McHenry County Blog

Joe Wiegard did reach the top of this mountain on the Applachian Trail

With nine counties having voted on the two candidates for Congressman Don Manzullo’s 16th District state party post, State Senator Dave Syverson has come out on top.

That’s what I read between the lines of the following email that just arrived from challenger Joe Wiegand.

And, even though he doesn’t know the final results, that’s what he told me:

“I have enough information to know I lost.

“While I won overwhelmingly in Stephenson, Carroll and DeKalb Counties, I lost Winnebago by 14 raw votes on the ballot of elected committeemen (which is Syverson’s home county) at which point Chairman Jan Klaas kept her pledge to vote vacant precincts on behalf of the winner of the raw vote.”

I was asked last night at the McHenry County Republican Party Convention whether Wiegand supported Senate Bill 600, the legislation that would allow voters to again directly elect their state central committeeman.

The 2010 McHenry County Republican Party Convention

I said I didn’t know, but, that, if direct election were in effect, Wiegand would have no chance to win. Syverson has such a higher name identification in the Rockford media market, which covers most of the 16th District, Syverson would win walking away.

So, if direct election were in effect, most of them would end up being elected officials.

From the email below, you can see that Wiegand does favor direct election of the party office.

I’ve lived under both systems and, frankly, I don’t think it makes any difference.

In my experience, the Illinois Republican State Central Committee has only been useful when Governor Jim Edgar got them to mail absentee ballot applications to all GOP voters in the state and another mailing urging people to vote.  I found it useful because it contained my name as a candidate for state representative.

Democratic House Speaker Tip O’Neill was right:

“All politics is local.”

There is not much some state organization can do to energize a local party, if the local party isn’t interested in recruiting new people.

That’s the problem I’ve seen since I got active in 1966, when I ran for McHenry County Treasurer.

Let me give you an example.

There were four Republican Women’s Clubs then.  At the congressional district level, there was the 12th District Republican Women’s Club that Congressman Robert McClory shepherded.  Crystal Lake’s Margaret Jenner was big in that.

Then, there was the one my mother was active in—the Algonquin Township Republican Women’s Club. That’s where McHenry County Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters got her start.

McHenry Township had a Republican Women’s Club in which Boots Davis was active.  So, did Dorr Township.  My predecessor and successor as County Treasurer Audrey Walgenbach introduced me to it.

They have disappeared to be replaced by one McHenry County Republican Women’s Club.  I recognize all the officers’ names but one and they all are long-time party activists.

But, back to Wiegand’s email. It is below:

Joe Wiegand

I want to thank the elected Republican precinct committeemen throughout the nine northwestern counties of Illinois for their votes for me last night in the contest for 16th Congressional District State Central Committeeman.The battle within the Illinois Republican Party continues between those who would renew our commitment to the Lincoln/Reagan standards and those who have been at the helm during our days of scandal and failure.

Illinois Democrats elect their state party leadership in their primary election.

Illinois Republicans use a system that is a mixture of backroom politics and kabuki theatre, using county conventions and a convoluted set of bylaws and procedures, often, in the view of some legal scholars, in violation of Illinois state statutes.

My experience as a candidate informs me that the need for Illinois Republican Primary voters to directly elect their state party leaders is necessary for our future prosperity.  The need for passage of Senate Bill 600, which would return control of the party back to the voters, is paramount.

I guarantee you that the nine county conventions in the 16th district were held in nine different ways.

One hour before the beginning of a western county convention, I was still explaining the convoluted system to a soon to be elected chairman who did not understand the process.

When I attended the county convention of the district’s largest county (Winnebago), several newly elected committeemen had no idea what the state central committeeman’s post was nor how this election would take place.  Despite my being in attendance, rules were adopted to prohibit me from making a two minute speech to the committeemen as a candidate for the office for which they were about to vote.

