Yvonne Sencial Bolton has resigned her post as Illinois chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly in protest over Gov. Bruce Rauner’s GOP primary victory.
Rauner edged out Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) in the primary, garnering approximately 51 percent of the vote.
"I cannot in good conscience support Bruce Rauner," Bolton of Will County said in her resignation letter, according to Illinois Review. “I only support people of values, which I find him devoid of.”
Yvonne Sencial Bolton
Bolton added she officially stopped being a Rauner supporter the day he became the second biggest donor to Planned Parenthood.
“Everything that happened after, like the signing of the horrific HB40, and the rest of his betrayal of the conservative base just confirmed my decision,” she said in the letter. “I do not work for a few pieces of silver. For me, it's always been for much more. It's been for a cause, a vision, and at this time it's blurry.”
Bolton has served as chairman of the assembly since 2017 and before that, she was the organization’s vice chairman. She also served as national committeewoman representing Illinois to the group's national convention.
Bolton insists her goal has always been to get more Hispanics involved in Illinois politics. She said Hispanics are "conservative in our core – that's what we are. We need candidates with conservative values and people of faith, based on those values," the Illinois Review article said.
Bolton was previously a Democrat, but left the party years ago despite her father being an active member because she said she could no longer support the party’s values.
"That's why I became a Republican," she said.
Fluent in both English and Spanish, Bolton said she can easily talk to the people, with her desire and passion always shining through. She held a leadership role in the GOP’s statewide effort to elect Donald Trump, serving as evangelical coalition coordinator. "I was originally for Cruz and was almost a #Never Trumper, but my mother and other circumstances changed my mind. I am proud of helping Donald Trump be elected."
Bolton said she hopes to continue promoting conservative values, “but not in a position to promote someone that doesn't agree with her dearly-held values.”
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