At McHenry’s Fiesta Days Parade almost all the political entries were in front.
Except for one. The pro-life entry was almost at the back.
The pro-life entry probably had more people walking than any politician's contingent. When Jack Franks first ran in 1998, some argued that he was more pro-life than his GOP opponent, although he always described himself as "pro-choice." Franks is now endorsed by the most radical pro-abortion political action committee in the country, Personal PAC. Personal PAC refused to endorse Franks until he moved left on the issue of abortion two years ago.
The candidate political entry with the most gripping graphics was that of State Rep. Jack Franks.
This was the front of Jack Franks' parade entry.
An extended cab pick-up truck led the Democratic Party state representative’s parade entry. There was not the usual banner.
Here's the middle of Jack Franks' delegation. Note the "I Love McHenry" sign. Nice touch, don't you think?
I thought I had spotted the legislator to the left in the above photo, but as the white-haired man in white got closer, I figured out he was a volunteer in a Jack Franks shirt.
The man I thought was Jack Franks turned out to be a volunteer.
He was handed something to people in the crowd.
Kids were helping distribute as well.
It wasn’t candy that was being passed out it. It was frozen sweet juice in a plastic sleeve called Pop Ice.
One of the young folks was kind enough to pause to allow me to take this photo. A frozen treat perfect for an over 90 degree day.
Then, I spotted Franks. He was on the other side of the street hurrying to catch up with his volunteers.
Jack Franks had apparently stopped to talk or press the flesh before I identified him.
He was running.
I didn't know one could run so fast in sandals, but I guess the father in Jesus' Prodigal Son parable managed to do so when rushing to greet the son he thought he had lost forever after providing him his inheritance.
Since it is essential for Franks to win re-election if he is to accomplish the goal he is currently vocalizing in Springfield–winning a seat in Congress in 2012 after Mike Madigan and John Cullerton, the House and Senate leaders respectively, cut him a district based in McHenry County which he can win–no wonder Franks is working hard this year.
Franks filled his campaign fund mainly with family money over a year ago when he was posturing for a statewide run, governor at the end of the run-up, that apparently polling data indicated he could not win.
If he loses his state rep. contest, Franks will not end up representing Republican McHenry County in Congress.
It is a strange year. Franks has a Republican opponent for the first time in six years. McHenry Grade School board member and McHenry Library Trustee John O’Neill is challenging the veteran lawyer-politician.
Jack Franks kept running and my camera kept clicking.
The Republican Party is not rolling over and playing dead as it did in 2006 and 2008. At least not all of it is.
We'll see how seriously Jack Franks takes Republican John O'Neill not from this sprint to rejoin his volunteers, but by whether he spends much of the campaign cash he has salted away.
You can’t lose an election when you don’t have an opponent.
But you can when you do.
This year the Republican Party is not playing dead.
At least those who didn’t contribute to Jack Franks campaign fund aren’t. It remains to be seen if the public officials who have been elected as Republicans will contribute at least as much to John O’Neill has they have to Jack Franks.
Talk about running for office. Franks' entry is already across Route 31.
In the final of six photos of the political sprinter, Jack Franks passes up the stalled fire engine of the Catholic Order of Foresters, St. Mary’s Court #594.