As long as we elect our state central committee in the manner conducted last night, as long as public employees, tax eaters and hangers-on have the votes that are denied to grassroots Republican citizens, the Party of Lincoln and Reagan will continue to be the Party of George Ryan, Stuart Levine, Robert Kjellander and Bill Cellini, and the people of Illinois will suffer for it.  We need Senate Bill 600.

Finally, one idea I shared in my campaign was that the birthplace and cradle of Ronald Reagan should be a bevy of Republican Party building activity in the months ahead as we prepare to celebrate his 100th birthday on February 6, 2011.

Were I your state central committeeman, I would have made sure that the counties of the 14th, 16th and 17th Congressional Districts used this event to build the party, attract regional and national exposure and host an event or series of events bringing the GOP’s brightest lights to the region that bred the man who changed the world.

I ask the elected state central committeemen, the county chairmen and the precinct committeemen to give some leadership to this effort.

We live to fight another day.

Joe Wiegand

From left to right are seen the 2010-2012 McHenry County Republican Central Committee leadership: Chairman Mike Tryon, Secretary Glenda Miller, Vice Chairwoman Kathy Kuchta and Treasurer Fred Wickham.

The leadership team of the McHenry County Republican Central Committee will be the same as it has been the last two years.

Mike Tryon addressing committeemen after his re-election as chairman.

State Rep. Mike Tryon of Crystal Lake continues as Chairman.

Vice Chairwoman will be McHenry’s Kathy Kuchta.

Harvard’s Glenda Miller will be Secretary.

Fred Wickham, who won a contest two years ago will again be Treasurer.

Likewise there was no contest for 8th Congressional District State Central Committeeman. All present voted for Barrington Township’s Gene Dawson.

With the empty precincts added in, pursuant to passage of a motion earlier in the night, Dawson received 10,134 votes in his attempt to turn back a challenge by the Schaumburg Township Committeeman, Michael Adelizzi.

In the race for the 16th Congressional District Committeemanship, the race was more interesting.

Cal Skinner made a pitch for Joe Wiegand, pointing out that he had never seen incumbent Dave Syverson during the past two years since he had joined the Central Committee for the third time. He said that Wiegand’s lack of a public office gave him the time to do much more than a state senator could.

Jack Schaffer spoke for Syverson, explaining that he was a respected leader on the Republican State Central Committee.  He added that Syverson had been in Congressman Don Manzullo’s Sunday School class.

Tom Zanck supporting Joe Wiegand's candidacy.

After Schaffer, Tom Zanck asked if he could second Wiegand’s nomination and was granted that wish.

“I don’t agree with Cal Skinner on anything, but I agree with him on Joe Wiegand,” he said. Zanck said he had worked with Wiegand in the campaign to defeat the establishment of a Kishwaukee Water Authority and praised his imagination, thoroughness and initiative.

A not-so-secret ballot was taken instead of a roll call, resulting in Syverson getting 4,054 votes and Wiegand 2,554.  (Because each precinct committee had the number of Republican votes cast in his precinct, the way people voted had to be known to the canvass team.)

After the vote Chairman Tryon asked if anyone wanted to switch to the winner and Dan Shea and Patrick Collins did, leaving the tally at 4,347 to 2,261.

Adding in the precinct totals of precincts where no vote was cast, Syverson ended up with a margin of 11,428. The total vote of precincts not represented because the elected committeeman did not show up or because no one ran for precinct committeeman was 9,342 votes.

15,950 people voted in the GOP primary in Congressman Don Manzullo’s part of McHenry County, but only 6,608 of them had elected precinct committeemen present at the meeting.

That means there is plenty of room for volunteers. If you would like your name passed on, you can email McHenry County Blog. The email is on the upper left hand side of this page.

Mike Tryon hand microphone to Jack Schaffer, who chaired gubernatorial winner Bill Brady's McHenry County campaign.

Schaffer, who chaired Bill Brady’s McHenry County campaign, told the party representatives that Brady was leading Kirk Dillard by 246 votes by Brady’s count.

“We think Brady will be the winner,” the former Central Committee Chairman said.

