Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen continues to be able to pack ’em in to his annual fund raiser.
700 was the approximate count of those who enjoyed the bar-b-cued pork chop and chicken dinner, complete with corn on the cob.
Three of the four Republican candidates to replace Governor Pat Quinn were in attendance.
In alphabetical order, they were
- Kirk Dillard
- Bruce Rauner
- Dan Rutherford
Two Congressman were present, Randy Hultgren and Peter Roskam.
In addition, there was prospective Congresswoman Darlene Senger.
Senger wants to take back the seat Congresswoman Judy Biggert lost to Bill Foster after Democratic Party House Speaker Mike Madigan’s reapportionment job on Republicans.
She was making the rounds handing out volunteer cards.
DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan brought his campaign for the Republican nomination for State Treasurer to Chris Lauzen’s fund raiser.
In addition, there were two men who seek the Republican nomination for Kane County Sheriff–Dave Kramer and Kevin Williams.
When I found Williams I asked him how he got around the ban on non-incumbent candidates in the Algonquin Founders Day Parade.
His wife came up with the answer.
He is an elected official. He is a Trustee of the Kane County Regional Board of School Trustees.
There were lots of Kane County officials in attendance.
Having been out of the Kane County political arena for a couple of decades, I’m sure I didn’t recognize most of them, especially the County Board members. (I heard Jon Zahm read off the names, but didn’t jot them down.)
But I did see County Auditor Terry Hunt, County Clerk John Cunningham, Recorder of Deeds Sandy Wegman and Circuit Clerk Tom Hartman.
There was also jockeying to replace State Rep. Kay Hatcher of Kendall County. The hot rumor was that Dan Rutherford wants her to run as his Lieutenant Governor candidate.
It appears that about half of Hatcher’s 50th District is in Kane County.
You have seen one possible aspirant in the photo with State Treasurer candidate Bob Grogan. He is Kendall County Board member Matthew Prochaska.
A possible rival for the nomination is Keith Wheeler, a past Chairman of the Kendall County Republican Central Committee. The two are planning to sit down and talk next week.
Another possibility is Blackberry Township Supervisor Dennis Ryan. He is Chairman of the Western County GOP organization.
There was probably a lot more politicking going on, but I was oblivious to it.
The program featured military escort motorcycle riders, who marched, rather than rode into Aurora’s Vaughan Athletic Center gym.
Lauzen sons Ted and Hans both back from military service spoke to the crowd.
Earlier they had both greeted guests as they entered the facility.
One can only wonder if either has political ambitions.
Lauzen outlined his accomplishments during his first months in office, which the three gubernatorial candidates made their pitches to the crowd.
Best tee shirt of the day was said, “Don’t Tread on Me.”