The Republican floor leader in the Illinois House says a GOP candidate seeking a seat in the General Assembly is unworthy of the post because of his use of sexist and racist language.
Republican State Rep. Peter Breen says Winfield Township Republican Chairman Burt Minor should withdraw from the GOP primary for the 42nd Illinois House seat. It is alleged he repeatedly used a racial slur during a fall meeting with Republican attorney general candidate Erika Harold of Urbana.
Harold, who is African American, and Breen say the comments came during an Oct. 12 meeting in Carol Stream.
In a statement, Minor said his discussion with Harold was an attempt to point out how hard it is for GOP voters to talk about race. He apologized if she was offended.
Harold has previously been targeted with slurs by a Republican official. During the 2014 Republican primary for an Illinois congressional seat, the former Miss America and Harvard graduate was called "a streetwalker" by a GOP county chairman.