Brady is expected to be in Chicago shaking hands at the Union Pacific train station Friday morning and do a fly-around on Monday. The closest landing will be in Rockford.

Extolling the virtues of his candidate, Schaffer said, “His family is from Central Casting.”

Describing his principles, his spokesman described them as “solid.”

Schaffer also said that he his answers frustrate the media.

When asked a question about social values, he says,

”I am who I am.“

Then, he starts talking about the problems of the day.

“We stand at the brink,” Schaffer said. “The demographics are running against us. We have a chance. The Democrats have done everything for us but raise money…and Blagojevich is still working for us.

“If we can’t prevail this year, I don’t know when we ever will again.

“I won’t say, ‘It’s now or never,’  but you guys will all be as old as I am when we get the next chance.”

Republican County Board candidtes, from left to right, Nick Provenzano, Diane evertson, John Jung, Tina Hill and Donna Kurtz.

John O'Neill, who is a candidate for state representative against Democrat Jack Franks, makes pitch for attendance at his corn beef and cabbage Bull Valley Country Club fund raiser Monday, March 15th.

Tryon then introduced the county board candidates in attendance and let state representative candidate John O’Neill make a pitch for his March 15th corn beef and cabbage fund raiser at the Bull Valley Country Club.

Young Republican President Bryan Javor announcing he would not be running for re-election.

McHenry County Young Republican President Bryan Javor took the opportunity to announce he was not running for re-election, but, pointing to the county board candidates,  instead “would work to get these guys elected.”

Then, Tryon headed back to Springfield for session on Thursday.

He had left 1 PM Wednesday afternoon to drive up to Woodstock.

In the Republican Party, each congressional district has a member on the State Central Committee. Currently the 16th District State Central Committeeman is Rockford State Senator Dave Syverson. This is the district Congressman Don Manzullo represents in Washington.

16th Congressional District Map, Illinois

When I got tired of not ever seeing a Republican precinct committeeman knock on my door or even leave literature at my door, I ran again and was elected.

This past week I received this statement of candidacy for the office from Joe Wiegand. Wiegand has run for state representative twice and served on the DeKalb County Board. He spearheaded the Tax Cap referendum in DeKalb County. Wiegand impersonates Teddy Roosevelt and has even appeared in Crystal Lake.

Republican precinct committeemen select state central committeemen.

Here is his Statement of Candidacy:

My name is Joe Wiegand, and I am a candidate for the post of 16th Congressional District Republican State Central Committeeman.  The election for this position will be held on March 3, 2010, at the Republican Conventions occurring in the nine Northern Illinois counties of the 16th Congressional District.

As Republican State Central Committeeman, it would be my goal to help Republican County Chairmen, Precinct Captains and candidates to win elections and, in turn, to bring better, common-sense, conservative public policies to the people of Illinois.
In 1982, as a Northern Illinois high school student, I campaigned for Congressman Phil Crane in McHenry County, the eastern-most portion of today’s 16th District.  In 2008, I led the Mike Huckabee effort in Illinois and appeared on the primary ballot as a candidate for 16th Congressional District Presidential Delegate.

In the three decades that I have been active in the trenches for Republicans and good government, Illinois has gone from the Reagan Revolution which promised greater freedom to the dominance of a one-party, Chicago-Democrat fiefdom which portends only greater servitude.  In the name of all that is decent and good, it is time to take back Illinois.

Like many of you, I have decided that it is time to put the future of our families, friends and neighbors first and to answer the call of “all hands on deck!”

It’s time for us to save the Land of Lincoln from this terrible fate of higher taxes and failed jobs.

Like you, I have tried to do some good.  I served on my DeKalb County Board and its finance committee, bringing the property tax cap to a successful referendum in 1999.  In 2007, I led the successful opposition to the proposed McHenry-Boone-DeKalb property-tax-fed water district.  I am pro-life, pro-Constitution and pro-traditional marriage, and I believe Republicans will do better in elections when we stand four-square in favor of these cornerstone issues.

