Word has been circulating several weeks that at least one person wants to take on eight-term Democratic Party State Representative Jack Franks.
Steve Reick’s campaign business card.
Tuesday night at Bill Brady’s event in Crystal Lake and Wednesday at the McHenry County Republican Central Committee Play Day, northwest McHenry County resident Steven Reick was handing out cards with his name ant the following:
“For Illinois House District 63.
“It’s time for a Change.”
Greenwood Township Supervisor Barb Klasen and County Board member Diane Evertsen talk with Deb and Steven Reick at Wednesday’s GOP Play Day. Reick has recently been named a Precinct Committeeman in Greenwood 4.
NWTRCC Update
Hi Everyone,You have not heard an update from our group – Norwest Townships Republican Central Committee – for a while, but we will be getting into action.
There is one change that I am letting you know about via this email.
I am stepping aside (but I’ll still be around) as the leader of our group due to work obligations and medical needs by both of my parents.
I just couldn’t do justice to what needs to be done to keep our group going and I need to be there for my parents at this time.
Mike Smyk from Marengo will be taking over to get us back on track, get our bylaws done and approved, and to get our structure set in time for the upcoming elections.
Mike is a go-getter with lots of energy and ideas, so we are in good hands.
We also would like to get another fundraiser planned as soon as possible so that we can assist with promoting candidates.
Please watch your emails for an announcement on the next meeting time and location from Mike.
New to our group is Steven Reick, who has been appointed to Greenwood 4.
Steve is going to run for Illinois House District 63 and I am sure that he will be a great addition to our group and we can look forward to him addressing our group at the upcoming meeting.
[An invitation to Andy Zinke’s Meet and Greet last night was included here.]
I hope that you are having a great summer and surviving the recent heat wave.
Be sure to visit the Republican booth at the McHenry County Fair.
Pam Palmer
Coral Precinct 1
Is this Steve Reick really the best the Republicans can do to challenge 8-term State Representative Jack Franks next year?
Not very promising start to a campaign, when you pass out a business card with a website address, and the website is down.
Like all real Republicans, I want to see Franks go, too.
Hopefully, there will be a contested and vigorous Republican primary, because from what I can tell, this Reick guy doesn’t hold a lot of promise.
Other than the fact Jack Franks has a “D” behind his name rather than a “R”, tell me what Republicans find so wrong with his representation of this district? Is it just that “D”?
He typically vote’s independent and not the party line. If his stance on the issues and his representation is so bad, then why has the local Republican Party tried for years to get him to switch his affiliation to Republican? Would that “D” changing to “R” change the man? We have so many RINO representatives and County Board members now.
They know that having the “D” behind their name is a sure way to be defeated in McHenry County. I do not support the National DNC and I especially dislike our Socialist President, but on a State level I feel he serves us well.
I have attended his fund raisers and it they are attended by a who’s who of Republican office holders.
He serves McHenry CO well.
His notoriety helps this distinct because he has influence within the legislature and can push bills that help us locally.
Elect some no name person and we’ll be about as important in Springfield as some tiny southern Illinois county……
BUT you’d have that “R” .
I agree with Glenn.
This blog is particularly critical of a Democrat who has never voted for the budget, who has never voted for a tax increase, who has fought against local government in order to ensure that McHenry County would not continue to make it top 25 in Forbes’ list of highest taxed counties.
Jack was the lone whistle-blower in the Democratic Party against Blago.
He just brought to light this metra scandal. So, everyone, would you rather have some newcomer who has no experience?
I mean, the guy is so unoriginal, his website that doesn’t work (steve463.com) is nearly a carbon copy of the Franks address (franks4illinois.com).
I don’t understand why the McHenry County GOP – or at least some factions – still cling fervently to this idea that Jack is a bad man to represent our interests.
Also, how does Steve envision that a “fire Madigan” ploy will work?
Because all you have against Jack is that he has voted for Madigan for speaker, along with the Majority or D’s, less than a handful of times.
That’s it.
The IL GOP ran on a Fire Madigan campaign last year and most Illinoisians are too uninformed to even know who that is.
And, as we all know, the campaign was infinitely successful as the ILGOP lost seats.
Let’s say Jack does get ousted, how does Steve plan on getting any legislation through rules committee?
Good luck.
Lastly, if your issue is Franks’ stance on social issues, and that is the main, or sole motivator for why you want him out, you are a dull individual.
