McHenry County Blog

Why is that news?

Don’t Republicans support other Republicans on the ballot?

There was no Republican primary election in McHenry Township and all of those running for office seem to be on the same page.

Unified.

At least that’s what one might conclude from the four by eight foot sign on Route 31 just north of Route 120.

Only one Republican is being challenge in McHenry Township. She is Assessor Carol Prschke. The other Republicans have joined her on a sign with her name emphasized.

No GOP primary winner is being challenged in Algonquin Township, so no one would expect much of an effort there.

Not only does Independent candidate for Grafton Township Road Commissioner Tim Hoeft have yard signs, but there is a 4×8 foot version for the slate on which he is running.

In Nunda Township, only the Supervisor is being challenged and by an Independent, not a Democrat as in McHenry Township.

The Nunda Township was just finalized this week, so maybe there will be a joint sign promoting Republicans in the near future.

In Grafton Township, there is no doubt a serious effort is being made by a group of Independents to take out all of the Republican candidates but the person on the ballot for Clerk, a write-in candidate who is running unopposed.

There were three sharp primaries in Grafton Township:

• a three-way race for Supervisor, won by Pam Fender
• a two-way race for Assessor, won by Al Zielinski
• a two-way race for Road Commissioner, won by Tom Poznanski

Poznanski is the Chairman of the Grafton Township Republican Central Committee.

So the question of the day is whether the Nunda and Grafton Township Central Committee will be putting forth any organized effort on behalf of their Republican Party candidates?

A press release from the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee:

Nunda Republican Candidate Forum Video Now Online

About a third of the crowd at the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee’s Candidates’ Night.

On February 13, 2013 the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee held a Candidate Forum at American Community Bank in McHenry.

All of the candidates running for the Republican nomination in contested races were asked questions submitted online and by audience members. The Forum was moderated by the Executive Officers Mark Daniel, Mike Shorten, Mary McClellan and Scott Brown.

The Nunda Township Republicans are committed to providing their voters all of the information that they need to nominate the most qualified candidates. To that end the forum was recorded and is now being made available online for all voters to view.

To access the videos, voters in Nunda Township can go to nundagop.org and click on the link on the main page or by scrolling over the ’2013 Candidate Forum’ menu option.

The Nunda Township Republican Central Committee is the grassroots of the Republican Party in Nunda Township. Made up of 29 elected and appointed Precinct Committeemen the Nunda Republicans are dedicated to connecting with voters in their precincts throughout Nunda Township to ensure the successful elections of Republican candidates. If you would like more information about Nunda Township Republican Central Committee please visit our website nundagop.org.

= = = = =

The link to the comments by Supervisor candidates Bridgett Provenzano and Lee Jennings are here.

The link to the comments by Highway Commissioner candidates Don Kopsell, Ron Parrish and “Iron Mike” Lesperance here.

The link to the comments by Township Clerk candidates Angela Koscavage and Susan Jennings are here.

Before a standing only crowd, a question about whether candidates would hire relatives was asked.

The question was answered in the negative by all the candidates on the ballot but one.

Both candidates for Township Clerk–Susan Jennings and Angela Koscavage–said they would not.

Nunda Township Clerk candidates Angela Kuscavage and Susan Jennings.

“I would not have anyone working for me,” Jennings said.

“No, I will not,” Koscavage concurred. “Not a single one.”

Next up were the two remaining candidates for Township Supervisor–Bridgett Provenzano and Lee Jennings.

Nunda Township Supervisor candidates Lee Jennings and Bridgett Provenzano.

Provenzano: “I guess the answer is absolutely not.”

Jennings: “Absolutely not.”

A third person who filed for Supervisor–Oakwood Hills Trustee Kerry Leigh–has dropped out, but too late for her name to be removed from the ballot.

There are three candidates for Road Commissioner:

• “Iron Mike” Lesperance
• Rob Parrish
• Don Kopsell

Nunda Township Road Commissioner candidates “Iron Mike” Lesperance, Rob Parrish and Don Kopsell.

“No nepotism. Just me,” said Rob Parrish.

“Yes, my wife is the best secretary the Township has ever had or ever seen,” incumbent Road Commissioner Don Kopsell replied. He explained that he had had three secretaries that didn’t work out. “I have all the faith in the world in my wife.”

“No, my family is all gainfully employed,” Lesperance said. He said that he would depend on family members to keep his business going.

Mike Shorten sends the following invitation to the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee’s Candidates’ Night, which will be held this evening from 7 pm to 9 pm at the American Community Bank, 1500 S IL Route 31 in McHenry.

“I’d like to invite you to a Candidate’s Forum taking place this Wednesday at the American Community Bank on Route 31 featuring Republican Candidates on the ballot in Nunda Township for the February 26th primary. I’ll be one of the moderators of the forum and will be speaking as a candidate for Trustee in Nunda Township.

“You can find additional information at our website nundagop.org.

“If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to give me a call directly. I hope to see you there!

“I’m casting a wide net on this so in the event that your geography or political affiliation results in you having a lack in interest in this post, please accept my apologies.

“Please fee free to extend this invitation to your neighbors who this might be of interest!”

The flyer is below:

Details on the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee’s Candidates’ Night.

Central committees of the other townships holding Republican Primary Elections, Algonquin and Grafton, are not holding candidates’ nights.

A press release from the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee:

Nunda Township Republicans to Host Candidate Forum

Crystal Lake, IL- January 30, 213:  The Nunda Township Republicans have announced that they will be hosting a Candidate Forum on Wednesday February 13th starting at 7 pm.

