From Andro Lerario, Chairman of the Kane County Republican Central Committee:
As many of you know, yesterday I participated in a four-county vote, which included
- myself representing Kane,
- Keith Brin for Lake,
- Jeff Thorsen for McHenry, and
- Andrew John Kalkounos (Palatine Township) and
- Peter Kopsaftis (Barrington Township) representing Cook.
Also present were Derek Murphy as the organizer and Attorney John Fogarty for the RNC.
The candidates who applied for the position were:
- Marty McLaughlin
- Darby Hills
- Chris Borawski
- Tosi Ufodike
We asked all candidates to submit a resume along with responses to a set of questions we provided. Everyone complied.
The interview process began at 12:00 PM and ran until 5:00 PM, at which point a vote was taken.
The vote was weighted, meaning Keith Brin held 56% of the vote, while Kane had the smallest share.
The interviews proceeded in the following order: Chris, Darby, Marty, and Tosi, each given 45 minutes, with time in between for discussion.
Chris Borawski and Darby Hills both had solid interviews.
Darby, in particular, stood out with her impressive background as an attorney, her work as a trustee, and her contributions through the charity she founded.
Marty’s interview, however, was tense.
He appeared upset and even expressed that he expected to be chosen automatically over the other candidates, which came off as arrogant.
Keith Brin, as he did with the others, asked him direct questions.
Marty’s answers regarding vote numbers and fundraising did not seem to align.
He provided a list of supporters but lacked details on financial backing.
Additionally, his remark that the difference between his current state representative seat and a senate seat was “pretty much the same thing” was concerning.
After the interviews, the chairs deliberated.
It quickly became evident that most had already made up their minds before the interviews even began.
I questioned why I was even needed in the process if decisions were predetermined.
I suggested an alternative approach: electing Marty and then seeing if Darby would be interested in the House seat he would vacate.
However, I was the only one offering this suggestion, and it was clear to me that Darby had delivered the stronger interview.
At one point, I sensed Keith was reconsidering his vote for Marty, but Marty’s poor interview performance made that difficult.
Ultimately, I had to consider Marty’s track record—he narrowly won his state rep race by 47 votes, raised only as much money as he thought he needed, and blamed his low voter turnout on digital ads airing at 3:00 AM due to lack of funds.
This raised concerns about his ability to compete for a Senate seat in a more liberal district against a strong Democratic opponent.
During our final discussion, Keith leaned toward Darby while others favored Marty.
My vote was insignificant by then, but I supported Keith’s decision because it made sense given Marty’s interview.
If Marty was as successful as some claimed in his state rep role, why leave it for a position he described as “the same thing”?
Why take on a Senate race where he’d face tougher odds as a “white old man” in a more liberal district?
Maybe I’m wrong in my assessment, but Marty could have helped his case by persuading the one person in the room—me—who was open-minded and undecided, rather than arguing with Keith Brin.
Meanwhile, Darby spoke confidently, directly addressed me, and clearly did her homework.
For those assuming the process was rigged—I can tell you it wasn’t orchestrated by me.
I barely knew any of the candidates.
I met Marty once for a brief greeting at a Dundee picnic.
I went in with an open mind and evaluated everyone fairly.
I also liked Tosi.
So, if anyone who texted me last night calling me a “useful idiot”—wants to claim I was part of a fix, I couldn’t care less.
Instead, maybe you should ask Marty why he was arrogant and condescending.
I don’t care about Keith Brin’s political positions or anyone’s opinions on him—the vote was about Marty or Darby.
It was obvious the outcome was decided before I even walked in.
I was the only one who suggested an alternative path: electing Marty and then talking to Darby about running for his House seat.
No one else provided any creative solutions.
I pushed Keith on this, and if Peter, Jeff, or Andy deny it, I’m sure John Fogarty will back me up.
Last night was another example of our party playing favorites and engaging in petty political games, and I was thrown into the middle of it.
Yet, none of the critics now speaking up reached out to me beforehand to offer their opinions or advice.
Next time, instead of complaining after the fact, pick up the phone and give me a call.
The only candidate who did was Joe Salvi, and he wasn’t even running.
= = = = =
There has been some comment about Hills not being a Republican.
I thought the last name rang a bell.
Look what I found:
