Posted: September 03, 2009
Returning to direct elections would once again allow EVERY Republican to directly elect his or her own representative to the State Central Committee (our State Party's 19-member senior governing board - which would double in size to 38 members with passage of Senate Bill 600).
Those real elections would happen every four years in the GOP primary. Our party's old guard took this right away from the rank-and-file two decades ago, with devastating consequences. (The Illinois Democrats kept direct elections for their party.)
This reform won't change the world, but it will restore some measure of accountability and provide a more realistic chance for real leaders and reformers to attain a spot on that senior governing board.
Below is a list of Republican public and party officials, as well as Republican activists, who SUPPORT giving rank-and-file Republicans back their vote for State Central Committeemen and State Central Committeewomen via SB600.
Also listed below are those Republican public or party officials who OPPOSE. These officials do not trust you, obviously believing you are unworthy to have a real voice in your own Illinois Republican Party.
This list is in development. If you don't see your own Republican officials listed below, we encourage you to contact those individuals to find out where they stand. Please pass on any updates to dibendahl@championnews.net.
We encourage ALL Republican officials to weigh-in on the record with a simple "yes" or "no" on this straightforward reform. Senate Bill 600 has been talked about (and in some cases stonewalled) for over four years now. It's time to stop the games. Republicans deserve to know where their officials stand on this simple, pro-accountability reform.
SUPPORT
Janness Abraham, Conservative Activist (McHenry)
Joe Alger, Conservative Activists (McHenry)
Mary Alger, Conservative Activists (McHenry)
Bill Alstrom, Republican Activist
Pamela Althoff, State Senator
Anthony Anderson, Precinct Committeeman (Boone)
Dave Anderson, Precinct Committeeman (Kane)
Adam Andrzejewski, Candidate for Governor 2010
Greg Abbott, State Senate Candidate 2008
Greg Baise, President, Illinois Manufacturer's Association
John Bambenek, Co-Founder, Illinois Citizens Coalition
Bruno Behrend, Co-Founder, Illinois Citizens Coalition
Ken Bellaire, Chicago 41st Ward Committeeman Candidate 2008
Patricia Bellock, State Representative
Bob Bergman, Republican Activist
John Biver, Precinct Committeeman (Kane)
Paul Bonilla, 48th Ward Committeeman (Cook)
Christine Boreland, Precinct Committeeman (Lake)
Michael Brown, Republican Activist (Lake)
Eric Burgess, Precinct Committeeman (Lake)
Brad Burzynski, State Senator
Nancy Cahalan, Precinct Committeeman (Madison)
Dennis Canfield, Lifelong Republican (Cook)
Dan Carbol, Chicago 19th Ward Committeeman Candidate 2008
Don Castella, Vernon Township Chairman (Lake)
Tony Castrogiovanni, Cook County Vice-Chair/Berwyn Township Committeeman
Bob Cherry, Precinct Committeeman (DuPage)
Bob Churchill, former State Representative
Phil Collins, Executive Director, Illinois Center Right Coalition/Precinct Captain (Cook)
Eunice Conn, Republican Activist (Ogle)
Michael Connelly, State Representative
Shane Cultra, State Representative
Jack Cunningham, Kane County Clerk
Mark Curran, Lake County Sheriff
John Curry, Cook County Vice-Chair At Large/Chicago 32nd Ward Committeeman
Kevin Dawson, Coordinator, Republican Young Professionals
Kirk Dillard, State Senator
Gordon Dillon, Republican Activist
Demetra DeMonte, Republican National Committeewoman
Dave Diersen, Precinct Committeeman (DuPage)
Lidia Downs, Treasurer, Republican Renaissance PAC
Michael Duncan, Republican Voter
