Four years ago Lori Keller gave Crystal Lake-Lake in the Hills Republicans a run for their money for the McHenry County Board.
I met her at Crystal Lake’s Main Beach while our kids were playing at the Leathers Park. While the youngsters were running over the bridge, she told me she had worked with President Bill Clinton’s Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown, before moving here.
When I was writing my article about why the Democrats should slate candidates in District 2, her 2004 candidacy was in my head along with Ron Sloan’s 2006 effort.
I wanted a photo of her, so I stopped over at her house after church.
There was a “For Sale” sign on the corner. If you in the market for a colonial revival home built in 1928 from which you can see Crystal Lake, listed for $585,000, give Tyler Lewke a call at 815-459-5900.
I knocked on the door and discovered that she is working in Washington, D.C., during the week, commuting home on weekends.
What’s the draw?
Here’s what the web site writes about her:
Lori Keller – Assistant to the Managing Director
Lori Keller joined the Alliance from the field of education, where she taught college philosophy, English composition and music in the Chicago area.
She served the first five years of the Clinton Administration, 1992-1997, in the Department of Commerce under Secretary Ronald H. Brown, and in the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs during the 1996 campaign.
Lori recently served as a precinct committeeperson in McHenry County, Illinois, was a Democratic candidate for County Board in 2004, and was Treasurer for the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee.
She holds a masters degree from St. John’s College in Annapolis, and undergraduate degrees in English composition and Business from the University of Washington in Seattle. Lori is married to Greg Keller and they have three daughters.
Here’s a short description of what her organization wants to accomplish:
The Alliance seeks to maximize the impact of Partner financial contributions by recommending a portfolio of groups that work together through new collaborations, networks, and productive alliances. The Alliance is committed to supporting groups that advance the progressive agenda through idea generation and development on core issues, train new progressive leaders, engage and mobilize citizens in advancing the progressive agenda at all levels, and use new technologies and approaches to communicate progressive values, policies and messages.
Keller pointed me to Matt Bai’s New York Times article. I hope I found the right one to link to.
The family is planning to live in Annapolis.
Bad luck for McHenry County Democrats.
Good fortune for the Republican District 1 candidates.
Even so, McHenry County Democrats promised in a Monday press release that they would slate two candidates in District 2.
The unveiling of the names and first stump speeches will come Wednesday night at the McHenry County Farm Bureau Building in Woodstock at 7. The public is invited.