McHenry County Blog

Dave McSweeney

David McSweeney spent $354,013 to win the 3-way State Representative race in the 52nd House District.

He beat out appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney and Tea Party activist Danielle Rowe.

Of that amount, he owes about $53,736 to various vendors, including $5,000 for the March payment to his campaign manager, Jim Thacker.

{When I first put this story up, I added up the wrong column on the campaign disclosure debt page of the State Board of Election. I forgot that the original totals are on the right hand side, while what is currently owed is in the center. I have corrected the headline and the text.]

Thacker says that the debt to venders is now down to “about $40,000.”

In addition, he owes himself $147,500.

The new campaign disclosure law takes a “no limits” approach if one candidate spends more than $100,000 during an election cycle.

Since McSweeney did not top the $100,000 mark prior to the primary election.

Had he done so, his opponents Gaffney or Rowe been able to find contributors willing to spend more than the

• $5,000 limit for individuals or
• $10,000 for business or unions or associations
• $50,000 for individual campaign funds or Political Action Committees

they could have legally done so, the same way they could have before the new campaign limits kicked into effect.

The $100,000 limitation gets re-set for each new election. On March 29th, McSweeney loaned his campaign another $50,000, which counts toward the $100,000 mark for the general election campaign.

So, McSweeney starts from scratch and could loan or give his campaign committee $100,000 before prospective fellow millionaire Dee Beaubien or well-heeled pro-abortion Personal PAC could dump more than the amount limited by state law.

Of course, Beaubien could be the one who exceeds the limit first.

It is not uncommon, however, for wealthy candidates to carry loans on the books of their campaign committees. For example, Mark Beaubien loaned his campaign fund $85,761.38 over the years, which is still on the books of Citizens for Beaubien. That Political Action Committee will presumably be the vehicle used by his widow Dee in her run against McSweeney as either an Independent or a Democrat.

McSweeney is still raising money, reporting a $3,000 contribution from Southern Illinois electric company Ameren on April 14th.

McSweeney took $2,500 and $2,600 polls on March 6th and 13th, respectively.  A $2,300 survey was taken on December 16, 2011.  $2,829 was spent for a baseline poll on September 23, 2011.  An Austin, Texas, firm named Baselice did the work.

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Gaffney’s campaign expenditures can be found here.

Rowe’s are here.

David McSweeney

Dee Beaubien

A new law popped up on March 30th that prohibits anyone who has voted in a partisan primary election from running in the next general election.

Just a continuation of what Abner Mikva was told when he tried to volunteer at his local Democratic Party ward headquarters:

“We don’t want nobody nobody sent.“

One would have thought that Dee Beaubien, who worked the phones to get her husband’s budget man, Kent Gaffney, appointed to fill Mark’s spot, would have voted in the Republican primary election for him.

But she didn’t.

She took a non-partisan ballot and voted only the electric aggregation referendum in Barrington Hills.  The proof can be seen below:

Dee Beaubien's voting record shows that she voted only a non-partisan ballot (the electric aggregation referendum) when she voted in Barrington Hills last month.

So Dee Beaubien’s efforts to prepare for a candidacy against Dave McSweeney, Republican primary election victor, is

Game on!

Let the battle of the millionaires begin.

Dee Beaubien

Sometimes one can learn from campaign disclosure forms.

The Political Action Committee created by former State Rep. Mark Beaubien is still active and filed its report Saturday night.

The committee started out with $17,600 on January 1st and ended up with $10,400.

There were four political entities that received contributions totaling $2090:

• $500 – Tina Hill (McHenry County Board member endorsed by Personal PAC in 2010)
• $500 – Donna Kurtz (McHenry County Board member endorsed by Personal PAC in 2010 and 2012)
• $500 – Grant Township Republican Club
• $340 – Grant Township Republican Club

Another $5,100 was spent, most going to Dick Stone, a former WIND reporter, who specializes in media management as well as candidate training.

He was paid

• $1,750 on 3-22-12
• $3,000 on 3-30-12

$,000 was also paid to Stone on October 3, 2011.  On November 16, 2011, Donna Kurtz reimbursed the Beaubien PAC $1,700 for media training.

An additional $350 was paid to Capitol Fax in January.

Nothing was donated to State Rep. Kent Gaffney’s election campaign.

As far back as 1999, Dick Stone has provided advice to Beaubien campaigns.

Others for whom he has offered advice include Suzi Bassi, Nancy Flouret, Perry Moy, Cesilie Price, Bonnie Wheaton, and Corinne Wood.

Ironically, the bill that may stop Dee Beaubien’s planned candidacy for State Rep. against Republican Dave McSweeney was signed by Governor Pat Quinn on March 30th, the same day as the third appointment with Dick Stone.

