This might be called the intimidation stage of next spring’s local election campaigns.

It’s when candidates flex their muscles, so to speak, trying to convince potential opponents a race isn’t worth the effort.

Evidence of this appeared in a Northwest Herald ad two days ago in support of the re-election of McHenry Mayor Sue Low.

I’m told that former Mayor Steve Cuda has been contemplating running against Low, but he did not reply to a phone call I made a couple of weeks ago asking about a potential candidacy.

Another motivation for the ad could be as easy to understand as supporters wanting to encourage Low to run for Mayor again.  Perhaps some people thought she might be considering retiring and valued her service so much that they wanted to tell her in a public way.

In any event, the ad can be seen below and the signers are extracted under it.  I am told that there was insufficient room for the names of an additional 100 supporters.

This ad appeared in the Northwest Herald in support of the re-election of McHenry Mayor Sue Low this week. Click to enlarge.

Those signing the ad are

• Steve Buss
• Len Szarek
• Kristie Wimmer
• Doug Peterson
• Jim Archos
• Gary Lang
• Trudi Baer
• Natalie Vallianatos
• John Baumgartner
• John Michels
• Ray Becker
• Ardelle Conway
• Julie Birmingham
• Jamie Grubich
• Jim Bishop
• Ellen Zasada
• Craig Bjorkman
• Erin Blake
• Geoff Blake
• Geri Davis
• Heidi Lobitz
• Tom Blake
• Debbie Breuer
• Trisha Snell
• Larry Biedenbach
• Kevin Shay
• Gregg Rice
• Ann Buss
• Ted Stilling
• Diane Buss
• Robert Marchek
• Joan Buss
• Gary Spengel
• Michael Pickrum
• Karen Stewart
• Tim Butler
• Trish Spengel
• Ron Waytula
• Sherri Byers
• Tim Byers
• Mike Henneley
• Mike Campana
• Ron Tonyan
• Kit Carstens

And, that’s just the first of four rows. The second row is below:

• Joe Meyer
• Donald Cihchoski
• Margaret Mocogni

• Bethany Murgatroyd
• Christa Markgraff
• Keith Spengel
• Jim Pilat
• Mike Stewart
• Toddi Conway
• Dale Cunat
• Senator Pam Althoff
• John Cunat
• Joe D’Angelo
• Rusty DeBuck
• Rich Meyers
• Bob Doran
• Karen Tynis
• Karen Doran
• Janet Smith
• Steve Drake
• Dorothy Lobitz
• Angie Finley
• Marsha Tonyan
• Ron Fischer
• Bob Frett
• Rob Wegener
• Patti Frett
• Beth Taylor
• Len Gehrke
• Barb Gilpin
• Rich Wimmer
• Robert Buss
• Steve White
• Jeff Grubich
• Jim Zasada
• Renae Haley
• Doug Strain
• Sean Haley
• Heather Murgatroyd
• Sue Henneley
• Steve Hurkes
• Jackie Jesse
• James Keevil

In the third column appear the following names:

• Steven Bellmore
• Dan Kinnerk
• Tom Popovich
• Shiela Kinshofer
• Bill Vavrik
• John Landon
• Greg Baer
• Dave Lawson
• Joan Althoff
• Dave Granger
• Doug Lobitz
• Theresa Blake
• Tom Low
• Frank Marasco
• Dr. Kenneth Reiser
• Jackie Marcel
• Ron Conway
• Terri DeBuck
• John Markgraff
• Patti Vavrik
• Cheryl Rabine
• Marilyn Meyer
• Randy Meyer
• Wally Tynis
• Dean Archos
• Barb Bishop
• Tim Michelsen
• Jack Minero
• Pat Summers
• Mike Mocogni
• Paul Morck
• Geri Condon
• Darlene Mrachek
• Walter Taylor
• Ann C. Byers
• John Smith
• David Murgatroyd
• Kitty Zriny
• Jan Schlller
• Chuch Werth
• Steve Murgatroyd
• Chris Newkirk
• Sue Stilling
• Diana Spengel

And in the following column are the following names:

• Dennis Conway
• Ormel Prust
• Nick Nye
• Rex Olson
• Richard Paegelow
• Gary Snell
• Jack Peppin
• Jim Althoff
• John Duncan
• Judy Meyers
• Paula Archos
• Nancy Piccony
• Liz Capana
• Vicki Winkleman
• Sherry Pickrum
• Ginny Becker
• Mike Conway
• Lois Prust
• Gary Kinshofer
• Scott Spengel
• Gary Rabine
• Jerry Rankin
• Dennis Birmingham
• Bill Brogan
• Kristine Meyer
• Cheri Waytula
• Linda Rice
• Phillip Sweeney
• Bill Rinn
• Doc Roberts
• Karen Roberts
• Mike Roberts
• Sandra Salgado
• Ed Buss
• Donna Schaefer
• Gary Schaefer
• Linda Marasco
• Vern Schiller
• Jim Schmidt
• Joe Sharp
• Paul Wray
• Katie Sharp
• Carl Valianatos

Had the names been published in alphabetical order, you would be better able to see the family grouping.