Morgan County Republicans plan free patriotic event in Jacksonville

Jacksonville’s Morgan County Fairgrounds will double as a Republican organizing hub this month, with party leaders lining up a free patriotic gathering at the Last Chance Lounge under the grandstand and bringing a slate of state and county names with them.

The Morgan County Republican Club of Illinois has scheduled its annual celebration for Thursday, June 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 110 Northwest Gate Avenue. The Republican County Chairmen’s Association of Illinois is listing the event as the club’s Summer Patriotic Event, and the guest list ties local turnout to the wider Illinois GOP bench: Lt. Gov. candidate Aaron Del Mar, state Sen. Jil Tracy, state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, Illinois National Republican Committeewoman Rhonda Belford, and Republican candidates Greg Hacker and Jamie Jackson.

For Morgan County Republicans, the location matters almost as much as the guest list. The Last Chance Lounge sits beneath the fairground grandstand, putting the event in one of the county’s most recognizable public spaces and giving party activists a central place to gather ahead of the campaign season. The Morgan County Republican Party also has June 25 marked on its online calendar, another sign that the evening is being treated as a key stop for local Republicans looking to show unity and momentum.

The event is being billed as free and open to the public, with food provided. Donations will be accepted at the door, and a cash bar will be available, giving the evening the feel of both a community gathering and a soft-fundraising opportunity. That mix is typical of county-level political organizing, where the social side of party politics often serves as the bridge between elected officials, candidates and the voters they hope to mobilize.

The setting also links the Republican gathering to one of Jacksonville’s biggest summer drawcards. The Morgan County Fair is set for July 7-12, 2026, at the same fairgrounds, with grandstand events, a carnival, livestock and horse competitions, a talent show and a new Salute the Troops event. By claiming a spot at the fairgrounds before the county fair opens, Republicans are placing themselves in the same public orbit as some of Morgan County’s most visible summer traditions.