South Cook News

The grassroots group Trump Illinois MAGA Official (TIMO) is shifting its focus from parades and rallies to direct political participation, launching its next phase at the Summer Soirée Garden Party on Saturday, Aug. 2. 

The public event will be held from 3 p.m. to midnight at 6501 West 126th Place in Palos Heights and is hosted in partnership with JAC Care At Home and organizer Cherrylyn Gruenberg. Several candidates running under the TIMO banner will be in attendance.

TIMO founder David Dewar says the soirée is both a social gathering and a strategic planning session, serving as the launchpad for a more coordinated conservative effort in Illinois.  

"We'll be talking turkey about the candidates and how the Trump I Want to Make Official and the people can support these candidates, and see if we can hopefully save Illinois from these draconian policies," Dewar told South Cook News.

Dewar said the group plans to build momentum heading into 2026 by expanding their network and supporting new voices in local and state government. 

Founded in July 2024, TIMO has quickly grown into a 3,000-member conservative community known for organizing parades and pro-Trump events. 

Its recent Overpass Parade in Countryside on June 14 drew several hundred supporters and coincided with anti-Trump protests elsewhere in the state. 

Now, Dewar says the group is focused on running candidates committed to the America First agenda.

Dewar said TIMO is offering an alternative built on clear values and common sense, aiming to field candidates who won’t back down from defending their beliefs.

At the event, attendees will hear from Niki Conforti, who is running again for Congress in the 6th District against incumbent Democrat Sean Casten. In the 2024 general election Conforti received 45.8% of the vote (166,116 votes) in the 2024 general election for Illinois’ 6th Congressional District but was defeated by Casten, who won with 54.2% (196,647 votes).

Christine McGovern will also attend and plans to run again for State Senate in the 18th District. 

She previously ran for the seat in the Nov. 8, 2022 general election but was defeated by incumbent Democrat Bill Cunningham, who won with 59.4% (45,430 votes) to McGovern’s 40.6% (31,111 votes). 

In the November 5, 2024 general election, McGovern ran for the Illinois House in District 36 but lost to Democrat Rick Ryan, who received 59.2% (27,487 votes) to her 40.8% (18,938 votes).

Dewar himself said he is preparing a campaign as a Republican for the 35th District state representative seat. Dewar ran as a “JFK-style Democrat” in the March 19, 2024 Democratic primary for Illinois House District 35 but lost to incumbent Mary Gill, who won with 84.4% of the vote (13,153) compared to Dewar’s 15.6% (2,434).  

Other participants include David Shestokas, a constitutional attorney and former attorney general candidate, who will set up a table to share his Constitutional Sound Bites book and YouTube channel. 

He also mentioned that homeschool advocate Latasha Fields, a frequent guest on Shestokas’ podcast and former candidate for  Lieutenant Governor, would be participating. 

Ted Dabrowski of Wirepoints, a rumored gubernatorial candidate, is also expected to attend.  

The event is more than a political gathering. 

“[The Gruenbergs] host this every year, so this is the third year of the Summer Soirée Third Annual Party,” he said. “They have a beautiful backyard, about three quarters of an acre. They're going to have karaoke, including a karaoke contest. Last year, we had probably 80 to 100 people, and this year we're expecting around 250.”

Dewar emphasized that TIMO’s mission goes beyond politics. He praised Donald Trump’s leadership. 

“[Trump’s] done a great job with his policies to not only support common-sense constitutional conservative values and policies, but also, from a godly, Judeo-Christian, biblical worldview perspective,” Dewar said. “He's supported policies such as no men or boys in girls’ sports, parental notification and not using state-funded money for abortions and sex changes. I give him credit on all of that, and that’s what’s refreshing.” 

In the 2024 election, Trump received 2,449,079 votes in Illinois, more than Governor J.B. Pritzker’s 2,197,760 votes in his 2022 re-election, demonstrating strong Republican enthusiasm despite Trump losing statewide to Kamala Harris. 

Trump made notable gains with key Democratic-leaning groups, narrowing the gap with Hispanic voters to just three points and nearly doubling his support among Black voters from 8% in 2020 to 15% in 2024. He also increased his margins among men under 50, narrowly winning this group after they favored Biden in 2020.

Meanwhile, Democrats’ approval rating among registered voters has fallen to a 35-year low, with 63% viewing the party unfavorably, according to a Wall Street Journal poll. 

Republicans hold an edge over Democrats on key issues like inflation and immigration, leaving Democrats struggling to regain momentum ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

“We’re trying to instill that into candidates who are running here in Illinois, and we can maybe build some momentum in this next election cycle,” Dewar said. “That’s what we’re sharing, people getting behind those kinds of things. And of course, our leader is Donald J. Trump because he’s done it on a national level. Now we need to bring it to the state level, to city, county, and all levels of candidates within the state of Illinois.”

For those looking to get involved, Dewar said the Aug. 2 event will be a key opportunity to connect with like-minded activists, support candidates and begin laying the groundwork for a stronger conservative movement across the state.

Guests are encouraged to wear garden party attire and RSVP by calling Cherrylyn Gruenberg at 847-372-5467.