McHenry County Blog

Maybe it was the $20,000 salary, plus full and generous health coverage, but whatever the motivation, all the incumbents but District 4 incumbents Sandy Salgado and Pete Merkel, both from McHenry, drew challengers.

Twenty-three people are vying for twelve spots on the fall ballot.

Thirteen are women; ten men.

In District 1, incumbents Anna May Miller and Yvonne Barnes are being challenged by Cary’s Bob Nowak.

In District 2, incumbents Ken Koehler and Lyn Orphal will face not only MCC Board member Donna Kurtz, but Crystal Lake City Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller, but also Sandra DePaul.

Mueller likes to be last on the ballot, but she didn’t wait long enough this afternoon. DePaul gets the coveted spot, worth an extra 5% in a six-person race, probably less in this five-person race.

In District 3, newly energized entrepreneur Craig Steagall, who lives just north of Crystal Lake will take on incumbent Barb Wheeler, former county board member Nick Provenzano and newcomers Veronica Armstrong and Karen Tynis.

Steagall is known for his full-page ads in the Northwest Herald in opposition to Metra’s purchase of 17 acres next to the old 84 Lumber (new Alexander’s Lumber) on Country Club Road.

Those ads have attacked McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler. Less well known is that he put together the people who built Prairie Ridge High School’s soccer field.

In District 5, Dave Frederick filed his nominating papers. The veterinarian will be running against incumbent Tina Hill and former county board member John Jung. The announced candidacy of John Vrett did not materialize.

In District 6, incumbent Mary McCann filed her petitions Monday. She joins incumbent Dan Ryan and challengers Richard Draper of Wonder Lake, Dianne Evertsen of Hartland Township and Victor Naursis of Woodstock.

Zane Seipler, the man challenging almost 11-year incumbent Republican McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren has issues a press release challenging the incumbent’s credentials as a Republican. The statement follows:

Republican Sheriff Keith Nygren’s Support of the Democratic Party

Woodstock, IL, September 30, 2009- In the latter part of the 1970’s, Keith Nygren embarked on a political career.

Record states that Mr. Nygren was a Democratic committeeman in Algonquin Township.

At the age of 32, Keith Nygren was endorsed as the candidate for the appointment of sheriff by the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee. He did not get the appointment but his career as a politician began.

Keith Nygren was appointed Sheriff of McHenry County in 1997, this time as a Republican.

Prior to 1997, Mr. Nygren never participated in Republican Party politics.

According to recent record, Sheriff Nygren has not completely left his Democratic ideologies behind.

At a time when the Republican Party struggles to rebuild, Sheriff Nygren gives financial aid to a local Democratic leader.

Not just once but several times over the past couple of years.

When the Republican Party is in need of cohesiveness, leadership and support, Sheriff Nygren openly undermines the party that appointed him to office.

By providing campaign contributions to members of the Democratic Party, Keith Nygren turns his back on the Republican campaign donors that have helped solidify his tenure over the past 12 years.

Bi-partisan relationships are necessary in all aspects of government, including law enforcement.

Financing the other team crosses the line.

If Mr. Nygren has formed personal relationships with members of the opposing party, those relationships are to be respected.

Party unity and loyalty should also be respected.

Republican campaign contributions should not end up in Democratic coffers.

County Republican leaders should not be attending breakfast fundraisers for any member of the Democratic Party.

I am asking Republican Sheriff Keith Nygren to publically withdraw his support for any and all Democrats running for office, or to resign from the Republican Party.

= = = = =

I presume Seipler is referring to Keith Nygren’s name being listed as a member of State Rep. Jack Franks’ “Host Committee” for his October 3, 2009, fund raiser.

He is not the only Republican whose name was published–a couple of letters at a time–over the last two weeks on McHenry County Blog.

If don’t want to go down on the blog to find the article you seek, just click on the image you wish to enlarge.

Zane Seipler is the head shot on top of the article. Keith Nygren’s is just below.

While two twelve-year-olds were enjoying Skinner (no relation) Carnival’s $15 for all the rides you take in four hours’ deal, I wondered around the opening day of the McHenry County Fair looking for political and religious booths.

If only our Illinois General Assembly and Congress equipped taxpayers with safety restraints such as these two carnival rides have. Somehow, I have the feeling we taxpayers will be flung to the winds before next year’s elections.

I think I found all the political booths, but I know I didn’t get pictures of all the religious ones. For instance, after I had sent my camera to the car with too-soon tired-out kids, I saw the Fellowship of Christian Farmers tent. That was the first I had heard of them.

Nevertheless, in order of my sightings, here are the political booths I spotted:

The McHenry County Citizens for Choice had a booth next to one for Democratic Party Congresswoman Melissa Bean.

Next was the McHenry County Republican Party’s booth. A broadly smiling Marge Nygren greeted me.

At 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo’s booth, I found former Libertarian Party candidate for State Representative Jim Young talking to Frank Sexton.

And, I found this chart showing the Republican explanation of President Barack Obama’s and the congressional Democrats’ health care plan.

The next political booth I saw was for Secretary of State Jesse White. It was unmanned at just after 12, so many the state employee was at lunch. Or, maybe the very presence of the booth means there is still room for budget cutting.

McHenry County Libertarians were next on my tour. Ben Hancock (on the left) and Jim Young were manning the booth.

A second booth about abortion was around the corner. There (seen left to right) Megan Kraft of Woodstock, Betty Marie Leslie, also of Woodstock, and McHenry’s Connie Freund (second from the right) were handing out balloons for 1st Way Pregnancy Support Services.

At the Democratic Party booth were Mary Erlenborn of Bull Valley and Cary’s Dan Giallombardo. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, now running for the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. Senate, is scheduled to come Saturday. Someone (not while I was at the booth) told me that State Rep. Jack Franks was again in Canada. Undoubtedly, the dicussion will be about what office Franks should seek now that the media have made the Democratic primary into a two-way race between appointed-Governor Pat Quinn and State Comptroller Dan Hynes.

Another booth dedicated to the pro-life movement was sponsored by McHenry County Deanery Respect Life. You see Jan Doyle and Rosemary Kondritz, both from Johnsburg.

Next I visited the turkeys.
Didn’t even have to go to Springfield or Washington
to see one of them flaring.

The 4-H food tent had wonderful cheeseburgers for $3.50.

Making a second pass in an exhibit building, I saw Algonquin Township Trustee Lowell Cutsforth and Debbie Justus had joined Marge Nygren.

Since I took photos of the congressional and secretary of State’s booths, I guess I should have taken some of Sheriff Keith Nygren’s governmental booths, but I forgot.

I did pick up a rumor about a potential Democratic Party opponent for Nygren. If it pans out, that would make three people running for the office. Gus Philpott has already announced he is going to run on the Green Party ticket. There was no Green Party booth.

All of the booths mentioned, by the way, could undoubtedly use your assistance, if you are so inclined.

State Representative and McHenry County Republican Central Committee Chairman Mike Tryon and the newly energized Young Republicans will gather at the Woodstock VFW at 7 PM Saturday night for a Get Out the Vote Rally.

Those wishing more information can get it from

Sounds like a way for young folks to meet others with whom they can have a political discussion without preliminary probing of whether a critical comment about President Barack Obama’s government intrusion into the economy would be met with hostility. The VFW has a bar.

Interesting analysis can come from anywhere and I found some on Progress Illinois by Adam Doster.

But I found his election data most compelling.

Look at the differences between four years ago and now.

McHenry County still did best for the Republican presidential candidate, but look at the voters who flipped.

McHenry County went from +20% to minus 5.3% — a 25.1 percentage point difference.

Undoubtedly part of that resulted from John McCain having absolutely no television ads which Barack Obama blanketed the airwaves to carry Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Still.

A 25% shift is reason for some serious thinking on the part of McHenry County GOP leaders.

