McHenry County Blog

A meeting has been called of the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee on September 6, 2012.

The Agenda will include committeemen appointments, a September 26th steak fry, getting out the vote and other matters.

There are no Republican Precinct Committeemen in the following Algonquin Township precincts:

Click to enlarge this map to see if you live in an Algonquin Township precinct without a Precinct Committeeman. If you are interested, drop me an email. The address is on the left hand side of the blog.

• Algonquin 1
• Algonquin 11
• Algonquin 14
• Algonquin 20
• Algonquin 21
• Algonquin 26
• Algonquin 27
• Algonquin 29
• Algonquin 31
• Algonquin 32
• Algonquin 35
• Algonquin 38
• Algonquin 39
• Algonquin 41
• Algonquin 43
• Algonquin 54
• Algonquin 58
• Algonquin 59
• Algonquin 60
• Algonquin 61
• Algonquin 62
• Algonquin 63
• Algonquin 64
• Algonquin 66
• Algonquin 68

If you live in one of the empty precincts and would like to serve as a representative of the GOP to your neighbors, send me an email and I’ll forward it. If you would like to help make sure that Mike Madigan’s candidate does not represent most of Algonquin Township, email me, too. Obviously, if there is no Republican Precinct Committeeman, State Rep. candidate David McSweeney will need volunteers. That’s not to say that candidate volunteers are not need where there are Precinct Committeemen. They are.

To see which precincts are in the part of Algonquin Township where McSweeney is facing off against Mike Madigan-supported Dee Beaubien, click here.

Thursday I pointed out that Algonquin and Nunda Townships have seventeen precincts that are in play in the State Rep. race between Republican Dave McSweeney and Independent Dee Beaubien.

Beaubien has had two Mike Madigan’s Democratic Party field guys in the field working for Beaubien for two pay periods that have been reported to the State Board of Elections.

In the same area, State Senator is being challenged by another woman from Personal PAC, the pro-abortion Political Action Committee.

My take on the inability or refusal to appoint Republican Committeemen for the empty precincts was as follows:

Wouldn’t you think the McHenry County Republican Party would have as its highest priority finding people willing to work for McSweeney and Duffy?

Do they really want another probable vote for Madigan for Speaker to come out of a McHenry County district?

I’d add today,” when Party leaders have guaranteed that Jack Franks will be around to cast his eight vote for Madigan.”

So, if you were one of Madigan’s minions, where would you put your efforts in Algonquin Township.

This is not a tough question.

And, I’ve already given you the answer:

It’s in the precincts unprotected by even a “sure, I’ll be a GOP Precinct Committeeman, but don’t expect me to do anything” place holder.

And, I’ve learned that’s exactly the game plan.

The Dems are throwing people into the empty precincts to distribute Beaubien’s literature.

Good strategy.

And, what’s the Republican Party response?

No appointments in the McSweeny-Duffy part of Algonquin Township since May 26th.

Only one, Bryan Javor, appointed in any other empty Algonquin Township precincts and that was on July 23rd.

You can see the vacancies in the McSweeney-Duffy part of the township below. Regardless of where you live, if you would like to help keep Dee Beaubien from becoming THE deciding vote to re-elect Mike Madigan for all but one time since George Ryan was House Speaker, let me know. My email address is on the left hand side of the blog.

No wonder candidates don’t depend on the McHenry County Republican Party to get elected.

Algonquin Township Precinct Committeemen
1 – None
pt of 2 – Kenneth (Ken) D. Koehler
3 – Michael E. Barnas
4 – Andrew Gasser
5 – Charles A. Lutzow, Jr
6 – Anne Majewski (Appt 3/29/12)
8 – Neils Kruse
9 – Dan Shea
pt of 10 – Aaron T. Shepley
12 – Raymond G. Chisholm

Click to enlarge this map of Algonquin Township precincts.

14 – None
pt of 15 – Thomas Kantner (Appt 3/29/12)
16 – Lou Anne Majewski
17 – David W. Miller
18 – Mary Cardelli
20 – None
21 – None

Credit Fox River Grove Republican Precinct Committeeman Andrew Gasser with this illustration of the connection of Mike Madigan to Dee Beaubien.

