GOP candidates line up in droves
What in the name of Ronald Reagan is going on?
Kane County's long Republican dominance has the look and feel of disarray, if perception is reality going toward 2010.
How else to explain the relative bumper crop of GOP contenders enlisting for the February primary. That wasn't a swine flu vaccine line outside the County Clerk's office last week, it was Republicans filling up 19 ballot spots in 11 districts creating seven primary races as of Friday. There's still today for more to jump on board.
Now, admittedly, seven is the same number of GOP primaries as the county saw in 2006 when the group including Cathy Hurlbut, Bill Wyatt, Rob McConnaughay and Bob Kudlicki were last up for re-election. None were seriously challenged, though, all winning by safe margins. In 2008, there were just four, including Chairman Karen McConnaughay's seat and the upset of Jan Carlson by Drew Frasz.
The buzz is different this time. Draw your own conclusion as to why - budget tumult, dissent among elected officials and county board members, Illinois' "changing" political environment post-Blago. If it were Republicans looking to take down Dems, we'd understand, but this shapes up to be party attrition in a way alliances evaporated during early seasons of "Survivor."
With so many "names" in the field, how does Kane's Republican Committee or Chairman McConnaughay show support in an era of uncertainty? McConnaughay's campaign has put nearly $10,000 toward long-timers Wyatt and Hurlbut during their 2002 and 2006 runs. If she continues to do so, and either one of them falters, doesn't that put an early strain on McConnaughay's relationship with the surviving Republican? Look to Frasz's win over McConnaughay-backed Carlson for perspective.
Wyatt's in a classic new-versus-old contest with upstart Sugar Grove Village Board member Melisa Taylor, who just might have the ear of some key supporters out in District 5.
The quadrennial tradition of a primary continues for Hurlbut. She's got another three-way contest in her Elgin-area district, although a conceivably tougher one since there's more to Stan Hickrod (a former Democratic candidate for coroner) and Nathan Akemann (a last name known in the north end) than the retiree and car wash owner Hurlbut faced four years ago.
That's the tip of the elephant's trunk.
Mild-mannered and well-studied Barb Wojnicki, on the board since 1998, faces her first primary since 2002 in the form of Al Lenkaitis Jr. and Susan Secondi, who reside on opposing sides of the Campton Hills incorporation mess. An inherently strange race because it involves Campton Hills, it grows more odd because all three candidates signed at least one of their opponents' petitions.
Get all your boxing cliches ready for District 21 where it'll be Barrett-Fahy III. Lee Barrett knocked off John Fahy by 172 votes in 2002, but Fahy evened the matchup by taking a three-way primary in 2006.
Rob McConnaughay and Kudlicki -- no strangers to primaries -- have February opponents. Incumbent John Mayer hasn't filed for re-election, but two Republicans are already waiting for him in District 23 if he does so. No one has stepped in yet against another 19-year veteran Jim Mitchell or first-term incumbent Phil Lewis. Dennis Burgin ventures a run in Democrat-heavy District 3.
Wasn't there a day when a Republican primary was as rare as a legitimate Democrat on a November ballot in most county races? Adding to this loopy GOP landscape is Elgin-area board member and current Republican Deborah Allan who has defected for the primary by filing as a Democrat.
Democrats rallied around the word "change" for 2008. Kane County Republicans might consider "huh?" as the early theme for 2010.
