet to spread his sharp-tongued criticism of teacher's unions, homosexuality, abortion and modern morality, was 90. An assistant to Roeser said she had no details on the cause of death.
"We would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to Jack's family, and our gratitude for his lifetime of principled leadership, innovation, and support for Republicans throughout our state," said Tim Schneider, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, in a statement today.
Roeser was the chairman and founder of Otto Engineering Inc. in Carpentersville. Wearing his trademark bolo tie, Roeser was ever visible at tea party and conservative events he helped sponsor, believing the tide had turned after decades in which he and other conservatives felt shut out by the moderate leaders who ran Illinois' Republican Party.
While Roeser never disavowed any comments he had made, his own rhetoric also helped to cast him as an outsider—except to those candidates who wanted his campaign cash. Most every candidate he backed in major politics went down in defeat—including his own ill-fated bid against Gov. Jim Edgar in 1994.
Since 1997, state campaign finance records showed Roeser poured more than $4.6 million into Republican candidates and causes, including his own political action committees, the Family Taxpayers Network and, later, the Republican Renaissance PAC.
"I was saddened to learn of Jack's passing early this morning. Jack was a veteran and patriot, built a respected company and used his business success to give back to the community," Rauner said in a statement. "He was always willing to stand up for what he believed in and impacted many lives in a positive way. He will be missed."
Roeser, who used publishing, radio and the internet to spread his sharp-tongued criticism of teacher's unions, homosexuality, abortion and modern morality, was 90. An assistant to Roeser said she had no details on the cause of death.
"We would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to Jack's family, and our gratitude for his lifetime of principled leadership, innovation, and support for Republicans throughout our state," said Tim Schneider, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, in a statement today.
Roeser was the chairman and founder of Otto Engineering Inc. in Carpentersville. Wearing his trademark bolo tie, Roeser was ever visible at tea party and conservative events he helped sponsor, believing the tide had turned after decades in which he and other conservatives felt shut out by the moderate leaders who ran Illinois' Republican Party.
While Roeser never disavowed any comments he had made, his own rhetoric also helped to cast him as an outsider—except to those candidates who wanted his campaign cash. Most every candidate he backed in major politics went down in defeat—including his own ill-fated bid against Gov. Jim Edgar in 1994.
Since 1997, state campaign finance records showed Roeser poured more than $4.6 million into Republican candidates and causes, including his own political action committees, the Family Taxpayers Network and, later, the Republican Renaissance PAC.
"I was saddened to learn of Jack's passing early this morning. Jack was a veteran and patriot, built a respected company and used his business success to give back to the community," Rauner said in a statement. "He was always willing to stand up for what he believed in and impacted many lives in a positive way. He will be missed."
By Rick Pearson Tribune reporter
