Kane County Reporter

Running in his first ever Republican primary, longtime Democrat Richard Irvin knows better than to openly admit he voted for Joe Biden over Donald Trump.

But there are context clues, and Irvin hasn't exactly tried to hide them.

When ABC-7 political reporter Craig Wall asked him in February if he voted for Trump, Irvin was emphatic in refusal to say he did not. But he did give a hint.

President Joe Biden (L) and Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin (R) | White House / Irvin for Mayor

"Listen, Joe Biden is the president of the United States," Irvin said.

Last year, the Aurora mayor issued public statements on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram celebrating the inauguration of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, calling their election “empowering” and “historic.”

“Mayor Richard C. Irvin and the City of Aurora congratulate President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their historic election and empowering inauguration ceremony today,” read Irvin's posts, which juxtapose the City of Aurora seal with his name emblazoned, atop an image of Biden and Harris.

The posts were a new tradition for Aurora, which didn't "congratulate" President Donald Trump when he was inaugurated in Jan. 2017.

They also remain up on the Internet today, free for Trump-favorable GOP primary voters to see.

Irvin's campaign aides might have taken them down. They haven't.

Six Democrat primary ballots

After announcing for governor in January, the two-term mayor Irvin insisted he has always been a Republican.

But his public actions and statements suggest otherwise.

Irvin has voted almost exclusively in Democrat primaries since 2012, the first year for which Illinois State Board of Elections data on his voting record is available.

He's voted in six Democrat primaries over the past decade-- including the last two, in 2021 and 2020, when Trump was on the primary ballot. That's versus a single GOP one, in 2018.

And until now, Irvin has also exclusively endorsed and supported Democrat candidates over Republican ones.

He backed Democrat Willie M. Mayes for Kane County Sheriff over Republican Donald Kramer in 2014 and 2018, headlining a $1,500 a ticket fundraiser for Mayes, who lost the primary.

In 2019, Irvin joined fellow Democrat local officials to back U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville) in her opposition to a tax cut bill passed by the GOP-majority Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump.

Irvin went on to give Underwood, a top GOP U.S. House target this election cycle, a key to the city of Aurora, saying he "(applauded) Congresswoman Underwood for her stalwart efforts."

Irvin declined to endorse Underwood's GOP challenger, Jim Oberweis, in 2020.

Irvin's recent public backing of Democrats even extends to the man he says he hopes to unseat this November.

In March 2021, Irvin introduced Gov. J.B. Pritzker at a "COVID Vaccination Event" in Aurora, calling it his "honor" to introduce Pritzker, who he called a "great friend" and a "great leader who has guided our state with professionalism and compassion."

A month later, in April 2021, Irvin hosted Pritzker again, calling it "a pleasure" to host him in Aurora and thanking Pritzker for "making black and brown communities a priority.. for equity and inclusion."

Irvin has faced criticism from GOP primary voters over his public support of the Marxist activist group Black Lives Matter, which he said he backs "strongly and passionately."

Irvin is running in a June 28 GOP primary that also includes Darren Bailey of Xenia, Gary Rabine of Bull Valley, Jesse Sullivan of Petersburg and Paul Schimpf of Waterloo.