Kathy Salvi

Kathleen R. "Kathy" Salvi (born Kathleen Keller on April 23, 1959) is an American attorney and politician who served as the Chair of the Illinois Republican Party from 2024 to 2026. Salvi was also the Republican nominee for the United States Senate in the 2022 election in Illinois.

Early life and education Salvi was raised in a family of nine in Waukegan, Illinois.

She received her Bachelor of Arts in communications from Loyola University Chicago in 1981 and her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1984. The same year, she was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association.

Political career

2022 U.S. Senate campaign In March 2022, Salvi announced that she would challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth for her seat in the 2022 United States Senate election in Illinois. She won the Republican primary with 30.2% of the vote but was defeated by Duckworth in the general election.

Illinois Republican Party Chair In July 2024, Salvi was elected Chair of the Illinois Republican Party, succeeding Don Tracy. Her focus as party chair has been addressing issues such as crime, corruption, and cost of living in Illinois, as well as uniting a divided Republican Party. She lost her bid for a second term as chairwoman to DuPage County auditor Bob Grogan in May 2026.

Electoral history