Kane County: Republican Primary Voters Toss Ken Shepro and Possibly Barb Wojnicki from Fall Ballot while Kane County Clerk Cruises to Renomination

Ken Shepro
Barb Wojnicki

Keeping with theme of ending long-term Republican establishment influence, County Republican chairman loses county board seat

There were several developments in Kane County which will be of news in McHenry and northern Kane counties, and that was the result of yesterday’s primary for the Kane County Board and the Kane County clerk.

Given the redistricting year, all 24-single-member-district board members seats were on the ballot.

Two very notable Republican incumbents lost their respective primaries:

  • Kane County Board Vice Chairman, and county Republican Party Chairman Ken Shepro (R, Wayne)
  • Kane County Board Member, and former County Republican Chair Barb Wojnicki (R, Campton Hills)

Shepro, serving his second term as Kane County Republican Party chairman, lost his reelection bid to Bill Roth (R, St. Charles) by 210 votes, according to unofficial returns from the Kane County clerk’s office for District 12.

Shepro won his 2nd term as Kane County Republican Party chairman two years ago over Bobby Piton (R, Geneva)

Wojnicki, the most senior board member first elected in 1998, apparently lost by 12 votes according to unofficial returns to David Young (R, unincorporated Elgin), in a race clearly too-close-to-call, but mid afternoon Wednesday, still bears Wojnicki’s deficit for the District 15 seat.

Wojnicki was last mentioned on McHenry County Blog when she endorsed Jerry Evans’ congressional campaign during the primary. Whether Wojnicki’s defeat was due to her backing Evans, or simply part of a political realignment taking place in Kane County or simply Wojnicki’s redrawn district including Plato Township where Young lives, if the result holds up, Wojnicki’s tenure on the Kane County Board will end at 24 years.

Anthony Catella

In other Kane County Board developments, former 2020 IL-14 congressional candidate Anthony Catella (R, St. Charles) lost his bid for the District 13 seat in a 3-man race won by appointed incumbent Todd Wallace (R, St. Charles).

Catella placed 2nd, 214 votes behind Wallace and 59 votes ahead of Stephen Brown (R, St. Charles).

The District 9 county board seat, which includes all of the Kane County portion of Huntley will be represented by former state Representative Gary Daugherty (R, Rutland Township). Initially a contested race, incumbent Tom Koppie (R, Rutland Township) withdrew from the primary, giving the highly Republican seat to Daugherty.

John A. “Jack” Cunningham

Finally, with all of the attention on election integrity, the contested Republican primary between 5-term incumbent County Clerk Jack Cunningham (R, Aurora) and challenger Doug Warlick (R, Geneva) was a blowout, with Cunningham easily dispatching the primary challenge by a healthy 4,432 vote margin, according to unofficial returns.

In spite of Cunningham now being in his 80s, it’s very clear Cunningham will leave the office when he wants to (or feet first) and after fighting off formidible primary challenges over the past election cycles, Cunningham’s unbeatable and will be favored to win reelection to a 6th term in November.

The Kane County Board is currently controlled by the Democrats with a 13-11 majority, meaning Republicans will need a net-flip of two seats for a Republican majority, though the at-large county board chair is a Democrat.

The targeted districts to flip include the 23rd District containing the Kane County portion of Algonquin, and Republican challenger Greg Buck (R, Algonquin) was unopposed in the primary, and will face first-term incumbent Chris Kious (D, Algonquin).

Buck did win the precinct committeeperson election over Dundee Township Republican Organization Chairman Michael Bielak (R, Algonquin), so there will be a new chairman of the Dundee Township Republican Organization elected in July.


Comments

Kane County: Republican Primary Voters Toss Ken Shepro and Possibly Barb Wojnicki from Fall Ballot while Kane County Clerk Cruises to Renomination — 3 Comments

  1. Wasn’t there a guy named Terry Hunt who ran for Kane County GOP Chairman as well as Shepro and Piton in 2020?

    What was the vote tally in that race and did Hunt or Piton declare their candidacy first?

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