Rich Evans, Precinct Committeeman (McHenry)
Peter Fitzgerald, former U.S. Senator
Mike Fortner, State Representative
Michael Gadzinski, Norwood Park Township Committeeman (Cook)
Glenn M. Garamoni, Precinct Committeeman (Lake)
Kurt Giehler, Prospect Heights Deputy Committeeman (Cook)
Les Golden, President the NEW Oak Park GOP (Cook)
Robert Gordon, Republican Activist
Liz Gorman, Commissioner, Cook County Board
Steve Greenberg, 8th District Congressional Candidate 2008
Andy Haaf, Republican Activist
Brent Hasse, Precinct Committeeman (Kendall)
Cynthia Hebda, Candidate for State Representative, 59th District
Joe Hedrick, Niles Township Committeeman (Cook)
Drew Heidgerken, Coordinator, Republican Young Professionals
Robert Hoban, Community Representative, Mark T. Skinner Elementary School
Leland H. (Lee) Hoffer, Precinct Committeeman (Kendall)
Roy Horras, Concerned Citizen and Republican Activist (Cook)
Patti Howard, Precinct Committeeman (Williamson)
Patrick Hughes, Candidate for U.S. Senate 2010
Randy Hultgren, State Senator
Linda Hutcheson, Republican Activist (Clay)
Doug Ibendahl, Founder, Republican Young Professionals
Jean Ibendahl, Republican Activist (Perry)
Sue Ibendahl, Republican Voters (Washington)
Mel Ingram, Conservative Activist (McHenry)/former Arkansas GOP County Chairman
Ralph Jones, Vice-President, Stickney Regular Republican Organization (Cook)
Wendell Jones, former State Senator
Mary Joestgen, Republican Activist
Andy Kaczmarek, Precinct Committeeman (Kendall)
Gary Karlin, Republican Activist
Bill Keck, Kane County Auditor
Mike Kenyon, Kane County Chairman
Connie von Keudell, Hampshire Fire Protection Trustee/Precinct Committeeman (Kane)
Gene Koprowski, Committee Member, Draft Sarah Palin 2012 (Cook)
Andy Korte, Conservative Activist
Maida Korte, Conservative Activist
Carolyn Krause, former State Representative
Peter LaBarbera, Precinct Committeeman (DuPage)
Linda LaFianza, Evanston Township Committeeman (Cook)
Ray LaHood, former U.S. Congressman
Chris Lauzen, State Senator
Gary Lewis, Superintendent, Shiloh CUSD #1 (Edgar)
Dave Luechtefeld, State Senator
Dr. Spomenka Luedi, Republican Activist (DuPage)
Jake Mabus, Illinois 19th District Coordinator, Campaign for Liberty
Gary MacDougal, former Chairman, Illinois Republican Party
Jim MacRunnels, Candidate for Kane County Board Chairman 2008
Jack Martin, Executive Director, Republican Assembly of Lake County
Donald Metzler, Madison County Chairman
Mayo McCarthy, Treasurer, Republican Assembly of Lake County
Chris McNeil, Precinct Committeeman (Will)
Rob Mikyska, Republican Activist (Kane)
Lillian Milam, Republican Activist (Union)
Steve Miller, 7th District Congressional Candidate 2008
Bob Mitchler, retired State Senator/Precinct Committeeman (Kendall)
Shane Montgomery, Chicago 42nd Ward Committeeman Candidate 2008
Joseph Morris, Founder, Chicago Conservative Conference
Ruth Munson, former State Representative
Fred Murino, Republican Activist
Ed Murnane, President, Illinois Civil Justice League
Shaun Murphy, Worth Township Committeeman (Cook)
Jim Nalepa, Republican Activist (DuPage)
John H. Nickels, Republican Activist
Charlie Nystrom, Republican Voter (Lake)
Jim Oberweis, 14th District Congressional Candidate 2008
June O'Donoghue, Northfield Township Committeeman (Cook)
Michael Olik, Stickney Township Committeeman (Cook)
Carole Pankau, State Senator
Terry Parke, former State Representative
Tony Peraica, Commissioner, Cook County Board
Beverly Perlson, Republican Activist (Kane)
Bill Peterson, former State Senator/former State Central Committeeman
Karl Pfizenmaier, Conservative Activist (Kendall)
Sandra Pihos, State Representative
Jason Plummer, Candidate for Lt. Governor 2010