We can all do more in the way of service to our neighbors in Northern Illinois, and I know I can help to bring the people of Northern Illinois together in support of party candidates that believe in lower taxes, smaller government, more freedom and respect for human life and our treasured institutions.  I believe we can join together to change the course in Illinois and to bring our fiscal house in order.  Together, as Republicans, Independents and former Democrats, let us strive to make a brighter future for the people of Illinois.

Joe Wiegand
868 State Route 72 – Fairdale                                                                                                 Kirkland, IL 847-373-0691  jwiegand@tbc.net

More About Joe Wiegand

Family – After a college romance, Jenny and I married in 1987.  In June, we celebrate or 23rd Anniversary.  Our daughter, Sam, is a soccer playing 6th grader.

Roots –I was raised in Elmhurst, Illinois (DuPage County) and graduated from Palatine High School in Palatine, Illinois, (Cook County), I have lived in DeKalb County since 1988.

Joe Wiegard on Applachian Trail

Profession – After a twenty plus year career in politics, campaigns and public policy, I am excelling as the nation’s premiere Theodore Roosevelt reprisor.  I performed for President and Mrs. Bush in the East Room of the White House, live on C-SPAN for TR’s 150th birthday in 2008.

Faith – A conservative Christian, I have enjoyed worshiping in churches throughout the 16th district.  I am a former senior warden of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Belvidere, Illinois.

Education – I graduated from The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, with a degree in political science emphasizing American government and economics.  At Sewanee I was named a Thomas Watson Fellow in honor of the founder of IBM, Corporation and I traveled in Europe, Africa and Asia, interviewing national legislators about republican government.  I also received a Harry S Truman Scholarship, the official memorial for Give ‘em hell, Harry, for promise for a career in public service.  I pursued graduate studies in American government and public policy at Northern Illinois University, where I served as a graduate assistant in the Center for Governmental Studies.

Public Service – My public service ethic came from good teachers and great parents.  I served for six years as an elected member of the DeKalb County Board.  Representing seven western townships, I served on the finance committee, sponsored property tax caps and spearheaded their ultimate passage at referendum. I offered myself twice for the state legislature from Fairdale, a decade apart in two very different districts.  In 1994, I endorsed Rep. Ron Wait to take the 69th House seat back from the Democrats, after he bested me 67-33 in the primary.  In 2004, I endorsed Rep. Bob Pritchard after he bested me 55-45 in the primary.

Party Service – A former Vice-Chairman of the DeKalb County Republican Party, I have served as a precinct committeeman in the City of DeKalb and in rural Franklin Township about half of the time since 1988.  I served as a campaign professional for Nancy Beasley for State Senate, Chris Lauzen for State Senate, Jim Oberweis for Governor and Mike Huckabee for President, and as a campaign volunteer for Pat O’Malley for Governor, Peter Fitzgerald for US Senate and Jack Ryan/Alan Keyes for US Senate.  I have been a delegate to the State Republican Convention, an attendee of Republican Day at the State Fair and a frequent enthusiastic supporter and modest contributor to good candidates.

Since I don’t live in the area that voted on the Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority I didn’t get any of the opposition’s mailings.

I heard about one from Joe Wiegand’s Taxpayers Alliance of Northern Illinois and asked for a copy.

On the outside is the corn crib with the “NO WATER AUTHORITY” sign painted on its side. I’ve run that picture on McHenry County Blog. The text under the sign is

Most farmers agree,
bad deals come in a hurry.

Maybe that’s an old agricultural saying, but I’ve never heard it before. There are a couple replications of his groups blue and white signs, too.

Inside this 4-page mailing are the

I hope I can give you an idea of the effect of the different sizes of type.

Then, there’s what I assume is the same list of reasons that Wiegand handed out when he held his first round of press conferences.

Inside the message runs across two pages:

The 2-page spread has six maps.

