Jacksonville to Host GOP Lieutenant Governor Forum Feb. 24; Bailey, Tracy Appearing

The Pathway to Victory — an Illinois Republican lieutenant governor candidate forum hosted by the Morgan County Republican Club — was scheduled at Twisted Tree Music Hall, 1061 East Morton Ave., in Jacksonville for 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, according to the Republican County Chairmen’s Association of Illinois event listing. Forum information on that listing included a contact name and phone: “Forum Info: Ryan Zipprich: 217.602.1696.”

Local news and event calendars tied to the Feb. 24 slate showed additional Republican campaign activity in Jacksonville the same day. MyJournalCourier reported, “Jacksonville will host a Feb. 24 GOP lieutenant governor forum, plus visits by governor hopeful Darren Bailey and U.S. Senate candidate Don,” naming Darren Bailey specifically and identifying a Senate candidate only by the first name “Don.” The Journal‑Courier’s local reporter Bridgette Fox also listed the events on the paper’s community page, according to local reporting summaries.

The RCCA‑GOP event page framed the gathering under the header “# Morgan County GOP – LT Gov Candidate Forum” and used the event tagline “The Pathway to Victory / IL Republican Lieutenant Governor Candidate Forum,” details that matched a Facebook reminder posted ahead of the meeting. The Facebook post read verbatim: “REMINDER TONIGHT! THE PATHWAY TO VICTORY- ILLINOIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CANDIDATE FORUM MCRC FEBRUARY 24TH, 2026 MEETING REMINDER-ONE,” with “MCRC” appearing in the post consistent with the Morgan County Republican Club hosting the forum.

Public listings and the RCCA‑GOP calendar gave clear logistics but did not publish a full roster of lieutenant governor candidates or confirm which visiting candidates — if any — appeared at the Twisted Tree forum versus separate meet‑and‑greet stops elsewhere in Jacksonville. A separate headline supplied with reporting materials included the name “Tracy” alongside Bailey, but that name does not appear in the RCCA‑GOP event text or the MyJournalCourier extract and lacks a full identifying last name in the materials provided.

Organizers provided a direct contact for verification: Ryan Zipprich at 217-602-1696 is listed for forum information on the event posting. The combination of the RCCA‑GOP listing, the Journal‑Courier community entry by Bridgette Fox, and the MyJournalCourier note establishes the Feb. 24 forum location and time while indicating scheduled campaign appearances by Darren Bailey and an incompletely identified U.S. Senate candidate. Local residents seeking definitive candidate rosters or timing were pointed toward the forum contact listed by organizers for confirmation of who spoke or made appearances that evening.