Here’s part of the crowd just before the speeches. Gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard can be seen in the foreground.
Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen continues to be able to pack ’em in to his annual fund raiser.
Gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner was also courting supporters.
700 was the approximate count of those who enjoyed the bar-b-cued pork chop and chicken dinner, complete with corn on the cob.
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford, also a candidate for Governor is seen here talking to Timothy Stoll.
Congressman Randy Hultgren and former Will County State’s Attorney, State Rep, State Senator and Circuit Court Judge Ed Petka found something amusing.
Three of the four Republican candidates to replace Governor Pat Quinn were in attendance.
In alphabetical order, they were
- Kirk Dillard
- Bruce Rauner
- Dan Rutherford
Peter Roskam has a good talk with ABATE members.
Two Congressman were present, Randy Hultgren and Peter Roskam.
In addition, there was prospective Congresswoman Darlene Senger.
Senger wants to take back the seat Congresswoman Judy Biggert lost to Bill Foster after Democratic Party House Speaker Mike Madigan’s reapportionment job on Republicans.
She was making the rounds handing out volunteer cards.
Host Chris Lauzen posed for photos with his guests. Here is is with State Rep. Darlene Senger.
DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan brought his campaign for the Republican nomination for State Treasurer to Chris Lauzen’s fund raiser.
DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan made his pitch for State Treasurer to two young County Board members, Anthony Cvek of DeKalb County and Matthew Prochaska of Kendall County.
In addition, there were two men who seek the Republican nomination for Kane County Sheriff–Dave Kramer and Kevin Williams.
Dave Kramer makes his pitch for Kane County Sheriff.
When I found Williams I asked him how he got around the ban on non-incumbent candidates in the Algonquin Founders Day Parade.
Kevin Williams chatted with Kane County Auditor Terry Hunt. You can see some of the attractions for kids in the background.
His wife came up with the answer.
He is an elected official. He is a Trustee of the Kane County Regional Board of School Trustees.
Kane County Clerk John Cunningham may have been the most dressed up person at the Porky Picnic. I asked him why he was wearing a suit. He said that one of supporters made him promise he would wear a suit to the office every day, as well as to all County Board meetings.
There were lots of Kane County officials in attendance.
Kane County Recorder of Deeds Sandy Wegman went for the watermelon.
Having been out of the Kane County political arena for a couple of decades, I’m sure I didn’t recognize most of them, especially the County Board members. (I heard Jon Zahm read off the names, but didn’t jot them down.)
Tom Hartwell was chatting with Peter Roskam.
But I did see County Auditor Terry Hunt, County Clerk John Cunningham, Recorder of Deeds Sandy Wegman and Circuit Clerk Tom Hartman.
There was also jockeying to replace State Rep. Kay Hatcher of Kendall County. The hot rumor was that Dan Rutherford wants her to run as his Lieutenant Governor candidate.
It appears that about half of Hatcher’s 50th District is in Kane County.
You have seen one possible aspirant in the photo with State Treasurer candidate Bob Grogan. He is Kendall County Board member Matthew Prochaska.
Keith Wheeler and Terry Hunt. Mary Hunt can be seen in between them.
A possible rival for the nomination is Keith Wheeler, a past Chairman of the Kendall County Republican Central Committee. The two are planning to sit down and talk next week.
State Treasurer Candidate Bob Grogan and Blackberry Township Supervisor Dennis C. Ryan.
Another possibility is Blackberry Township Supervisor Dennis Ryan. He is Chairman of the Western County GOP organization.
There was probably a lot more politicking going on, but I was oblivious to it.
Those who welcome home members of the Armed Forces and accompany family and friends to funerals marched into the hall to wide applause.
The program featured military escort motorcycle riders, who marched, rather than rode into Aurora’s Vaughan Athletic Center gym.
Ted Lauzen is a Captain in the Marines and flew many helicopter missions over Afghanistan. No one was lost on the last rotation.
Lauzen sons Ted and Hans both back from military service spoke to the crowd.
Hans Lauzen, a Lieutenant, Junior Grade, in the Navy yielded the floor to his brother because of his superior rank. His ship, the USS Kidd, was involved in capturing 15 Somali pirates while rescuing an Iranian fishing boat in the Persian Gulf.
Earlier they had both greeted guests as they entered the facility.
One can only wonder if either has political ambitions.
Lauzen outlined his accomplishments during his first months in office, which the three gubernatorial candidates made their pitches to the crowd.
Best tee shirt of the day was said, “Don’t Tread on Me.”
The best tee shirt of the day was worn by Mike Deamantopulos. It said, “Don’t Tread on Me.”