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22 – Lowell A. Cutsforth
23 – Anna May Miller (Appt 3/29/12)
29 – None
30 – Riley Quinlan
31 – None
32 – None
33 – Sean Murphy
34 – Joseph Powalowski (Appt 3/29/12)
pt of 35 – None
39 – None
40 – Mallory A. Rosencrans
41 – None
pt of 43 – None
44 – Patrick Colcernian
45 – Sharon Ann Meroni
46 – Kathleen R. DeRaedt
47 – Rebecca M. Lee
48 – Timothy J Corr (Appt 3/29/12)
49 – Demetrios Pete Tsilimigras
50 – Linda (Lyn) Orphal
55 – Derek Lee (Appt 3/29/12)
56 – Eugene F. Sittinger
59 – None
60 – None
pt of 61 – None
64 – None
65 – Eleni K. Markos Tsilimigras (appt 5/26/12)
67 – Robert Miller (Appt 3/29/12)

Mark Daniel

Rebecca Lee

Listed below are the precincts in the hotly contested 52nd House race.

That’s where Independent Dee Beaubien, with Democrat Mike Madigan’s help, is challenging Republican primary election winner David McSweeney.

You will note that many precincts are empty.

In addition to McSweeney, State Senator Dan Duffy is running a contested race in the same part of McHenry County.

Campaign finance logic dictates that joint attack mailings will be made against Dave McSweeney and Dan Duffy  by the pro-abortion Personal PAC.  After all, they are both pro-life and agree on many other issues.

Besides Madigan’s providing two staffers (see here and here) and Personal PAC’s having targeted the district, Planned Parenthood is also getting deeply involved.

Wouldn’t you think the McHenry County Republican Party would have as its highest priority finding people willing to work for McSweeney and Duffy?

Do they really want another probable vote for Madigan for Speaker to come out of a McHenry County district?

It’s hard to see that McHenry County Party leaders want to “Fire Madigan.”

Having demonstrated that a majority of the Committeemen wanted to make sure Democrat Jack Franks could cast his eighth vote for Mike Madigan for House Speaker by their refusal to allow Tonya Franklin the opportunity to challenge him, you can understand why some might make that conclusion.

Do “Actions speak louder than words?”

By looking at the unmanned precincts, one can easily conclude that the Nunda and Algonquin Township Republican Parties have some other agenda that is more important than electing Republicans who will fight Mike Madigan in Springfield.

Under the procedure ostensibly being following County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon, a precinct committeeman in Algonquin Township himself, only when a Township GOP Chairman recommends a person will Tryon use the appointment power given to him by State Statute.

So who are the two Township Chairmen?

• Nunda Township Republican Central Committee Chairman (also Vice Chairman of the County GOP organization) Mark Daniel and
• Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee Chairman Rebecca Lee (Township Road Commissioner Bob and County Board member Anna Miller’s daughter)

Wouldn’t you think their highest priority would be to find people willing to help McSweeney and Duffy win the empty precincts?

There are two empty precincts in Nunda Township’s portion of the 52 State Rep. District and fifteen in Algonquin Township.

52nd REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT

(47 entire) (10 splits)

Nunda Precincts and Committeemen

Where the precincts are in Nunda Township. Click to enlarge.

1 – Donald C Kopsell (Appt 6/25/12)
pt of 2 – Robert L. Borchert
4 – None
7 – Kelvin Lee Jennings
9 – Bernard V. Narusis
pt of 12 – Mary McClellan
pt of 14 – Patrick Collins
pt of 22 – Joni M Smith (Appt 5/24/12)
23 – Scott E. J. Brown
25 – None
26 – Kathleen R. Reiland (Appt 5/24/12)
28 – Mary Donner (Appt 6/25/12)

Algonquin Township Precinct Committeemen
1 – None
pt of 2 – Kenneth (Ken) D. Koehler
3 – Michael E. Barnas
4 – Andrew Gasser
5 – Charles A. Lutzow, Jr
6 – Anne Majewski (Appt 3/29/12)
8 – Neils Kruse
9 – Dan Shea
pt of 10 – Aaron T. Shepley

Click to enlarge this map of Algonquin Township precincts.

12 – Raymond G. Chisholm
14 – None
pt of 15 – Thomas Kantner (Appt 3/29/12)
16 – Lou Anne Majewski
17 – David W. Miller
18 – Mary Cardelli
20 – None

Credit Fox River Grove Republican Precinct Committeeman Andrew Gasser with this illustration of the connection of Mike Madigan to Dee Beaubien.

21 – None
22 – Lowell A. Cutsforth
23 – Anna May Miller (Appt 3/29/12)
29 – None
30 – Riley Quinlan
31 – None
32 – None
33 – Sean Murphy
34 – Joseph Powalowski (Appt 3/29/12)
pt of 35 – None
39 – None
40 – Mallory A. Rosencrans
41 – None
pt of 43 – None
44 – Patrick Colcernian
45 – Sharon Ann Meroni
46 – Kathleen R. DeRaedt
47 – Rebecca M. Lee
48 – Timothy J Corr (Appt 3/29/12)
49 – Demetrios Pete Tsilimigras
50 – Linda (Lyn) Orphal
55 – Derek Lee (Appt 3/29/12)
56 – Eugene F. Sittinger
59 – None
60 – None
pt of 61 – None
64 – None
65 – Eleni K. Markos Tsilimigras (appt 5/26/12)
67 – Robert Miller (Appt 3/29/12)

= = = = =
My email is on the left, just in case anyone gets inspired to want to help McSweeney and Duffy.

Nunda Township runs from Crystal Lake Avenue up to include the southern part of McHenry.

We are now up to three McHenry County townships with more than 10,000 population where the signal has been sent that Republican candidates for next spring’s election will be selected by the voters.

At Wednesday night’s meeting of the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee, which had a quorum this month unlike last [actually, it was June when there was no quorum], the Precinct Committeemen voted to hold a primary election next February.

The winners would contend with Democrats or independents that might pop up to challenge them in April’s election.

Algonquin was the first township central committee to approve a primary in place of a caucus.

It did so at its organization meeting.

Grafton Township GOP Central Committee Chairman Tom Pozsnaski told me at Republican Play Day in July that his intention was to hold a primary.

David McSweeney

Exhibit A in the case that Precinct Committeemen can make a difference for the candidates they endorse is Fox River Grove’s Andrew Gasser. Turnout was up substantially.

The high space expert (see Tea Party in Space) was elected Republican Precinct Committeeman in Fox River Grove.

Compare the results in Gasser’s Algonquin Township Precinct 4 with the countywide results:

• Gaffney – 35 vs. 35% in McHenry County
• McSweeney – 34% vs. 40% in McHenry County
• Rowe – 31% vs 25% in McHenry County

Now Gasser has strongly endorsed McSweeney over expected Independent candidate Dee Beaubien.

“At the time of this post I cannot find an official website for Mrs. Beaubien, but this is what I do know: Mrs. Beaubien is not a conservative like Mr. McSweeney.

“There have been several blog posts about Mrs. Beaubien that are quite revealing about who she really is and what she really stands for.”

Gasser thinks this article on McHenry County Blog is significant.

He adds,

“When you have allies of President Obama supporting a candidate, that is a giant red flag for me personally.

“We simply cannot have weak conservatives in Springfield.

Joe Walsh and Andrew Gasser after Walsh's audition to be the Scott Walker of Illinois.

“It is my humble opinion that Mrs. Beaubien does not represent our values here in our 4th precinct in Algonquin Township, or Fox River Grove.”

Gasser has another article about the State Convention. I like the part about “the star of the convention,” Joe Walsh. It says, “…perhaps Congressman Bobby Schilling said it best, ‘What, I have to follow Joe?’”

He describes Walsh’s 2010 victory over Melissa Bean:

“It is important to note that Congressman Joe Walsh was elected to congress without ANY help from the national or state Republican organizations.

“He defeated Melissa Bean utilizing the Illinois Tea Party grassroots organization and conservatives who were just sick and tired of Bean.”

At the state convention, Party Chairman Pat Brady admitted that Walsh received no party help in his introduction of Walsh. Walsh got a standing ovation as he entered.

Since the 1973 fiasco of a caucus conducted by the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee, McHenry County largest township has allowed voters to decide who GOP candidates for township office shall be.

That was the year that first-term Assessor Forrest Hare was challenged by a young school teacher.

While the caucus looked like a three-precinct primary, after the 3 AM Crystal Lake Community High School Field House results showed the school teacher winning by a handful of votes and even the judges weren’t sure the count was correct, the Central Committee members would not allow a recount.

There was no way to legally force a recount, because the committeemen set the rules.

At that time losers could run as a write-in and Forrest Hare did.

And he won.

The local Republican Party really took a beating as every weekday it was taken to task by Crystal Lake WIVS Radio station owner Mal Ballairs on his morning talk show.

To avoid future similar problems, our State Senator Jack Schaffer and I passed legislation to allow township party organizations to select candidates by citizen votes.

When I brought up the idea at Monday night’s meeting in an Algonquin Township Road Commissioner’s building, only I and Lou Anne Majewski remember the 1973 fiasco.

Precinct Committeemen attending the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee organization meeting on April 9, 2012.

I was immediately met with the objection of cost.

I couldn’t come up with a figure, but with the low turnout of 19% from both party primaries in March (plus non-partisan only votes on referendums) it’s pretty easy to predict that the turnout will be less when only township officials are on the ballot.

The result will be a high cost per vote, which could be lowered if McHenry County Clerk Kathie Schultz can combine precincts.