Interesting analysis can come from anywhere and I found some on Progress Illinois by Adam Doster.

But I found his election data most compelling.

Look at the differences between four years ago and now.

McHenry County still did best for the Republican presidential candidate, but look at the voters who flipped.

McHenry County went from +20% to minus 5.3% — a 25.1 percentage point difference.

Undoubtedly part of that resulted from John McCain having absolutely no television ads which Barack Obama blanketed the airwaves to carry Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Still.

A 25% shift is reason for some serious thinking on the part of McHenry County GOP leaders.

I’m looking at campaign disclosure reports on the “Most Recent Reports” page of the Illinois State Board of Elections and there’s a string of $1,296 contributions to each GOP countywide candidate.

The cost for each to the Illinois Republican Party is reported to be $1,296. The mailing is coming from Buford, Georgia, of all places.

Not only is Lou Bianchi, the GOP candidate for State’s Attorney getting that amount, but Phyllis Walters, the Republican candidate for Recorder of Deeds is credited with a similar contribution from the Illinois Republican Party.

And the same amount to Katherine M Keefe, the GOP candidate for Circuit Clerk.

Same for Pam Palmer, the County Auditor, who is running for re-election.

I think I am seeing a pattern.

Total cost – $6,480.

I think it is for the joint mailing I wrote a story on Friday. That’s where you can read the “Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Local Republicans.”

I’m looking at campaign disclosure reports on the “Most Recent Reports” page of the Illinois State Board of Elections and there’s a string of $1,296 contributions to each GOP countywide candidate.

The cost for each to the Illinois Republican Party is reported to be $1,296. The mailing is coming from Buford, Georgia, of all places.

Not only is Lou Bianchi, the GOP candidate for State’s Attorney getting that amount, but Phyllis Walters, the Republican candidate for Recorder of Deeds is credited with a similar contribution from the Illinois Republican Party.

And the same amount to Katherine M Keefe, the GOP candidate for Circuit Clerk.

Same for Pam Palmer, the County Auditor, who is running for re-election.

I think I am seeing a pattern.

Total cost – $6,480.

I think it is for the joint mailing I wrote a story on Friday. That’s where you can read the “Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Local Republicans.”

For our next look at the McHenry County Monopoly game that was introduced from a Cleveland, Ohio, mail house, we’ll look at two cards, one from COMMUNITY CHEST, the other from the CHANCE card pile.

One of the COMMUNITY CHEST and one of the CHANCE cards are flipped over on the Democrats Monopoly board.

The COMMUNITY CHEST card says,

That’s cute, but not really biting, because no new offices but the health department-animal control center in Crystal Lake have been opened in the last two years.

Considering how much that was attacked two years ago, I’m surprised there was no follow-up.

The CHANCE card is interesting.

The Get Out of Jail Free card, which is shown face up, says,

Think this one was vetted by an attorney?

Think the Democratic Party will print up this game and sell it?

If so, a copy would certainly end up in the McHenry County Historical Museum in Union.

One final thought.

Wouldn’t it be something if Cook County Republicans could run a similar campaign?

For our next look at the McHenry County Monopoly game that was introduced from a Cleveland, Ohio, mail house, we’ll look at two cards, one from COMMUNITY CHEST, the other from the CHANCE card pile.

One of the COMMUNITY CHEST and one of the CHANCE cards are flipped over on the Democrats Monopoly board.

The COMMUNITY CHEST card says,

That’s cute, but not really biting, because no new offices but the health department-animal control center in Crystal Lake have been opened in the last two years.

Considering how much that was attacked two years ago, I’m surprised there was no follow-up.

The CHANCE card is interesting.

The Get Out of Jail Free card, which is shown face up, says,

Think this one was vetted by an attorney?

Think the Democratic Party will print up this game and sell it?

If so, a copy would certainly end up in the McHenry County Historical Museum in Union.

One final thought.

Wouldn’t it be something if Cook County Republicans could run a similar campaign?