Michael Walkup
McHenry County District 3 Republican County Board candidate Mike Walkup has just gotten back from the McHenry County Fair and gives this political report:
“I have just come from the Fair where I stopped twice at the Franks booth and spoke with both Jack and his wife.
“All of the people at Frank’s booth are misrepresenting what the petition is for.
“They are telling people it is to elect the county chair.
“This actually eliminates the county chair and substitutes something much more powerful.
“I also saw Pam Althoff and she is against it as well.
“There is another booth which invites people to come over and ask what the petition is all about. It was being manned by a Republican PC at the time I stopped.
Dunham Township Republican Precinct Committeeman has a sign offering information about Democrat State Rep. Jack Frank’s petition to centralize power in McHenry County government in a County Executive. Jake Justen can be seen back left. Robert J. Schlereth of Lake Zurich is back right.
“It is right at the main intersection where you turn to go to the buildings.”
Have you been yet? You might want to take along a tape recorder and record what people are being told at the Franks booth about the petitions. They are very upfront about it.”
Too bad no one is running against Jack Franks.
There was an opportunity.
Now Jack Franks has the opportunity to make McHenry County his EMPIRE.
Actually a bold GOP move would be to embrace this and then have Tryon run for the spot.
I am not a fan of his, but I think he would be an improvement over Koehler and it would stop the Franks Express.
That, of course, would be leadership and nothing we ever see here.
Is a write-in campaign to occupy Rep Franks a possibility?
(1) Tryon would not be interested. He was already County Board Chair and will have to work hard this year to get himself known in his new district, most of which is outside of McHenry County. I don’t see that.
(2) A write can be done but it has as much chance as a hot fudge sundae outside at noon on about any day we have had this Summer.
I don’t really see anyone who could match Franks’ money and name recognition.
The only disadvantage he would have is the Democratic Party label.
How big a disadvantage this would be depends on if Obama is re-elected.
If he is, 2014 will be a good Republican year.
If Mitt is elected, it will be the reverse.
Will County had a Board Wars situation break out when they first elected someone under this form of government who was also a Democrat with a Board that was mostly Republican.