The threat of State Rep. Mark Beaubien's widow Dee Beaubien's running against Dave McSweeney (seen above) may have disappeared with the signing of House Bill 2009 last Friday.

For years, the Illinois General Assembly has been trying to limit the people who could challenge incumbents.

No more write-in votes for people unless they register with the County Clerk sixty days ahead of time.

Even if someone does register, if another’s name is written in, complete with an “X” in the box, it won’t be counted.

Back in 1973 Algonquin Township Assessor Forrest Hare had displeased the Establishment and it put up a school teacher to run against him in the Republican caucus.

The caucus, which had three polling places where people could vote by secret ballot, was completed at the Field House of then-Crystal Lake Community High School.

The counting ended at about 3 AM and Hare lost by a couple of votes. No recount was allowed, even though the judges told Hare they weren’t sure the totals were correct.

Hare ran as a write-in candidate in the general election and won over 60% of the vote, not in small part because Mal Ballairs of Crystal Lake radio station WIVS-AM pounded the local Republican Party precinct committeemen for refusing to allow a recount every weekday until the election was held.

(To prevent such a situation in the future State Senator Jack Schaffer, who supported the effort to remove Hare, and I passed legislation in 1973 allowing township parties to authorized a township primary election, rather than the caucus route. Algonquin Township Republicans have done that ever since.)

Now, state law does not allow someone who has been defeated in a primary to run in the general election, even as a write-in.

The General Assembly struck again when the State Senate passed House Bill 2009 on last Thursday, March 29, 2012.

One day later it was signed by Governor Pat Quinn, so obviously something after the March 21st primary election stimulated quick action.

That, you will note was last Saturday.

I figure someone figured a Democrat had a potential problem.

The bill was introduced February 17, 2011, by Republicans Mike Fortner and five days later co-sponsored by Republican Sidney Mathias.  It passed the House 75-38-1 on March 29, 2011, just one year before it cleared the Senate. where it passed the Senate 53-3 under the sponsorship of Democrat Don Harmon.

Here’s the language of the new law:

“A person

1. who filed a statement of candidacy for a partisan office as a qualified primary voter of an established political party or
2. who voted the ballot of an established political party at a general primary election

may not file a statement of candidacy as a candidate of

• a different established political party or as
• an independent candidate

for a partisan office to be filled at the general election immediately following the general primary for which the person filed the statement or voted the ballot.  A person may file a statement of candidacy for a partisan office as a qualified primary voter of an established political party regardless of any prior filing of candidacy for a partisan office or voting the ballot of an established political party at any prior election.”

While the law probably got its Senate impetus from some perceived threat to a Democratic Party legislator, it probably will prohibit Dee Beaubien, who was calling people Thursday about her goal to run against Dave McSweeney in her deceased husband’s newly-reconfigured 52th State Representative District.

Dee Beaubien

My thanks to commenter “Dave,” who posted the new statute under the story,

Dee Beaubien Running for State Rep against Dave McSweeney

Of course, it is unknown whether Dee Beaubien voted in the Republican primary election last month, but the odds seem good since the candidate she favored, appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney, was her husband’s budget staffer and she contributed almost $12,400 to his campaign.

And, there was no way she could have known that House Bill 2009 would be enacted right after the primary election, even before the ballots were canvassed by election authorities.

In the Senate only State Senators Shane Cultra, Dan Duffy and Kyle McCarter voted against the legislation. Duffy’s Senate District covers the one in which McSweeney is running for State Rep.

The roll call in the Illinois House had substantially more opposition. It appears below:

Locally, State Rep. Mike Tryon and Tm Schmitz (who will represent part Huntley next session) voted in favor of the bill. Jack Franks opposed it. Mark Beaubien was not in attendance for the vote. Most of the "No" votes appear to be from Democrats.

Mike Tryon

State Representative Kent Gaffney started his political career two out of three Republican Party leaders met in a not-too-transparent process to select a replacement for the late State Rep. Mark Beaubien.

Gene Dawson

State Rep. Mike Tryon, who serves as McHenry County Republican Central Committee Chairman and was acting in that capacity, joined with Barrington Township Supervisor Gene Dawson, acting as Barrington Township GOP Chairman, picked Gaffney to fill out the term.

So, you could say that Gaffney started his political career with endorsements.

At the time, State Senator Dan Duffy decried the action.

“In typical Illinois fashion, the job went to a political insider,” Duffy, half of whose district is Gaffney’s 52nd, observed. “If the Republican Party would ever like to be relevant in Illinois, their leaders must start making better decisions.”

Kent Gaffney

As Gaffney’s political career started with two endorsements, it continued with more of the same.

