Today, McHenry County Blog concludes its analysis of Sue Rezin, ranked #3 based on the initial rankings published October 18, ranking the candidates in the 14th district Republican primary.

Part 1 on Rezin’s strengths were published on Friday.

Rezin’s opportunities can be outlined into 3 parts:

• Congressional Campaign Issues
• Conservative with an Imperfect Voting Record
• Residency

Congressional Campaign Issues

While all of the 14th district candidates have opportunities because they haven’t to date addressed the major issues, Rezin at this stage has talked issues the least amount of all the candidates. Not just among the top tier candidates, but all.

Outside of Congresswoman Underwood’s decision to support an impeachment inquiry of President Trump back on August 20 and Rezin’s response to Underwood’s flip-flop, her campaign website and her campaign Facebook page have no specifics, and not even abstracts, platitudes, talking points and bromides the bulk of her competitors have.

Multiple 14th district campaigns have told me they are hesitant of publishing policy statements or position papers too soon. I see their points to a certain point. Fair enough, you don’t have to publish all of them.

But candidates need to publish some of them.

Significant issues, and Underwood’s record-to-date, like federal taxes/spending, healthcare and issues impacting Veterans could be spelled out in detail before the end of 2019.

Look at Jeanne Ives in the 6th district on healthcare.

While Rezin’s record in Springfield offers glimpses, like her passed-but-vetoed SB 2026 to protect the health insurance coverage for residents with preexisting conditions in healthcare coverage, all of the candidates, but especially Rezin, need to share more detailed positions on the major issues facing Congress.

Conservative with an Imperfect Voting Record

Rezin’s overall voting record in her nearly 9 years in Springfield is one of a genuine fiscal and social mainstream conservative.

It’s not a perfect record and there are inconsistencies, but it is conservative in spite of the inconsistencies.

Here’s a few inconsistencies:

• Taxes – voted for the Capital Bill in 2019
• Immigration – voted for Temporary Visitors Driver Licenses in 2012
• 2nd amendment – voted for Illinois Red Flag law in 2018
• Corporate bailouts — voted for the Fair Energy & Jobs Act in 2016, or the ComEd/Exelon bailout
• Equal Rights Amendment – voted for ratification in 2018

Yet in spite of the aberration votes, she’s voted:

• Taxes – voted against tax increases throughout time in Springfield
• Immigration
  • Voted against Sanctuary State legislation in 2017
  • Voted against Changing Illinois Universities Student Trustee Eligibility Requirements in 2019
• 2nd amendment – opposed FOID legislation this year
• Jobs – protected jobs of constituents impacted by employers’ threat to close power plants with vote in 2016
• Right to Life
  • Opposed SB 25 2019 Abortion bill
  • Opposed expanding Medicaid to pay for abortions in 2017

One thing Rezin has shown, she is no ideologue.

It’s up to her campaign how to address the inconsistencies with Republican primary voters. Given her strengths shared in Part 1, given some of the above votes happened as far back as her first term in Springfield, she’ll rise to the challenge.

She’s faced the voters for reelection three times to the state senate and won all three.

An example has been seen in radio interviews defending her Capital Bill vote. The Bull-fighter in action with her capote (magenta/yellow cape).

And commenter Sheila shared this observation too:

“Rezin has the whole package.

“Plus her nine years in the State Senate are rated a cumulative 83 percent conservative by the American Conservative Union.

“[President] Reagan said he would a deal where he got 80 percent of what he wanted every time he could.

“That’s one reason why he was so successful.”

Commenter Sheila in Part 1 Rezin article
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Time will tell how Rezin turns this opportunity into a strength, but her opponents and their supporters know that the Bull-fighter will live up to her name.

And whether she uses the equivalent of a capote, banderillas (barbed darts) or the muleta (blood red cape, used prior to the end of the fight), her toughness will come through that built her perfect electoral record.

And we believe it won’t be her political blood being shed as a result.

Residency

No secret, in spite of meeting the legal Constitutional requirements to be a candidate for Congress, she does not live in the physical boundaries of the 14th district.

McHenry County Blog‘s map, as requested by a campaign staffer for one of Rezin’s opponents, is below for reference:

There it is on the map above, Rezin’s approximate residency is south of I-80, about 5 to 10 miles south of the Kendall-Grundy county line.

I have to agree with commenter “Big Tent” in the Part 1 comments, this district residency is no more than a “red herring”, and here’s the full context in relation to residency:

“2/3 of her current State Senate district are already in the 14th Congressional District.

“She knows her district…both of them.

“Residency is a red herring for those supporting other candidates in the race.

“Sue has the best chance…and resume, to run Underwood out.”

Commenter “Big Tent” in Rezin Part 1 comments
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Other observations from the map that were not captured in the comment above:

• With the exception of the two McHenry County residents, the other 14th district candidates, and the incumbent, are on the periphery of the district themselves
• In 2021, the Democrats who control this state will redraw the boundaries of all of the state’s congressional districts, and it’s a foregone conclusion Illinois is losing one seat, but could lose a 2nd seat due to the 2020 Census
• In a June radio interview, Rezin said if she is elected to Congress after the redistricting, she is amenable to moving into the newly drawn district
• If elected, Rezin may be drawn into the district meaning the boundary line moves south, instead of her moving north

So that is that, but it is up to Republican primary voters to decide which of the 8 candidates should face Lauren Underwood next November.

McHenry County Blog hopes this 2-part series on Rezin proves helpful.