McHenry County Blog

A Friend of McHenry County Blog from south of the Kane County border offers more thoughts on possible contenders for state representative and state senator:

Well, looks like the new map is going to pass without any substantial changes, assuming it’s passed by next Tuesday. There are definitely a lot of candidate names being floated from all over the district, particularly, the Senate district, including the article you wrote (about Orville Brettman), as well as a comment about a former D300 school board member, among others I’m sure you’re hearing about.

Maybe after the map is approved, you can start a series of McHenry County Blog posts about prospective candidates(?). This will make for some good reading, and likely, a spike in readership for the blog, as some Kane County residents discover your blog for the first time, given the upcoming elections for these seats.

Mike Tryon

Given your McHenry County perspective, I am very interested to hear what you have to say about the 2 more established, McHenry County residents who may enter either the Senate or House race — State Rep. Mike Tryon for the Republicans, and McHenry County Board Member Paula Yensen for the Democrats.

66th Illinois State Rep. District. Click to enlarge.

Paula Yensen

Knowing Tryon and Yensen have faced-off before for an open legislative seat back in 2004, I anticipate one will run in the election the other does not run. Given Yensen has significant connections to Kane County (and in particular, her job as executive director of the United Way of Central Kane County), and knowing the Democrats wouldn’t have proposed this districts’ boundaries without thinking they could pick up a seat or two, I see Yensen as one of the best, Democratic hopes, of increasing the Democratic numbers in Springfield. Of course, you know her better then I do, but I will be surprised if she does not run for either the senate or the house seat.

Tryon, obviously, being the only incumbent state legislator, would be a favorite in either race, but that’s no guarantee, given he is largely unknown in Kane County, and most Kane County residents nowadays do not like seeing McHenry County residents represent them (hasn’t happened since the 1980s due to the maps).

Allen Skillicorn

So, in addition to Mike Tryon and Paula Yensen, here are some of he other potential candidates who should be profiled, that I can determine are expressing an interest in either race, in no particular order:

• East Dundee Village Trustee Allen Skillicorn (a TEA party local coordinator, has been given “critical acclaim” in the Geneva Patch by Beacon-News columnist Jeff Ward, for being a real TEA party success, locally).


Mark Davoust

• Mark Davoust, Kane County Board Member Mark Davoust (R, St. Charles) (note, Mr. Davoust has over $11,000 in his campaign fund at this time, enough seed money to begin a campaign).
• Former Kane County Board Member, and former West Dundee Village Trustee John B. Mayer (note, Mayer took early retirement from the village of Hoffman Estates Fire Dept at the end of 2010 (retired as a deputy chief), at age 51, so he has a lot of free time on his hands, and he’s close with State Rep. Tim Schmitz, who is also a former municipal official and a firefighter)
• Former D300 School Board Member Chad Koppie (he’s got the money to easily self-fund a campaign).
• Former Dundee Township Trustee and former West Dundee Village Trustee Paula Lauer (D, East Dundee) (Lauer is a Marketing director for McHenry County College, and has a very strong environmental record — enough ties to McHenry County to make her viable).
• ChampionNews.Net editor and Rutland Township Precinct 1 Committeeman John Biver (Biver was a former LA to Senator [Steve] Rauschenberger, at one time). Many people read his posts at Champion News.

I am sure there are others, and many more names you may have heard from either side of the county line. Should make for quite a crowded field in both races.

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For candidates or perspective candidates reading this, McHenry County Blog will be pleased to publish your press releases, if the office’s map contains part of McHenry County.

This is the final installment of pictures of Republican notables I took a week ago in Decatur at the Illinois Republican Convention.

Somehow I missed House Minority Leader Tom Cross on the way down the line. When I went back, I took this shot and asked him what he thought of my idea to use the RTA sales tax for roads and county-imposed Motor Fuel Tax to match Federal highway funds. He told me that Tryon had told him it was my idea and that he thought it was a good one.

Also on hand was political consultant Dan Curry. He writes the blog “Reverse Spin.”

DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett was in line waiting to be introduced when I asked for this smiley face.

14th district Republican congressional candidate Jim Oberweis was spotted talking to McLean County Republican Chairman John Parrot.

Chicago’s only Republican State Representative, Mike McAuliffe, was kind enough to pose for this shot. He says I can’t write anything bad about him if I use it.

