Republican Joe Hackler of Granite City responded to a news article critical of his public statements about vaccines, masks and church attendance during peaks of Covid spread, saying he has "always strongly opposed vaccine and mask mandates but have encouraged vaccination."
"I have never written or spoken otherwise," House District 112 candidate Hackler said in an email response to the Record, regarding a June 20 article published in the Metro East Sun.
Among Hackler tweets cited in the Metro East Sun article includes this from July 27, 2021: "Do vaccines work?
“Well, 98% of the individuals who have passed away in IL from COVID since January 1 were unvaccinated.
“So, yes. They work. Leaders let folks know that fact in the context of letting them have the freedom to choose. Encouragement isn't fascism.”
Hackler said that tweet "explicitly says leaders should allow for the freedom of choice - not forced vaccine mandates."
The article also shows a screen shot of a March 28, 2020 Hackler tweet regarding a column in which churchgoers were asked to return to their places of worship.
“Don't read this. Truly dumb and dangerous take. The Church isn't a building. Use modern technology to bring the Body together in accordance with health experts during a GLOBAL PANDEMIC,” Hackler tweeted.
Of that tweet, Hackler said it was made at the height of the Covid outbreak and that it "made a point that churches and pastors who were being cautious within the first few weeks of the pandemic were not in fact valuing the 'earthly over eternal life.'"
Hackler's rival in the June 28 primary, Jennifer Korte of Edwardsville, responded to the article saying she finds it "deeply troubling" that her opponent seemed "complicit" with lockdowns and mandates, "even going so far as to encourage virtual church services over in-person services."
"As a mom, I fought back against Pritzker’s mandates and lockdowns because I believe it's up to individuals and families to make their own healthcare decisions," Korte stated in an email response to the Record. "As a State Representative, I will oppose lockdowns and mandates.
"We need leaders who will put a premium on our rights and liberties and don't back down under pressure. I will always stand up for our families, right to worship, small businesses, and freedoms."
The Metro East Sun article also included a July 31, 2020 Hackler tweet: “EVERYONE BETTER PUT ON A MASK SO I CAN WATCH YEAR THREE AYO,” related to returning players of the University of Illinois basketball team.
Hackler said regarding that tweet, "As an avid Illini basketball fan, that is what normal humans call a 'joke.'"
Hackler-Korte campaign finance: About 4-1
Republican leaders have given Hackler, who currently serves as communications director for the Illinois Republican Party, $181,676 for his primary race against Korte.
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin transferred $54,900 from his campaign committee to Hackler’s committee on May 27.
The House Republican Majority committee transferred $40,000 on May 27.
The Illinois House Victory Fund transferred $59,900 on June 7.
They sent these amounts to Hackler’s campaign treasurer David Krahn of Oswego, who also serves as chairman of the Illinois House Republican Organization.
The Republican Majority committee also directly paid $1,500 to Barrett Larkin of Maryville and $1,350 to Andrew Brinkman of Alton as interns for Hackler.
Another party committee, Citizens to Change Illinois, transferred $10,716 to Hackler’s committee and paid a $5,360 printing bill in Utah.
Durkin’s committee paid ARW Strategies of Wilmette $7,850 for polling.
He or Korte will oppose incumbent Democrat Rep. Katie Stuart of Edwardsville, who has no opponent in the primary.
Korte stated in April that Hackler should step away from his position in the party for the duration of the campaign.
She said having party staff run for legislative office was a conflict of interest.
“Joe can see all the lists my campaign compiles using the party’s voter database and he even has a hand in deciding what party resources I can access and which ones I can’t,” she said.
She said the party should stay out of primaries, “especially in races where there is no Republican incumbent.”
The Illinois Republican Party itself has not endorsed Hackler, nor contributed directly to his campaign.
Hackler's campaign has attacked Korte for not having voted in the last two primary elections.
"...Why did Jennifer Korte sit on the sidelines while I and others fought to defeat the enablers of JB Pritzker?," Hackler said. "She didn't even show up to vote. I'm the only candidate who voted for President Trump when he needed us most, and who has taken on Mike Madigan and won. No amount of lies and misrepresentations will change that."
Korte's entrance into politics was largely driven by her engagement with a parents' rights grroup, Speak for Students. She explained her absence from primary election voting in primaries in a Facebook post in May.
Republican party leaders have given Korte nothing, but State Reps. Chris Miller of Oakland and Blaine Wilhour of Louisville each transferred $20,000 to her.