Cor Strategies is a political consulting firm established in 2009 by Collin Corbett that claims to be the largest center-right firm operating in Illinois. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Cor Strategies is a political consulting firm established in 2009 that claims to be the largest center-right firm operating in Illinois. ^{4 5}

Cor Strategies began by working on local school board and municipal races. It subsequently grew to work with more than 850 campaigns, businesses, and other organizations. ⁶

Beyond working for candidates, the firm’s “grassroots government affairs team” lobbies local government and rallies public support on issues through organizing local influencers, setting up meetings, letters to the editor, and other activities. ⁷

Cor Strategies says it exists to advance people and causes it believes in. It also says it seeks to “fix our politics is by advancing leaders with integrity.” ⁸

Candidate Work

Cor Strategies claims that it has won hundreds of campaigns at all levels of electoral government. The organization is located in the “battleground suburbs of Chicago.” It claims to take on tough races for Republican candidates that other consultants will not touch. ⁹

In 2022, Cor Strategies worked for several Republican congressional campaigns, according to Open Secrets. It also worked for the Republican Party of Illinois, which paid it $285,156. The firm made $896,099 from federal races in 2022. ¹⁰ In 2020, the firm was paid a total of $352,444 mostly from Republican candidates running for Congress. ¹¹ In the 2018 election cycle, the firm made $43,840 from candidates for Congress. ¹² The firm made $69,903 in 2016 from federal campaigns, including $22,695 from the Republican Party of Illinois. ¹³

Polling

Cor Strategies has a sister company called Victory Geek that conducts polls nationwide to determine how to frame the message for the candidates they represent. ¹⁴

Cor Strategies conducted a poll in August 2023 that found former President Donald Trump running at more than 50% against a crowded Republican Party primary field, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) coming in a distant second place at 10%. ¹⁵

The company has also polled local races such as in the Springfield, Illinois mayor’s race in 2023. ¹⁶

In 2023, Cor Strategies conducted polls that found majorities opposed an electric vehicle lithium battery plant. The firm’s statewide poll showed 53% opposed the plant to 27% who support it. while others were undecided or did not state an opinion. It separately polled Kankakee County, southwest of Chicago, where the plant would be located, and found 59% opposed and 27% supportive. ¹⁷

Leadership

Collin Corbett is the founder of Cor Strategies. He regularly speaks at school government classes and civic organizations. He has been on the faculty of the Leadership Institute, a conservative activism-training organization. He has helped recruit and train more than 3,000 center-right candidates. In 2013, he was named one of Illinois Conservatives’ “30 Under 30.” The firm says he is a “very, very distant” cousin to Abraham Lincoln. ¹⁸

Marianne Bailey has worked on campaigns since 1963 with more than 100 wins. She previously worked in legislative analysis for the Northwest Municipal Conference, and helped staff the Township Committee. ¹⁹

Rich Carter is the government mobilizer for the firm. Carter previously was the deputy chief of staff for former Illinois Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti (R). He was also a spokesperson for former Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger (R) and a spokesperson for former U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL). Before working in politics, he was a journalist from 1988 to 1997 for the Northwest Herald in McHenry County, Illinois, where he held the positions of municipal reporter to political writer to news editor. ²⁰

Michael Butler is the marketing organizer for the company. Butler was the former political director for U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL). ²¹

Chris Jackowiak has the title of “political captain” for the firm. He worked on the field staff of the primary campaign of former U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL). ²²

Gus Lekas is the finance director of the firm. He is an accountant who has worked for business entities and individuals. ²³

1. Core Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024.  https://corstrategies.com/
2. “Cor Strategies.” Agency Spotter. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.agencyspotter.com/cor-strategies
3. “Collin Corbett.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/collin/
4. Core Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024.  https://corstrategies.com/
5. “Cor Strategies.” Agency Spotter. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.agencyspotter.com/cor-strategies
6. “Collin Corbett.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/collin/
7. “Grassroots Government Affairs.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/govaffairs/
8. “Values.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/about/#values
9. “Strategy.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/strategy/
10. “Cor Strategies.” Open Secrets. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2022&vendor=Cor+Strategies
11. “Cor Strategies.” Open Secrets. Accessed April 25, 2024.https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2020&vendor=Cor+Strategies
12. “Cor Strategies.” Open Secrets. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2018&vendor=Cor+Strategies
13. “Cor Strategies.” Open Secrets. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2016&vendor=Cor+Strategies
14. “Communications.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/communications/
15. ^[1] Gancarski, A.G. “Poll: 1 in 10 Illinois Republicans back Ron DeSantis for President.” Florida Politics. August 30, 2023. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://floridapolitics.com/archives/631986-poll-1-in-10-illinois-republicans-back-ron-desantis-for-president/
16. Spearie, Steven. “Poll puts Buscher up over Langfelder by narrow margin as election looms.”

    State Journal-Register. March 27, 2023. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/politics/elections/local/2023/03/27/springfield-mayors-race-tight-a-week-before-election/70039874007/

17. Glennon, Mark. “Two new polls find broad voter opposition to Gotion project, the Chinese electric vehicle battery plant planned for Illinois.” Wirepoints. November 2, 2023. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://wirepoints.org/two-new-polls-find-broad-voter-opposition-to-gotion-project-the-chinese-electric-vehicle-battery-plant-planned-for-illinois-wirepoints/
18. “Collin Corbett.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/collin/
19. “Marrianne Bailey.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/marianne/
20. “Rich Carter.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/rich/
21. “Michael Butler.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/michael/
22. Chris Jackowiak. Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/chris/
23. “Gus Lekas.” Cor Strategies. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://corstrategies.com/gus/