With two of the maps one can look at aquifer lines for the Kishwaukee Valley with the boundaries of the Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority proposed by A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water. The Authority boundaries run primarily along straight township lines (see map on the lower right), while, of course, the underground water supplies in the aqufer (see map with blue to the other’s left) do not.

It argues with regional planning.

I would note that in the late 1960′s I attended a Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission hearing at Woodstock’s Opera House. That hearing lead to the finger plan of developing the six-county area.

Guess what?

If this plan to have growth follow the railroads out of Chicago had any effect, I can’t imagine what that effect was.

So, please excuse me if I think public officials whose elections are largely financed by developers will act in my lifetime to manage out underground water resources.

The Illinois Economic & Fiscal Commission wrote a report on water resource management in the 1970′s and recommended state legislation.

None passed.

Since I don’t live in the area that voted on the Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority I didn’t get any of the opposition’s mailings.

I heard about one from Joe Wiegand’s Taxpayers Alliance of Northern Illinois and asked for a copy.

On the outside is the corn crib with the “NO WATER AUTHORITY” sign painted on its side. I’ve run that picture on McHenry County Blog. The text under the sign is

Most farmers agree,
bad deals come in a hurry.

Maybe that’s an old agricultural saying, but I’ve never heard it before. There are a couple replications of his groups blue and white signs, too.

Inside this 4-page mailing are the

I hope I can give you an idea of the effect of the different sizes of type.

Then, there’s what I assume is the same list of reasons that Wiegand handed out when he held his first round of press conferences.

Inside the message runs across two pages:

The 2-page spread has six maps.

With two of the maps one can look at aquifer lines for the Kishwaukee Valley with the boundaries of the Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority proposed by A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water. The Authority boundaries run primarily along straight township lines (see map on the lower right), while, of course, the underground water supplies in the aqufer (see map with blue to the other’s left) do not.

It argues with regional planning.

I would note that in the late 1960′s I attended a Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission hearing at Woodstock’s Opera House. That hearing lead to the finger plan of developing the six-county area.

Guess what?

If this plan to have growth follow the railroads out of Chicago had any effect, I can’t imagine what that effect was.

So, please excuse me if I think public officials whose elections are largely financed by developers will act in my lifetime to manage out underground water resources.

The Illinois Economic & Fiscal Commission wrote a report on water resource management in the 1970′s and recommended state legislation.

None passed.

Almost 78% of the voters in McHenry, DeKalb and Boone Counties reject the creation of the Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority.

The new unit of government, proposed by A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water, was soundly reject in each of the three counties where votes were cast.

In McHenry County it creation was rejected by a vote of 3,512 to 1,774. The 66% defeat marked the high water mark of the county election results.

The companion measure, which would allow the taxes to be levied, went down the drain 3,822 to 1,574.

In DeKalb County, the issue went down by an even larger margin—83%.

The vote for creation of the water authority lost by 8,813 to 2,139.

The tax side failed by more, just as in McHenry County: 8,964 to 1,923.

In Boone County the measure also lost by big margins. 81-19% (5,625 to 1,298) for its creation and 5,651 (83%) to 1,125 in favor of lifting the tax cap to allow an increase in the property tax.

Almost 78% of the voters in McHenry, DeKalb and Boone Counties reject the creation of the Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority.

The new unit of government, proposed by A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water, was soundly reject in each of the three counties where votes were cast.

In McHenry County it creation was rejected by a vote of 3,512 to 1,774. The 66% defeat marked the high water mark of the county election results.

The companion measure, which would allow the taxes to be levied, went down the drain 3,822 to 1,574.

In DeKalb County, the issue went down by an even larger margin—83%.

The vote for creation of the water authority lost by 8,813 to 2,139.

The tax side failed by more, just as in McHenry County: 8,964 to 1,923.

In Boone County the measure also lost by big margins. 81-19% (5,625 to 1,298) for its creation and 5,651 (83%) to 1,125 in favor of lifting the tax cap to allow an increase in the property tax.