I also found State Rep. Chapin Rose, who represents the Charleston-Mattoon area, out in the hall.

So, who else did I take a picture of?

Oh, yes.

My Illinois Review Editor Fran Eaton. Here’s her picture. I took it as we were about to walk into the stultifying heat of Decatur on Saturday afternoon.

And who did I miss taking a picture of?

I saw and shook hands with State Senator Chris Lauzen shortly after registering. I wasn’t into photo mode yet.

Then I saw Dan Duffy, who is running for state senate to replace retiring Bill Peterson. Duffy did a good job distributing buttons and since getting home, I have seen two of his bumper stickers in the Knox Park parking lot.

As we were leaving the dinner place after getting an autographed book from fellow Illinois Review contributor Eric Wallace, I ran into former State Rep. Bob Churchill.

Among others who didn’t get a flash in their face was John Curry, 32nd Ward Committeeman. In the 1970′s, Curry compiled how much spending each legislator supported with his or her vote for the Illinois Conservative Union. I was on the low end, as you might imagine.

Jack Roeser, who founded the Family Taxpayers Network, and I talked after the impressive speech of State Rep. Aaron Shock, candidate for congress to replace Ray LaHood. Earlier I saw FTN’s chief honcho John Biver.

State Rep. Ron Wait and I talked briefly. You can see him with his name on the back of his tee shirt above behind McHenry County’s convention delegates.

I am sure there were other notables I saw and didn’t mention. My apologies.

One final addition. What I assume from the General Assembly license plate 105 and bumper sticker is State Rep. Randy Ramey’s car passed us on Interstate 39 about the time we were hearing about the tornadoes crossing Route 55. I don’t know whether that qualifies him for this article or not.

All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.

This is the final installment of pictures of Republican notables I took a week ago in Decatur at the Illinois Republican Convention.

Somehow I missed House Minority Leader Tom Cross on the way down the line. When I went back, I took this shot and asked him what he thought of my idea to use the RTA sales tax for roads and county-imposed Motor Fuel Tax to match Federal highway funds. He told me that Tryon had told him it was my idea and that he thought it was a good one.

Also on hand was political consultant Dan Curry. He writes the blog “Reverse Spin.”

DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett was in line waiting to be introduced when I asked for this smiley face.

14th district Republican congressional candidate Jim Oberweis was spotted talking to McLean County Republican Chairman John Parrot.

Chicago’s only Republican State Representative, Mike McAuliffe, was kind enough to pose for this shot. He says I can’t write anything bad about him if I use it.

I also found State Rep. Chapin Rose, who represents the Charleston-Mattoon area, out in the hall.

So, who else did I take a picture of?

Oh, yes.

My Illinois Review Editor Fran Eaton. Here’s her picture. I took it as we were about to walk into the stultifying heat of Decatur on Saturday afternoon.

And who did I miss taking a picture of?

I saw and shook hands with State Senator Chris Lauzen shortly after registering. I wasn’t into photo mode yet.

Then I saw Dan Duffy, who is running for state senate to replace retiring Bill Peterson. Duffy did a good job distributing buttons and since getting home, I have seen two of his bumper stickers in the Knox Park parking lot.

As we were leaving the dinner place after getting an autographed book from fellow Illinois Review contributor Eric Wallace, I ran into former State Rep. Bob Churchill.

Among others who didn’t get a flash in their face was John Curry, 32nd Ward Committeeman. In the 1970′s, Curry compiled how much spending each legislator supported with his or her vote for the Illinois Conservative Union. I was on the low end, as you might imagine.

Jack Roeser, who founded the Family Taxpayers Network, and I talked after the impressive speech of State Rep. Aaron Shock, candidate for congress to replace Ray LaHood. Earlier I saw FTN’s chief honcho John Biver.

State Rep. Ron Wait and I talked briefly. You can see him with his name on the back of his tee shirt above behind McHenry County’s convention delegates.

I am sure there were other notables I saw and didn’t mention. My apologies.

One final addition. What I assume from the General Assembly license plate 105 and bumper sticker is State Rep. Randy Ramey’s car passed us on Interstate 39 about the time we were hearing about the tornadoes crossing Route 55. I don’t know whether that qualifies him for this article or not.

All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.