Saturday night’s Lincoln-themed dinner at the Holiday Inn had the best food I can remember being servced at such an event.
The beef was tender and large.
Long-time Republican Precinct Committeeman from Barrington Hills chatted with Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti before the dinner. Former County Board member Majewski was selected to be honored among Algonquin Township Republicans.
Any small talk came before the food was served or afterward, because speakers were talking and awards being given throughout the meal.
State Chairman Tim Schneider, who owns Golf Course of Illinois in Algonquin, spoke of how Abraham Lincoln embodied the American dreams since he came for poverty and rose to the Presidency.
Next up was Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti.
She said McHenry County residents would be seeing a lot of the elected Republican ticket because “McHenry County delivered 65% (actually 65.69%) of the vote for the Rauner-Sanguinetti ticket.”
“That’s why we’ll be coming back again and again and again.”
With the victory at the top of the ticket, she said, “We’ve painted a blue state red. We now have two-party rule.”
She pointed out we now have the “first Latina Lieutenant Govenror in the nation.”
How did the victory occur?
“We were playing the game the Democrats have done for a long time.”
She said her role was to give” a pep talk,” to give the Republican Party “a face lift.”
Sandy Salgado
Newly-elected GOP County Chairman Sandy Salgado was next up.
She pointed out that the Republican vote was up 15% and the number of GOP Precinct Committeemen was up 45%.
Two Democrat County Board members were defeated.
“McHenry County stood up and said, ‘We’re not going to take in anymore.'”
She noted many people were not present who had attended previous Lincoln dinners.
“I commit to you tonight that your leadership team will keep reaching out to them.”
She then read a list of those candidates and elected officials who had signed in at the front table.
See the bottom of the article for the names I caught, plus those I saw who apparently did not sign in.
Congressman Randy Hultgren started his day in McHenry County at the Patriots United Breakfast and ended it there, too.
He gave a talk on Abraham Lincoln focusing on how the President had broken out of poverty.
State Chairman Schneider then flushed out the campaign effort mentioned by Sanguinetti.
He explained there were
- 5 million phone calls
- 1.5 million doors knocked on
- 83 offices
- a ballot integrity effort
- 3,000 new election judges
- 500 poll watchers
- 400 lawyers
“This is just the beginning. We cannot stop.”
He concluded by saying, “We must stand resolute with our Governor.”
Leslie Munger
Newly-appointed State Comptroller Leslie Munger was the last speaker. (As you can see of my photo of Salgado, I was sitting so far back that I couldn’t get decent photos even with my long lens. I did, however get some of Munger after the event, one of which you see here.)
Munger pointed out there were $7.7 billion in unpaid bills sitting in her office, a “result of a decade of fiscal mismanagement.
“In the past, they didn’t even try to balance [the budget].”
She advanced the idea of merging the State Treasurer’s the State Comptroller’s offices.
Munger pegged the savings at $12 million.
[Needless to say that is not a new idea. I advanced it when I ran for State Comptroller in 1982. Roland Burris, who soundly beat me, even agreed.]
“I have been given a large megaphone and intend to use it.”
She concluded by telling of a sign that was in her boss’ office at Proctor and Gamble:
“If it is to be, it is up to me”
(Or “us,” as she added.)
Republican Precinct Committeemen honored besides Lou Anne Majewski were the following:
- Dorr Township – Tina Hill
- Grafton Township – Sharon Bills
- McHenry Township – Joyce Story
- NorWest Townships – Bill Matteson
- Nunda Township – Angela Koscavage
Candidates and officials announced or seen (if any are left out, please add them in the comment section):
- Pam Althoff
Crystal Lake Write-in candidate for Mayor Sascha Chadwick introduces himself and his wife Megan to McHenry County Board Chairman Joe Gottemoller. County Board member Michael Rein is in the background.
- Bob Anderson
- Steve Andersson
- Yvonne Barnes
- Lou Bianchi
- Diane Bishop
- Steve Bishop
- Sascha Chadwick
- Chris Christensen
- Eric Dowd
- Sue Draffkorn
- Dan Duffy
- Larry Emery
- Diane Evertsen
- Andrew Gasser
- Joe Gottemoller
- Mark Guerra
State Comptroller Leslie Munger
- Daniel Hart
- Tina Hill
- Randy Hultgren
- Lee Jennings
- John Jung
- Katherine Keefe
- Tom Kierna
- Mark Kownik
- Donna Kurtz
- Rosemary Kurtz
- Mary Ann Louderback
- Chuck Lutzow
- Anne Majewski
- Bjorn Matteson
Karen Tirio holding up card showing her running mates for the McHenry County College Board.
- Mary McClellan
- Karen McConnaughay
- Matt Meyer
- Anna May Miller
- Bob Miller
- Glenda Miller
- Pam Palmer
- Thomas Palmer
- Tom Poznanski
- Bill Prim
- Nick Provenzano
- Farrah Ranzino
- Michael Rein
- Carolyn Schofield
- Leslie Schermerhorn
Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters and County Clerk Mary McClellan
- Paul Serwatka
- Mark Shepherd
- Mike Shorten
- Erin Smith
- Larry Smith
- Mike Smith
- Jeff Thorsen
- Karen Tirio
- Mike Tryon
- Mike Walkup
- Phyllis Walters
- Barb Wheeler
- Chuck Wheeler
- Dan Wilbrandt
Interesting that Evertsen was left off the list.
Is she the ultimate minority?
Will someone tell the Lieutenant Governor that McHenry County does not yet have enough of any minority component to require bilingual ballots and ENGLISH is the official language!
These names were taken of of a sign up list.
People were talking and visiting at the entrance and some did not put there names down.
I copied the names I heard as fast as I could and looked at the photos I took trying to find those who might not have signed up.
Thanks for the addition.
Nice to see Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick there.
They will make a great addition to McHenry County Government.
I see Diane Evertson on the list.
English is our language in the United States.
Why is that in question?
I had to add Evertsen’s name.
Miss Uppity: You had to have been there to understand.
Connecting dots: that is a rude and ignorant statement. Lt. Gov. Sanguinetti has truly sacrificed a ton.
Her affiliation to the Governor garnered enough minority votes to put Quinn out of office.
She is proud of her heritage and was kind to come and join us an hour from home on a Saturday.
I’m sick and tired of people nit picking civil servants and others.
What have you done to help move the ball forward?
That is all that matters.
Why would she say we need bilingual ballots?
Immigrants need to learn english in order to become citizens.
I signed in at the event as a candidate for jJohnsburg d12 School Board.
Also, John O Neill as d15 candidate.