Tony Pomonis, Precinct Committeeman (Champaign)
Dennis Presley, Precinct Committeeman (Williamson)
Bob Pritchard, State Representative
Nick Provenzano, McHenry County Board Member
Mike Psak, U.S. Senate Candidate 2008
Rosanna Pulido, Republican Activist (Cook)
Jim Purcell, Republican Activist
Christine Radogno, State Senator
Steve Rauschenberger, former State Senator
Aakash Raut, Precinct Committeeman (Sangamon)
John Reeves, Republican Activist (Kendall)
David Reis, State Representative
Mark Rhoads, former State Senator
David Rickert, Kane County Treasurer
Dale Risinger, State Senator
Jay J. Rodriguez, President, Republican Hispanic Organization
Jack Roeser, Chairman, Republican Renaissance PAC
Chapin Rose, State Representative
Dennis C. Ryan, Secretary, Western Kane County Republican Organization
John Ryan, Precinct Committeeman (McHenry)
Kathy Salvi, 8th District Congressional Candidate 2006
Cathy Santos, Republican Activists (Cook)
Joe Savino, Republican Activist (Cook)
Arlene Sawicki, Republican Activist
Al Schroeder, Jr., Conservative Activist
Carl Segvich, 19th Ward Committeeman (Cook)
Keith Sellers, Precinct Committeeman (DuPage)
Diane Shapiro, 46th Ward Committeeman (Cook)
Robert Shearer, Jr., 49th Ward Committeeman (Cook)
Dave Sheppard, Republican Activist (Jasper)
Craig Simmons, Coordinator, Republican Young Professionals
Brian Smith, Chairman, Will County Young Republicans
T.R. Smith, Chairman, Western Township Central Committee (Kane)
Mark Stern, Precinct Committeeman (DuPage)
John Stevo, Calumet Township Committeeman (Cook)
Mike Sweeney, Elk Grove Township Committeeman (Cook)
Dave Syverson, State Senator/State Central Committeeman
Michael Tams, Precinct Committeeman (DuPage)
Nancy Thorner, Precinct Committeeman (Lake)
Don Tracy, Candidate for Lt. Governor 2010
Douglas Troiani, Bloom Township Committeeman (Cook)
Doreen True, Secretary, Republican Assembly of Lake County
Raymond True, Chairman, Republican Assembly of Lake County
Sig Vaznelis, Lemont Township Committeeman (Cook)
Leonard Wass, Republican Activist and Concerned Citizen (Kendall)
Frank Watson, former State Senator
Jim Watson, State Representative
Linda Webb, Precinct Committeeman (Lake)
Nancy Weber, Republican Activist
Jack C. Weis, Republican Activist and Reformer (Kendall)
Keith Wheeler, Kendall County Chairman
Andy White, Coordinator, Republican Young Professionals
Douglas Whitley, President/CEO, Illinois Chamber of Commerce
Dave Winters, State Representative
Jon Zahm, Chairman, Kane County Conservative Coalition
OPPOSE
Pat Barr, Rich Township Committeeman (Cook)
Bob Biggins, State Representative
Tim Bivins, State Senator
Larry Bomke, State Senator
Mike Bost, State Representative
Bill Brady, State Senator
Dan Brady, State Representative
Pat Brady, Chairman, Illinois Republican Party/Republican National Committeeman
Dan Cronin, State Senator
Tom Cronin, River Forest Township Committeeman (Cook)
Tom Cross, State Representative
Gary Dahl, State Senator
Gene Dawson, State Central Committeeman/Barrington Township Committeeman (Cook)
Dan Duffy, State Senator
John O. Jones, State Senator
Bob Kjellander, former Republican National Committeeman/Individual K
Patricia Lindner, former State Representative
Marlene Lynch, Oak Park Township Committeeman (Cook)
Kyle McCarter, State Senator
Andy McKenna, Jr., former Chairman, Illinois Republican Party
John Millner, State Senator
Matt Murphy, State Senator
Ruth O'Connell, Wheeling Township Committeeman (Cook)
Randy Pollard, President, County Chairman's Association
Harry Ramey, State Representative
Dale Righter, State Senator
Lee Roupas, Cook County Chairman
Dan Rutherford, State Senator
Angelo 'Skip' Saviano, State Representative
Mike Tryon, State Representative