The forum will be held at the American Community Bank located at 1500 S IL Route 31 in McHenry.  Doors to the facility will open at 6:45 pm.

Candidates running for the Republican nomination at the February primaries have been invited to attend including those in the contested races for

• Nunda Township Supervisor
• Highway Commissioner
• Clerk

A question and answer session will be held for candidates running in the contested races and candidates running unopposed for trustee will have an opportunity to introduce themselves to voters.

Voters have an opportunity to submit questions for the forum at the organizations website, nundagop.org.

Don Kopsell’s sign.

Iron Mike Lesperance’s sign.

Rob Parrish’s sign.

In relaying his excitement about the event, Nunda Republican Chairman Mark Daniel said, “This is the second forum that we will have hosted and we know that Republican Voters in Nunda are eager to hear from those that wish to serve in Township offices.”

Vice Chairman Mike Shorten added, “We feel that in order to make sure that we are putting forth the best candidates I feel that it’s our obligation to give the voters the opportunity to hear from all candidates before casting their vote.”

Attendees should note that due to security requirements doors to the facility will be locked at 7:10pm and no further admittance will be permitted after that time.

The Nunda Township Republican Central Committee is a group of elected and appointed Precinct Committeemen who act as the Grassroots organization for the Republican Party in Nunda Township.  Any Republican who would like to become active with the Republican Party is encouraged to attend the NTRCC regular meetings.  For additional details please visit nundagop.org.

= = = = =

Details about who is running for what, with the exception that recently-retired Supervisor John Heisler will not be on the ballot, can be found here.

I didn’t notice until after I had posted the story on the Nunda Township Republican Party mailing that it listed only three County Board candidates–Joe Gottemoller, Michael Walkup and Mary McClellan.

Now GOP incumbent Nick Provenzano has shared a letter he is sending to Nunda Township residents. It urges residents to apply for an absentee ballot.

Nick Provenzano’s letter urges residents to apply for an absentee ballot. Click to enlarge.

In an email accompanying his letter, Provenzano explains,

Nick Provenzano

“To ensure a strong Republican voter turnout in the 3rd District, Nick Provenzano, candidate for re-election to the McHenry County Board launched a “Vote by Mail” campaign today.

“An application for a ‘Vote by Mail’ ballot (historically called an absentee ballot) was mailed to over 5,000 Republican households in the 3rd District of McHenry County.

“The new ‘Vote by Mail’ law allow voters to cast ballots by mail for any reason.

“This program is designed to lift votes for all Republican candidates in the district by offsetting voter apathy in the historically ‘Blue State’ of Illinois.

“In much of the 3rd District the only strongly contested races are Romney and County Board.

“A few precincts in the Southeast of the District will have the hotly contested race with David McSweeney running for State Representative.

“The additional Republican voter turnout should also boost votes against the County Executive ballot initiative.

“The program was supported by a robo call alerting voters to watch their mailboxes for the ballot application.”

Take a look what the Nunda Township Republicans are sending out this fall:

The address side of the Nunda Township Republican Party mailing.

Pictures of all the Republican candidates on the ballot in Nunda Township this year.

Nunda Township Republican Precinct Committeemen stepped forward to be introduced.  From left to right are Barb Wheeler, Nick Provenzano, Bridgett Provenzano, Don Kopsell, Mary McClellan, James Becker, Mary Alger, Joe Gottemoller, Dave Gervais, Chairman Mark Daniel, Mike Shorten and Mary Donner.

In a Veterans Acres picnic, the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee hosted area residents and politicians Saturday afternoon.

I got the privilege of introducing the two newest candidates for McHenry County Sheriff, Jim Harrison and Bill Prim.

Jim Harrison, on the left, and Bill Prim get to know each other at the Nunda Township Republican Picnic. In the background are County Coroner candidate Dr. Anne Majewski and, in the cowboy hat, Fox River Grove GOP Precinct Committeeman Andy Gasser.

Although sitting about ten feet away, Sheriff Keith Nygren’s choice, Andy Zinke, who announced over a year ago, didn’t show any desire to meet his rivals.

Andy Zinke gets up from a Crystal Lake Park District picnic table. Pro-Life leader Irene Napier can be seen in the background.

Both Harrison and Prim talked to the crowd.

Sheriff’s candidate Bill Prim talked to the gathered Republicans.

Jim Harrison addressed the gathered faithful as well.

Zinke left the Nunda Township Republican Picnic before the speeches were given.

The 2009 Nunda Township GOP Picnic was held on the grounds of Nunda Township. Here a teen taunts those trying to dunk him.

The Nunda Township Republican Central Committee will hold its third Annual Picnic this Saturday.

In 2009, there was a passel of gubernatorial candidates in attendance. Here you see State Senator Bill Brady and State Rep. Mark Beaubien. This year, will all three 2014 GOP primary candidates for Sheriff be courting votes?

It will again be held at Veterans Acres at the Rotary Pavilion, which is near the north end of the parking lot.

At the 2010 Nunda Township Republican Picnic, Chairman Brent Smith brought a Louisiana alligator to intrigue and entertain the guests.

The event will run from 11am-2pm.

In 2011 Sheriff Keith Nygren and McHenry County Board member Nick Provenzano chowed down on Crystal Lake Rib House.

Free Food & Pop will be provided.

So, mark your calendar.

It will be held at Veterans Acres at the building at the north end of the parking lot.

Lunch will be served from 11-2.

We’re close enough to township elections that I’d guess all the hopefuls from Nunda Township will be present, not to mention the contested county candidates.

2012 Nunda Township Republican Party Picnic flyer.