Originally published at Crain's Business Magazine By: Paul Merrion

Ron Gidwitz, a longtime leader and financial stalwart of the Illinois Republican Party, is brewing up ways to turn the Tea Party's anger and energy into a real political force in some of the state's hottest elections this fall.

By Carol Felsenthal

While Illinois is not currently on the most recent list of the 11 states (24 congressional districts) that the right-leaning Americans for Prosperity has targeted with a major ad campaign, an AFP rep for the state said that the group is planning a new project to bring its movement here.

AFP is the nonprofit that Barack Obama blasted in a speech last week in Austin, Texas, calling it the epitome of what’s wrong with the Supreme Court’s January decision that allows corporate and union money to be used for political campaigns.

CHICAGO—The Illinois chapter of the free market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-IL) today praised U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk for his statement about the threat of dangerous policies in the looming lame duck session of Congress. AFP also called on Alexi Giannoulias to join Kirk opposing these threats as well.

Kirk made the statements Friday morning on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

AFP-IL State Director Joe Calomino issued the following statement:

The Illinois chapter of the free market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-IL) today applauded U.S. House candidate Joel Pollak (9th District) for signing the group's "No Climate Tax Pledge." Pollak joins more than 625 lawmakers and candidates on the federal, state and local levels pledging to "oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue."