McHenry County Blog

Since so many folks from McHenry County have crossed the Wisconsin border to participate in election on behalf of and in opposition to Governor Scott Walker, I thought the following We Ask American poll results might be of interest.

Treading Water

A Recall Walker sign.

Stand with Walker sign.

Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker has been a lighting rod since first being elected in 2010.

Walker’s take-no-prisoner persona early in his first term exacerbated the polarizing reforms he promoted and muscled through the state legislature.

The subsequent highly charged political atmosphere led to a hard-fought recall election which Walker won handily.

In speeches, Walker continues to somewhat rue his role in the rhetoric that dominated the period and has become a sought-after speaker for pro-smaller government and business groups around the country.

In a recent event in Illinois where Walker was the keynote speaker, the crowd — which was made up of business types who are accustomed to oceans of state government red ink — literally gasped when Walker touted turning Wisconsin’s big deficit into a tidy surplus.

But everyone likes other states’ leaders, and Walker isn’t traveling the nation to talk about the things that aren’t working so well for the state.

His opponent will cherry pick statistics that paint a gloomy picture of Wisconsin (for example, employment numbers aren’t great), but Walker’s successes are viewed by many as genuine and he’s good at projecting the glass as half full.

Clearly, the effect of Walker’s reforms and accomplishments will not be fully measured before next year’s election.

With Wisconsin’s economy viewed as “treading water” and the discontent from last year’s political wars still fresh in the minds of voters, how will the public view Scott Walker now?

As with all governors in this series of polls, we asked likely Wisconsin voters a straightforward and simply worded question:

“Do you approve or disapprove of the job Governor Scott Walker is doing?”

Here are the results:

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walkers May, 2013, poll results.

As we pointed out in yesterday’s initial poll in in this series [on Pat Quinn], these approval ratings are probably as much a measure of voters’ opinion of state government as a guide to re-electability.

Gov. Walker’s overall approval rating now is nearly identical to what we saw in July, 2011 although he seems to have lost some mojo among Independents.

Before his speech to Family PAC, Scott Walker greeted Algonquin’s Gene Brown. Family PAC Executive Director Paul Caprio is seen in the background.

Yet, Walker survived a nasty recall attempt and has lived to see some positive results from his efforts.

Assuming he runs again, he’ll face a Democratic opponent who won’t have President Obama leading the ticket.

Still, many Wisconsin voters continue to carry the scars of the uncivil war that broke out after Walker’s ramrod approach to his reforms blew up.

We believe that–once again–Wisconsin will be among the most politically interesting states to watch in 2014.

My favorite campaign fund raiser is the August Family PAC Cruise on Lake Michigan and/or the Chicago River.

Last year, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was the featured speaker…before he went to a later business recruiting trip in his Chicago visit.

This July 23rd event will feature the man who beat U.S. Senator Richard Lugar in the Republican Party primary election in Indiana.

His name is Richard Mourdock.

Reservations are being taken for Family PAC’s August Cruise.

Family PAC Executive Director Paul Caprio is the one who manages to attract the high-powered speakers.

U.S. Senator Jim DeMint spoke in 2010.

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn was featured in 2009.

Last year’s event was a sellout.

The cost is $90 apiece or $175 a couple.

I’ve seen Personal PAC, the rabidly pro-abortion Political Action Committee endorse McHenry County Board candidates, but I have never seen a statewide Pro-Life group do the same.

Paul Caprio, Executive Director of Family PAC has written a letter of endorsement for District 3 McHenry County Board member Nick Provenzano’s candidacy, as you can see below:

The Family PAC endorsement says, "We very much appreciate your long-time commitment to the protection of innocent life, traditional marriage and your opposition to casino gambling.

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog ran a press release from State Senate candidate Cliff Surges saying that Family PAC had endorsed him.

Here’s how Executive Director Paul Caprio is quoted as saying, “Our organization believes Cliff Surges is highly qualified and committed to our values and advocacy on behalf of taxpayers.”

Got some feedback indicating that the kind statement may be just that.

So, I did some investigation and discovered that Family PAC lists only five endorsements. As you can see below Surges is not on the list:

Endorsed so far are

• Li Arellano, running for State Rep. in Dixon
• Brad Halbrook, running for State Rep. down Crawford County way against double-dipping State Rep. Roger Eddy, who has gotten $60,000 from the Illinois Education Association with who Hutsonville (United School District )Education Association with which he negotiates contracts
• State Senator Carol Pankau, who was elected State Rep. in 1992
• State Senator Christine Johnson appointed to fill out a term, who is running against State Senator Dave Syverson, who first won office in 1992
• State Senator Kyle McCarter of Lebanon

I tried to contact Caprio and Surges, but didn’t get a reply yet.  Busy season.  They are probably out and about.

Surges is running against Karen McConnauhay.

Stay turned for more information.

Below is the questionnaire that candidates seeking endorsement were asked to complete. The desired answers are indicated.

On this page are questions about repealing the 67% state income tax hike, public employee pensions, vouchers, and requiring abortion clinics to show ultrasound images of unborn children. Click to enlarge.

Condom training and teaching acceptability of homosexuality in school, legalizing medical marijuana, civil unions, accepting campaign contributions from SEIU, AFSCME, Personal PAC, Equality Illinois and teacher unions IEA & AFT are questions on this page. Click to enlarge.

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Looks as interpretation of the statement by Caprio to be “endorsement” was my fault.

I just received the following email from the Surges campaign:
“We never claimed Cliff was “endorsed” by Family-PAC. If you look at our press release again, we never used “endorsed”. Paul Caprio does support Cliff Surges and the letter he gave us (see attached) makes clear that Cliff is judged “highly qualified” by Family-PAC. That is what we put in the press release.”

I misinterpreted the word “support” to mean “endorse.”

‘Tis the season for endorsements as the articles being put up today indicate.

Here’s another one, this time a press release from State Senate candidate Cliff Surges, who is contesting with Karen McConnaughay for the new seat that runs from St. Charles to Crystal Lake:

Paul Caprio

Cliff Surges

“Family-PAC, the leading anti-tax, pro-family political action committee in Illinois supports Cliff Surges for Senate. “

“Our organization believes Cliff Surges is highly qualified and committed to our values and advocacy on behalf of taxpayers.” said Paul Caprio, Director of Family-PAC.

Cliff Surges stated, “I am pleased to be approved and supported by a group so committed to low taxes and limited government in Springfield and who believes in protecting family values.”

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For amplification of this article and the misleading nature of its headline, read this.

October 2, 2011, Sunday State Journal headline speculating about Governor Scott Walker's involvement in use of tax dollars to advance political campaign.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker smiled broadly during his speech at the Family PAC Cruise in August.

As Sheriff Keith Nygren unleashes his attorney Mark Gummerson on McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi’s choice of Special Assistant State’s Attorney Bill Caldwell to represent Nygren’s interests, a Republican politician in a state Nygren has a home seems to be fighting similar charges.

When Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was Milwaukee County Executive, some prosecutors seem to think he used his office resources for political purposes.

Walker’s name has not been mentioned, but there is a “John Doe” in filings, which some in the media are speculating is Walker.

Walker took time from a business recruiting trip in Chicago to speak to a crowded Family PAC fund raising cruise in August.

Last night at the Family PAC Cruise I was introduced to Danielle Rowe.

Danielle Rowe, Sandy Rios and Penney Pullen on the Family PAC Cruise

I was told she was going to challenge appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney in the Republican primary election next March.

When I examined her card, it said,

Citizens for Danielle Rowe

for State Representative, District 52

Beneath that was

• Conservative Republican
• Tea Party Member

I didn’t learn a lot more about her, except that she is from Wauconda and volunteered in the Recall elections in Wisconsin.

Scott Walker

Governor Scott Walker’s day in Chicago started at 8 AM with an appointment with a prospective recruit for his “Open for Business” State of Wisconsin.

It ended with a post-Family PAC appearance on a Chicago River cruise boat.

What the primary purpose of his trip is open to specialization, but only spent at maximum an hour and a half speaking to a sell-out crowd ($90 a person. $175 per couple).

The crowd was the biggest in Family PAC’s twenty  years of fund raising cruises on Lake Michigan and up and down the Chicago River.

Maybe he had additional appointments to woo businesses to Wisconsin during the day.

Unlike Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, also a Republican, Walker flew under the main stream media’s radar.

49th District State Senate candidate Tony Giles has just for a picture with Gov. Scott Walker for another camera when I took this one.

All sorts of people wanted a photo with the Republican who successfully took on Wisconsin’s teacher unions.

State Rep. candidate Janet Silosky poses with Governor Scott

In his speech, Walker told of how he faced up to all the pressure. He said he started the days on knees in prayer and continued praying throughout the day.

That’s what he told the Wall Street Journalin a recent interview, too.

State Senate candidate Chad Koppie, running against Karen McConnaughay in a Kane-McHenry County district, chatted with Governor Scott Walker.

Walker told the audience that he spent $13 million to get elected Governor.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker chats with Congressman Randy Hultgren's two boys as Hultgren's wife Christy looks on.

Unions spent almost three times that amount in six state senate recall elections. One who lost was in a district that leans Democrat, while the other Republican loser would have made the National Enquirer had he been in the national arena. (That’s what the Wall Street Journal reporter concluded.)

“Yet we prevailed,” the son of a minister said.

Those on the jam-packed deck appreciated Governor Scott Walker's message.

“The voters in our state want people who first and foremost will stand up for the American people,” Walker concluded after telling the story about President Ronald Reagan’s meeting with conservative Democrats including John Connelly and walking out of the meeting after all the Dems said they could vote for the tax cut if they got something for one of their special interests.

Walker said Reagan said, “I thought we were here to do what was right for the American people,” and walked out of the meeting.

“We put more money back in the hands of people. (They can) spend the money better,” Walker said.

Former State Rep. Penny Pullen can be seen in the foreground of this crowd scene.

He also talked of his state’s “balanced budget.”

Scott Walker explained the impact of his educational reform legislation.

Walker bragged that Wisconsin had gained 9,500 net new jobs while Illinois had “unfortunately” lost 7,200.

He also pointed out that Wisconsin had gone up seventeen spots in the list of business-friendly states in “Chief Executive Magazinem” while Illinois had gone down 47 spots.

Speaking of his educational reform bill, Walker said,

“It matters (if school boards) can hire and fire on merit and not based on tenure.

‘”It will help improve education.”

“Thank you for what you are doing prospectively,” he told the Republican gathering.

He urged those present to “think more about their children, their grandchildren than they do about theirselves.”

That brought applause.

When he said, “Thanks for letting the Packers win the Super Bowl,” most of the audience was in disagreement.

Family PAC Executive Director pomised to pay for buses to being volunteers from Illinois to Wisconsin if Scott Walker should face a gubernatorial recall election.

After his speech, Family PAC Executive Director Paul Caprio told Walker,

“We’re with you in spirit and, if need be, we’ll be there in body.”

Caprio said Family PAC would pay for the buses.

My favorite political fund raiser is the cruise that Family PAC puts on each summer.

The scenery is stunning whether the boat goes out from a mooring near Navy Pier on Lake Michigan as the sun is setting or up the Chicago River where the reflections from glass skyscrapers are stunning in a different way.

Jim DeMint

Tom Coburn

And Executive Director Paul Caprio manages to draw top-flight speakers.

Both conservative United States Senators Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Jim DeMint of South Carolina have spoken to the summer gathering.

This year, the main attraction will be Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.

Having just preserved his Wisconsin Senate majority from the threat of recall elections, even if just barely, I have no doubt that Walker will have lots of interesting things to say.

I also suspect that the boat may fill up sooner than usual.

The details of the August 23rd event can be found below.  The cost is $90 a person or $175 per couple.

This time from Paul Caprio, Executive Director of Family PAC. Here it is:

FAMILY-PAC BLASTS QUINN TAX HIKE PROPOSAL

Paul Caprio, Director of Family-Pac, today called proposals by Democratic leadership in Springfield to increase the state individual income tax by 75% (to 5.25%) “fiscal insanity which will drive more jobs out of Illinois, wreck family budgets, and result in eventual bankruptcy for the State of Illinois.”

Paul Caprio

Said Caprio,

“Nothing has been done in Springfield to address the bloated state pension systems, real Medicaid reform, workmen’s compensation, or tort reform. 

“These are the major causes of the present budget deficit. The proposal of a 75% individual income tax increase and a 49% increase in the corporate tax rate is an insult to every hard-working Illinois taxpayer.

“Democrats are trying to strong-arm this proposal through the Legislature by making political deals with lame duck legislators who will not even be representing their constituents when this proposed increase would go into effect.”

Caprio urged every Illinois taxpayer to contact their State Representative and Senator today with the message, “No new taxes.”

Caprio concluded,

“If this reckless tax increase is passed, Pat Quinn, John Cullerton, and Mike Madigan will be the pallbearers at the economic funeral of Illinois.”

Family-Pac has made more than 350,000 calls the past week to grassroots taxpayers to urge them to contact their representatives to oppose the tax increase.