Noverini Defects to Democrats

John Noverini led a faction of Republicans in Dundee Township that took on another faction that was in control.

I never really understood the reason for the fight, but his group won.

Noverini was elected to the Kane County Board in 2002 and chairman of the township Republican Party in 2004, beating a leader of the other faction in the primary.

Now Noverini has decided to jump ship and run for a subdistrict judgeship as a Democrat. (Legislative Democrats decided that their judicial candidates would stand a better chance of winning in Kane and McHenry Counties if they ran in smaller than countywide districts. Hence, the creation of so-called subdistricts.)

The Daily Herald’s Larissa Chinwah does a credible job of explaining what happened.

But it seems like a pretty big “hit” to the GOP to me.

This is the second significant party switch in the northwest suburbs.

Earlier this year, State Rep. Paul Froehlich, who also served as Schaumburg Township Republican Committeeman, switched to the Democratic Party.

(For those not familiar with the political structure in Cook County, committeemen are elected in a township-wide vote. The township committeeman then appoints precinct captains for every precinct. Outside of Cook County, people can pass a petition in their precinct and run for the office or precinct committeeman. For what the office is all about and how to run, click here. Those elected are, effectively, the Republican Party in their precincts. In larger townships outside of Cook County, the individually elected precinct committeemen may elected a township committee. Although the title might be the same, the power is much, much less.)

Some said Froelich’s party switch was just to give him a better chance at re-election. They noted that long-time State Rep. Terry Parke (R-Hoffman Estates) had been defeated by a Republican turned Democrat in the 2006 election.

The Daily Herald article mentions a similar motivation may have stimulated Noverini’s jump:

“I don’t quite follow what he is doing, but he must know what he is thinking,” Kane County Republican Central Committee Chairman Denny Wiggins said. “John is doing what he thinks is his best shot of becoming a judge. Evidently he didn’t want to run in the primary.”

The former Republican leader has been welcomed with enthusiasm by Kane County Democrats.

Tomorrow, Noverini’s announcement for judge.


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