Name calling aside, seriously, in a Democratic state where Illinois politicians have Gerrymandered a Democratic majority in their General Assembly to the tune of 10 seats, do you seriously, honestly, realistically believe that a Democratic Legislature and a Democratic Governor would ever – EVER – pass legislation limiting abortion rights or even stop short of voting in favor of Gay marriage in the future?
I understand that many people hold those leaders and parties that they support accountable for what they WOULD do and not what they DO do while many hold the opposition accountable for what they DO do and not for what they WOULD do, but lets put idealism aside and be REAL. Let’s just be real honest with ourselves. Jack is not….that….bad….
Glenn,
Spare us the self-righteous canned spin from the Franks Campaign.
Issues he disagrees with the (R)?: Franks is AGAINST Tort Reform, competitive bargaining, school choice, tax breaks for private education. Franks SUPPORTS abortion rights, the teacher’s unions, the Workman’s Comp stranglehold, Union domination of the business environment, and the Trial lawyer agenda.
Quit pretending he’s “just like the Republicans”….that’s a total ruse and you know it.
Oh, yea, and I forgot…..he votes for Michael Madigan as speaker every time.
Franks is an “in the tank” Democrat. Wake up and smell the roses.
Franks has voted for Madigan so many times for speaker because NO ONE RUNS AGAINST HIM. Even GOP members vote for Madigan look up the rolls! Up until this year, which was the first time in a while that General Assembly members voted for speaker in an open forum, no one ran against Madigan.
Also, CLM please provide me with where Jack has said in the past he is against Tort Reform and when did Tort Reform become an exclusively Republican Issue?
Also, school choice, really?
when was Jack against families choosing where their kids went to school and when has this ever been an issue?
Franks SUPPORTS abortion rights, sure, but has yet to take a vote that expanded rights so calm your jets.
Franks in bed with the teacher’s unions?
CLM, come ON.
Seriously, are you that diluted?
Ellyn Wrezski, D200 superintendent of Woodstock schools and many other local superintendents were enraged by Jack’s Ptell bill that would cap how much local taxing bodies could effectively raise the tax levy on citizen’s property taxes.
Union domination of the business environment?
Are you serious?
Union membership is at its lowest in decades.
And PLEASE, CLM, explain to me Trial lawyer agenda?
What is this mythical thing that doesn’t exist?
It’s probably the same thing as the gay agenda.
There is no Gay agenda.
They don’t want sparkles and doilies all over everything.
You sound like a prerecorded GOP talk box with no real concept on what’s actually happening in politics but like to cling to these made up talking points.
And all the while here, Cal sits back while i waste away at my computer and he censors my comments because GOD FORBID someone contradicts or maybe brings to light a few points about Jack that were previously not known.
Seriously Cal, you are worse than the NSA in monitoring comments.
Please stop trying to create a vortex that just mirrors your own opinions and agenda, try challenge yourself once in a while or maybe even respond with more than a sentence to some of my claims.
We have other anemic local Rep’s and Senators basically sleeping with the enemy and NEVER voting against any School Teacher,TRS or NEA agenda, yet you think Jack Franks is the bad guy in this issue.
Name the issues that our esteemed “R” legislators have been out in front with?
Showing up to vote does not constitute being effective.
If just punching aye or nay on a vote by party affiliation is the sole objective, then maybe the local GOP can just proxy vote.
You need someone that actually works in Springfield and really listens and talks with constituents in the district.
I carry a Republican affiliation well knowing that the majority of local politicians are RINO’s.
I vote for Jack time after time because I vote the person, not the party.
I think Glenn is arguing that Jack Franks does not bend to the wishes of the teachers’ unions.
Please read the following:
Jack Franks and the Illinois Federation of Teachers – Follow the Money
You can find the roll call on State Senator James Meeks’ bill to give vouchers to children in the worst schools in Illinois here.
The only vote Mike Madigan cares about is the one to make him Speaker.
Each time Franks has cast that vote.
Andrew. Wake up, dude. Obviously you work for the Franks team.
Your suggestion that Franks is a supporter of Tort reform is particularly laughable.
Anyone in the know is aware his own Law Firm advertises their aggressiveness in being plaintiff lawyers.
From a fundraising standpoint, his largest checks are from the Trial Lawyers, the Teacher’s Unions, and the State Unions.
If Cal edits your comments, it’s probably more to do with your delusional disorder than any political disagreement.
Comments that appear are not edited except for separating sentences into new paragraphs so they are easier to read.