Chris Lauzen to Give Up Senate Seat to Seek Kane County Chairmanship

State Senate Chris Lauzen announces he is retiring from the State Senate, seeking the Kane County Chairmanship while his wife Sarah looks on.

At the Vaughan Recreation Center in Aurora, State Senator Chris Lauzen announced he is leaving the General Assembly after twenty years in 2012 to pursue the chairmanship of the Kane County Board.

Unlike in McHenry County, the Kane County Board Chairman is elected at large.

Lauzen currently represents a district that runs almost the entire length of Kane County.  He lives in Aurora and his district includes the Kane County part of Sun City in Huntley.  The length of his district has led to his being covered by media in the three political parts of Kane County–south, mid- and north.

The well-attended, family-oriented fund raiser drew conservatives not only from Kane County, but from throughout the suburban area.

The Lauzen family applauds Chris Lauzen's announcement.

“It is time for someone else to take a turn,” Lauzen said of his representation in the State Senate.

“But you all know this is no time to quite politics.

“I ask for your support to seek the office of Kane County Chairman. ”

There was standing applause from the 850 at the first indoor Porky Picnic.

“If we’re elected, I make the three promises I made twenty years ago.  I will work hard, stay honest and use common sense.

Lauzen promised to freeze the Kane County property tax levy.

You can seen the children's attractions and a small part of the crowd in this photo.

He promised to treat every person with respect, the 550,000 Kane County residents, as well as “each County Board member” whom he noted were individually elected.

He promised competent administration of county government with innovation.

The crowd at Chris Lauzen's 2011 Porky Picnic.

As an example of innovation, he advocated using county landfill contents to produce energy which could bring “millions of dollars” into county coffers.   He pointed to Europe, Japan and Hawaii as locations upon which such a plan could be modeled.

“There is technology these days in Europe, and in Japan and now the first three installations in Hawaii where they take municipal solid waste and rather than put it in a landfill, they convert it to energy,” Lauzen said. “Think about that type of business and the millions of dollars that could come into the coffers without asking you for more.”

People wait to talk to Chris Lauzen.

“We deserve so much better than we have been getting,” Lauzen said.

Based on what he has seen of the 2012 campaign so far, he predicted it be “an attack on success.”

Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns announced his candidacy to replace ally Karen McConnaughay, who has announced that she would run for the State Senate in a newly-drawn Kane-McHenry County district without an incumbent living in it.

As usual, I looked for candidates and public officials.

I’ll do a more detailed story on that subject, but there was one phenomenon that I had not seen before.

There was, naturally, a line of people who wanted to talk to Lauzen after he finished his announcement.

But, there was another politician on the scene with a line of people waiting to speak with him.

Congressman Joe Walsh and GOP State Rep. hopeful Jan Silosky converse. Silosky's district is south of the the 14th Congressional Distrrict, running into Will and DuPage Counties.

That was 8th District Congressman Joe Walsh.

His presence and warm reception certainly won’t discourage him from running for Congress in the 14th District, where the incumbent is fellow freshman Randy Hultgren.  Hultgren and his family at the event as well, but, arriving late, I didn’t see him.

Below is the Lauzen campaign’s press release on his decision to retire from the State Senate to run for Kane County Board Chairman in 2012:

Lauzen Announces for Kane County Board Chairman

AURORA (August 13, 2011) – Having served nearly 20 years in the Illinois State Senate, Chris Lauzen announced in front of more than 850 supporters at his annual fundraising picnic, that he intends to run for Kane County Board Chairman.

Chris Lauzen confers with Elgin political activist Jim Economos.

Lauzen repeated his consistent three campaign promises, “to

  • work hard,
  • stay honest and
  • use common sense”.

Lauzen said, “Our fundamental shared principles remain the same: Faith (as service to others), Family, and Freedom to Prosper.”

He outlined his top three priorities, if elected, as Freezing the County Property Tax Levy; Treating People Respectfully; and, Honest Competent Administration through Innovation.

While Senator Lauzen’s political strength has always been shown in his grassroots support, he begins this campaign with early endorsements from county-wide elected officials, several county board members, and key Republican precinct committeemen.

Lauzen also made a special point to pledge a constructive, issues-based campaign concentrating on offering his plans and proposals for county constituents.


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