SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - An Illinois political tradition was pushed back because of the novel coronavirus. Cheesecake day, an annual treat on May 9, is when politicians put their partisanship aside and enjoy dessert together. It is a tradition former comptroller, Judy Baar Topinka, started in 1993. Since COVID-19 ruined those plans, there's been an on-going dispute for when to get back to normal. 

The Governor's recently announced five-phase-plan to slowly reopen the state is praised on both ends of the political spectrum, but it still drew criticism. WAND News talked to Tim Schneider, the Illinois GOP chairman, questioned if Pritzker knew what was happening in the Central and Southern regions of the state. 

"I would call for the governor to rethink these regional openings that he has planned coming forward," Schneider said. 

One lingering issue through out the course of the Governor's executive order; Schneider said he's not heard from his Democratic peers. 

"They're not even willing to come back to Springfield to legislate," the GOP chairman added. 

WAND News reached out to the Democratic Party, but they nothing to add. Democratic Representative Sue Scherer, however, hasn't heard from her Republican peers. She said no of them have called her. 

"It really hasn't been a bipartisan or a non-bipartisan," Scherer said. "I just feel like all of us just sort of been on our own trying to figure our what our districts need." 

Representative Scherer said working towards normality is complex. 

"We are still trying to fit our solutions into a world that doesn't fit anymore," Scherer said. 

"We want bipartisanship as long as it extends to them [the Illinois Democratic Party] being reasonable about this opening," Schneider told WAND News. 

After multiple lawsuits and protests, both sides agree there need to be an effort to work as one.Â