Two previously unopposed pairs of Republican Party McHenry County Board candidates now have Democratic Party challengers for the fall.
Ken Koehler
Donna Kurtz
In District 2, McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz emerged from a heated February 2nd primary. No Democrats filed for office prior to the primary.
Now Mark Booras, 1637 Penny Lane in Crystal Lake, has filed petitions in the Crystal Lake-Lake in the Hills district after being slated by the McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee. Both Koehler and Kurtz live in Crystal Lake, as well.
Diane Evertsen
Mary McCann
In the county’s most rural district, Dennis Palys has gathered enough signatures to make it on the ballot to challenge GOP primary winners Mary McCann and Diane Evertsen. He lves at 2803 E. Lake Shore Drive in Wonder Lake. McCann lives west of Woodstock and Evertsen lives northwest of Woodstock.
in 2008, two new Democrats were elected to the McHenry County Board. Paula Yensen of Lake in the Hills and Cathy Bergan Schmidt of Crystal Lake. Both beat men.
Based on more than forty years of watching politics in the area, it is my belief that woman have about a five percentage point advantage over male opponents at the polls.
In what is looking like a Republican year that does not bode well for the two men who have just decided to joust. Only one candidate of the four Republicans being attacked is male, County Board Chairman Koehler.
Barring some very well publicized scandal, I don’t look for the Democrats to pick up seats this year.
I don’t know where you get the idea that women have an advantage over men with the electorate. Did you just invent it?
Remember Obama won McHenry County in 08. So, the Republicans take the voters for granted at their own risk. The Democratic Party under the new leadership of Michael Bisset, McHenry County Democratic Central Committee Chair, is poised for strong growth this year.
The Do nothing, Republican Congress, and the ideologically intollerant Right wing of the Party of ‘No!’ has moved so far to the right that they have set themselves up for a big fall. Whether it will happen this year or not, I cannot say. But, the Democratic sun is definately rising.
I came to that conclusion by watching area elections since 1966.