DeVore makes attorney general run official; will hold campaign event in Quincy March 5

The attorney who has challenged Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s school mask mandates with lawsuits has set his sights on statewide office.

Greenville attorney Thomas DeVore has confirmed he will run for Illinois Attorney General.

DeVore, a Republican, had earlier launched a campaign for appellate judge, but will now join Rockford Attorney Steve Kim in a primary in a hope to challenge incumbent Attorney General Kwame Raoul in the general election.

“For two years, he has been the governor’s lawyer, fighting against the very people he took an oath to represent,” DeVore said on Facebook earlier this week. “If I’m attorney general, you will never have to worry about that office representing the governor against the people. That’ll never happen, ever.” 

Raoul, representing Pritzker, began the process of appealing a judge’s order and the Fourth District Appellate Court’s dismissal by filing petitions with the Illinois Supreme Court.

DeVore told Springfield’s WMAY Radio if he becomes AG, he would try to convene a grand jury to investigate “harms” that he said were caused by the state’s COVID actions and suggested those actions may constitute official misconduct or unlawful intimidation.

DeVore will hold a fundraiser at The Venue, 124 North 5th, Quincy, at 7 pm on Saturday, March 5.

The Illinois Primary is June 28.