Chicago, IL — Rep. Peter Breen is reportedly taking over as House Republican floor leader, a move that solidifies Illinois Republicans’ dramatic shift to the right under failed Governor Bruce Rauner. Breen will replace moderate Rep. Steven Andersson who was exiled following his leadership in overriding Bruce Rauner’s reckless budget veto.

The new floor leader will have the opportunity to make his radical social conservative views priorities for House Republicans. Here are just a few of the extreme right-wing stances that Breen has taken recently:

• Defended a new Rauner hire that compared abortion to Nazi eugenics.
• Fought against a bill strengthening the Illinois’ Equal Pay Act, calling it “the stupidest bill we’ve considered.”
• Lied about the potential risk Illinois women face in maintaining access to reproductive healthcare.
• Opposed marriage equality.

“Peter Breen’s ascension to House leadership is another sign of the radical right-wing takeover led by Rauner and his team of ‘superstars’ who are desperate for a political win,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “The damage he’s done to Illinois so far is unconscionable. Bruce Rauner continues to line his administration with ideologues eager to help him hold children and families hostage to his political agenda—a move that means more damage is coming.”

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