On November 16th, Gaffney announced 30 local officials had endorsed him.  I have reproduced them below with McHenry County officials indicated in bold face type.

• Kenneth D. Koehler, McHenry County Board Chairman
• Phyllis K. Walters, McHenry County Recorder
• Robert “Bob” Bless, McHenry County Board District 1
• Anna May Miller, McHenry County Board District 1
• Tina Hill, McHenry County Board District 5
• Ersel Schuster, McHenry County Board District 6
• Lyn Orphal, Former McHenry County Board Member
• David Stolman, Lake County Board Chairman
• Robert Skidmore, Lake County Treasurer
• Roycealee J. Wood, Lake County Regional Superintendent of Schools
• Robert J. Miller, Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner
• Dan Shea, Trustee, Algonquin Township
• John Amrich, Trustee, Wauconda Township
• Eugene R. “Gene” Dawson, 8th Congressional Committeeman, Barrington Township Supervisor
• D. Robert Alberding, Barrington Township Clerk
• Rob Collins, Barrington Township Republican Precinct Captain; Precinct 11
• Michael Pogar, Barrington Township Republican Precinct Captain; Precinct 2
• David Nelson, Cuba Township Supervisor
• Rebecca Tonigan, Cuba Township Assessor
• Arthur Rice, Trustee, Cuba Township
• Aaron Shepley, Mayor, Crystal Lake
• Robert J. Nunamaker, Village President, Fox River Grove
• Suzanne Blohm, Trustee, Fox River Grove
• Steven Knar, Trustee, Fox River Grove
• Robert Bragg, Trustee, Village of Cary
• Bruce Kaplan, Trustee, Village of Cary
• Karen Lukasik, Trustee, Village of Cary
• Stanley Duda, President, Prairie Grove Village
  
• Lisa Behm, Trustee, Village of Prairie Grove
• Michael J. Rolfs, Trustee, Village of Tower Lakes
• Dr. Brian Sager, Mayor, City of Woodstock
• Ed Ritter, Village Board President, Carpentersville

Some state legislators were announced on January 10th:

• State Senator Pam Althoff (R-32nd District),
• Retired State Senator William Peterson (R-26th District),
• House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-84th District), and
• State Representatives Sandy Cole (R-62nd District),
• JoAnn Osmond (R-61st District) and
• Ed Sullivan (R-51st District)

I even got an endorsement Fax from former State Rep. Ron Stephens from near St. Louis.

Gaffney was endorsed by Gene Dawson’s Barrington Township Republican Organization, a February 13th press release announced.  Dawson, you may remember joined with Tryon to appoint Gaffney in the first place.

On February 14th, another press release announced the following six endorsements from Nunda Township officials, plus one Republican precinct committeeman and one precinct captain from that township:

• Dennis Jagla, Nunda Township Assessor
• Don Kopsell, Nunda Township Highway Commissioner
• Lee Jennings, Nunda Township Trustee
• Tom Palmer, Nunda Township Trustee
• Jim Schlader, Nunda Township Trustee
• Joni Smith, Nunda Township Trustee
• Jay Girasek, Nunda 4 Precinct Committeeman
• Glenn Labello, Nunda Republican Captain

I county twenty-seven public officials from McHenry County, although a number are not from the district in which Gaffney was on the ballot.

There were also party officials, two of which were listed in Nunda Township press release.

In addition a letter was sent by Algonquin Township Republican Township Committeeman Rebecca Lee and she was featured on last week endorsement mailings.

What does one conclude from the endorsement approach taken by Gaffney’s campaign?

The easiest conclusion is that it didn’t work.

Popularity of local and state elected officials was not transferred to Gaffney.

Only polling would tell us whether an individual’s endorsement made any difference. That was not in Gaffney’s budget, his campaign manager told me.

I am sure that readers may have other observations to share.

Tom Cross at McHenry County's GOP Play Day last summer.right after Kent Gaffney was appointed State Representative.

You’re Republican House Leader.

One of your close allies dies.

One of your long-time staffers, who has worked on political campaigns across the state, has moved to the area three years or so ago.

He’s caught the political bug.

He spends so much time in Springfield and commuting that he hasn’t gotten deeply involved in the community, however.

You lean on the local Republican Party Chairman, State Rep. Mike Tryon, in this instance, who controls not quite a majority of the votes needed to name your assistant, Kent Gaffney, to replace your friend Mark Beaubien.

Tryon pulls it off.

So your former assistant is now a State Representative running with all the resources of his new office and your political staff for election.

Up pops a millionaire named Dave McSweeney.

Dave McSweeney

He has had the political bug since before meeting President Ronald Reagan.  He’s run for Congress twice after serving on the Palatine Township Board.

He really, really wants to win.

