Will County GOP candidates prepare to regain territory in November
Tim Kraulidis with Will County Board Chairman Jim Moustis
"We haven't raised property taxes in two years and we have a $54 million surplus right now," Moustis told Illinois Review. "If we're able to regain a three-fifths majority in November, we'll be able to continue to protect Will County taxpayers."
Over the past few elections, Democrats have been slowly gaining power in historically Republican-dominated Will County. That's something those attending Kraulidis' fundraiser hope to reverse. At the top of the Republican county candidate slate is Cory Singer, who is challenging incumbent Will County Executive Larry Walsh. Chuck Lyons who is running for coroner, Mark Batinick running for auditor and Moustis, running for re-election, were all out to support Kraulidis' bid Tuesday night, as was Circuit Court Clerk candidate Marlene Carlson.
Kraulidis was credited by Sharon Cemeno Hicks for getting her started in politics, she told the crowd.
"We were so upset with what was going on nationally, and tired of yelling at the tv, so we talked to Tim and got involved," she said.
Hicks is also running for Will County Board in November. The fundraiser was held at her family's business, which has been located prominently on Joliet's Essington Road since 1976.
"I'm running against Democrats with high name recognition, but we're working hard. The people we've talked to in the district are looking for a change," she said.
Auditor candidate Mark Batinick told Illinois Review past voting records show that the Joliet area is much more Republican than Democrats acknowledge.
"There are areas that many think are highly Democratic where Bill Brady won in 2010 and John McCain won in 2008," Batinick said.
Batinick said the 2011 redistricting divided Will County into three different Chicago Democrat-dominated congressional districts.
"We were represented in the 11th CD by Adam Kinzinger, and now we're divided between Jesse Jackson Jr, Bobby Rush and Dan Lipinski, and Will County Democrats stood by and did nothing. Their loyalty to Democrats outweighed their loyalty to the people of Will County," he said.
In the coming weeks, the Will County Republican slate of candidates intends to strengthen forces by defining bolder contrasts to their Will County Democrat counterparts. The idea that Cook County and Chicago Democrats are making decisions for Will County doesn't set well with those at the Kraulidis fundraiser.
"We're fighting to get our country back, and that starts locally," Kraulidis told the crowd at Cemeno's. "It's not enough to just complain, you've got to get involved to make a difference."
"We were so upset with what was going on nationally, and tired of yelling at the tv, so we talked to Tim and got involved," she said.
Hicks is also running for Will County Board in November. The fundraiser was held at her family's business, which has been located prominently on Joliet's Essington Road since 1976.
"I'm running against Democrats with high name recognition, but we're working hard. The people we've talked to in the district are looking for a change," she said.
Auditor candidate Mark Batinick told Illinois Review past voting records show that the Joliet area is much more Republican than Democrats acknowledge.
"There are areas that many think are highly Democratic where Bill Brady won in 2010 and John McCain won in 2008," Batinick said.
Batinick said the 2011 redistricting divided Will County into three different Chicago Democrat-dominated congressional districts.
"We were represented in the 11th CD by Adam Kinzinger, and now we're divided between Jesse Jackson Jr, Bobby Rush and Dan Lipinski, and Will County Democrats stood by and did nothing. Their loyalty to Democrats outweighed their loyalty to the people of Will County," he said.
In the coming weeks, the Will County Republican slate of candidates intends to strengthen forces by defining bolder contrasts to their Will County Democrat counterparts. The idea that Cook County and Chicago Democrats are making decisions for Will County doesn't set well with those at the Kraulidis fundraiser.
"We're fighting to get our country back, and that starts locally," Kraulidis told the crowd at Cemeno's. "It's not enough to just complain, you've got to get involved to make a difference."