The projected expense was really the only argument.

But it was a long discussion.

I pointed out that Democrats could have a field day challenging Republican candidates who had been selected in a secret meeting.

Conversely, Republicans could make hay of any Democratic Party candidates who were not selected at the ballot box, but rather by party bosses.

With township government under attack, I argued, the potential negative publicity would not be helpful.

In the end, all of the Algonquin Township Republican Precinct Committeemen present voted to authorize a primary election next February in which candidates for Township Supervisor, Road Commissioner, Assessor, Clerk and Township Trustees would be selected.

In a weighted vote of the 21 out of 30 elected Republican Precinct Committeemen in Algonquin Township, incumbent Chairman Rebecca Lee edged out Vice Chairman Tom McDermott 1,726-1,532 to hear the GOP in McHenry County’s largest township for the next two years.

With precincts often having 200 Republican voters, Lee literally won by a margin of one committeeman’s votes.

Vice Chairman now and for the next two years will be McDermott.

Elected Secretary was Demitri Tsilimigras, who served the last two years as organization Treasurer.

Newcomer Andy Gasser was elected Treasurer.

All races except that for chairman were by acclamation.

McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon swears in Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee officers, from left to right, Vice Chairman Tom McDermott, Chairman Rebecca Lee, Treasurer Andy Gasser and Secretary Demetri Tsilimigras.

In her speech before election, Lee said that she had been involved in politics “my entire life,” that she had “enjoyed my last two years” and “relish[ed] the opportunity to serve again.”

“I want to maintain this part of McHenry County as a Republican stronghold.”

A press release from State Rep. Kent Gaffney:

Rebecca Lee

Algonquin Township GOP Chair Endorses Kent Gaffney for State Representative

Fox River Grove, IL – State Representative Kent Gaffney (R-Lake Barrington) has earned another endorsement for the Republican nomination for State Representative in the new 52nd House District.

Rebecca Lee, Chair of the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee, endorsed Kent Gaffney on Friday. Lee believes Gaffney is the right choice for Republican voters.

“Now, more than ever, we need strong Republican leadership for the 52nd District,” Lee said. “Kent Gaffney is a fiscal conservative who will put his state budget experience to work for our community. I am proud to support Kent Gaffney for State Representative.”

Lee’s endorsement brings Gaffney’s total endorsements to nearly 40 local and state Republican leaders. Gaffney thanked Lee for her support.

“Rebecca Lee is an outstanding Republican leader in McHenry County,” Gaffney said.

“I’m honored to have her trust and support. I look forward to working with Rebecca to spread our Republican message of accountability, fiscal responsibility and real reform.”

If you’ve got kids or grand kids, the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee is holding a family breakfast with Santa Claus on Saturday morning from 8-11 at the Cary-Grove Country Club.

The price for adults is $25, for children $10.

Click to enlarge.

Saturday there was no doubt that the political action hot spot in McHenry County was the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce Expo.

Rebecca Lee and Len Sasse discuss his being appointed Republican precinct committeeman in Algonquin Township Precinct 38

The Algonquin and Nunda Townships’ Republican activists staffed a booth where the head of the Algonquin Township Central Committee Rebecca Lee and the Nunda Township Chairman Brent Smith recruited people to fill precincts where citizens did not run for the office of precinct committeeman in the February primary election.

Other volunteers handed out fiber tote bags emblazoned with McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren’s name. Still others handed out little American flags, candy and to kids.

Yours truly collected 137 petition signatures for the almost correctly named “Fair Map” reapportionment constitution amendment petition. (The map, if this constitutional amendment gets on the ballot and is passed will be fairer, not “Fair.” Instead of just having House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton draw the lines, it would be done by a bi-partisan commission.)

A woman signs the "Fair Map" constitutional amendment petition at State Rep. Mike Tryon's booth as Tina Hill looks on. In the background is former State Rep. Rosemary Kurtz. In the foreground left is her daughter Donna Kurtz.

Folks got two chances to sign. I got first crack at about the middle of the Expo exhibitors and Tina Hill and Rosemary Kurtz and the League of Women Voters got a second shot right before people left the event.

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren converses with citizens at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department booth.

Between the two, during the afternoon, Sheriff Nygren was greeting voters and discussing issues at the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department booth.

The Democratic Party candidate for sheriff, Mike Mahon, had a booth near the exit, but the candidate was not there Saturday. He is expected Sunday.

Democratic candidate for sheriff Mike Mahon had a booth right next to the door, but, although fully staffed, the candidate was not present Saturday. He is expected today.