And he is not only capable of writing a $100,000 check (and smart enough to keep his contributions under that threshold, so all campaign limits will be lifted for his opponents), but also capable of tapping corporations for the now-maximum donation of $10,000 and individuals for $5,000.

And, he can convince the former GOP Presidential candidate John McCain to come help him raise funds…which he does.

Then, this conservative, endorsed by all the Pro-Life groups, beats your guy, the moderate, even as he is being attacked from the right by a Tea Party candidate (Danielle Rowe) saying he is a squish because he backed McCain.

So, there will be a new State Representative named David McSweeney, who will be in office as long as he wants to be.

And, he has no reason to have good will toward his Republican Leader Tom Cross, who threw everything he had behind his man, Kent Gaffney.

It’s going to be an interesting adjustment period, wouldn’t you say?

An email from State Rep. candidate Danielle Rowe:

Danielle Rowe

Thank you all for everything you have done to support my campaign.  I am very grateful to everyone who dedicated their time, their focus and their energy. I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with many great people during this journey and look forward to keeping and building those relationships in the future.   We ran strong in this race, a race where more money was spent than in any other state representative race in the entire state.  Here are the unofficial results:

David McSweeney

That’s what the message just sent to those on his campaign email list says:

“McSweeney wins the primary with six points.

“Thank you for your support.

“We did it together!”

McSweeney unseated appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney, the choice of McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon and Barrington Township Committeeman Gene Dawson.

Gaffney relied on what I would characterize as an “endorsement” campaign.

It’s not that he didn’t emphasize his strong points, which were quite similar to my own when I ran for McHenry County Treasurer (having served as a Budget Examiner in the United States Budget Bureau).

He did.

But endorsements trumped everything else and were clearly thought to be most important to emphasize.

One can tell that from the insert in the Election Day Northwest Herald, something I have never seen before.

Despite Tea Party candidate Danielle Rowe’s having concentrated her fire in her last two mailings on McSweeney, while ignoring Gaffney, McSweeney held on to enough support to emerge victorious.

The Illinois Manufacturing Association’s poll predicted that David McSweeney would defeat appointed incumbent Kent Gaffney and in the McHenry County portion of the 52nd District he is.

Taken Thursday, the poll had McSweeney at 47%, Gaffney at 32% and Danielle Rowe at 21%.

The order was accurate, although the numbers seem to have tightened.

With 74% of the McHenry County part of the district counted, here’s where things stand:

This is only a partial return. I'm hunting for the other counties' results next.

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With 96% of the McHenry County votes in, the results remain similar:

Unless there are large absentee and early voting outstanding, these numbers indicated that Dave McSweeney carried McHenry County handily, despite having virtually no endorsements of local elected officials or notables.

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Results are complete in Lake County for the race and McSweeney leads there, too, as you can see below:

David McSweeny came in first in Lake County. All precincts are reporting. Of course, there could be missing early and absentee votes. Click to enlarge.

With 12 of 13 precincts reporting in the Cook County portion of the 52nd District, the pattern is the same as in McHenry and Lake Counties:

• Dave McSweeeney
• Kent Gaffney
• Danielle Rowe

Same order in Cook County as the results were in McHenry and Lake. Click to enlarge.

And, in Kane County’s seven precincts, McSweeney duplicated his performance in the other three counties in the 52nd State Representative District:

In Kane County David McSweeney's winning pattern was replicated. Click to enlarge.

There is a Federal requirement that campaign mail be treated just like First Class mail during the last three weeks or so before an election.

This is one of three mailings from Kent Gaffney delivered on one Crystal Lake carrier route today.

All a candidate has to do is put a special red tag on his or her bulk mail.

So, will either State Rep. Kent Gaffney or his opponent or County Board members Donna Kurtz or Ken Koehler file a formal complaint  against the delivery person who must have deliberately delayed their campaign mailings?

Kurtz and Koehler have nothing to complain about.

How much better can it be to get your campaign pieces delivered the day before the election.

Gaffney, however, has a complaint.

Three of his mailings got delivered today.

And, McSweeney, if I were he, I would be pitching a fit.

Seven, I counted them, seven of his direct mail pieces got delivered today!

The mailings probably didn’t make any difference to this voter.  He told me that McSweeney himself called and spent a half an hour answering questions.

Now, that’s high touch.

There was worse Postal service prior to my last election.

A delivery person in Lake in the Hills stuck 14 pieces of my campaign mail in boxes the day of the election.

I still remember the anguished call from a woman who voted before she read that I was Pro-Life and Rosemary Kurtz was Pro-Choice.

“But she told me that you and she agreed on the issue,” was the comment I still remember.

The third candidate for State Rep. in the district is Danielle Rowe.