New Trier, Northfield and Wheeling Republican organization endorsement sessions: Quotes and Totals
New Trier Republican Organization endorsment session
“It’s fantastic to get the endorsement of the New Trier Republican Organization (“NTRO,”) said Kenilworth’s 10th CD candidate Bob Dold yesterday. It’s a thoughtful organization- true honor to get their endorsement. There are twelve organizations like this in the 10th CD, but there are only four are five that will actually endorse… We got the Elk Grove endorsement so we are two for two. [Subsequently, it was determined that both Northfield and Wheeling did not endorse anyone in the 10th CD, see below].
Gubernatorial candidate Andy McKenna, Jr. said yesterday, “Well, I am pleased to be endorsed by NTRO [dual endorsement with Dan Proft], it is a great organization.” When this reporter asked if he was now the front-runner, Andy McKenna said, “You know, we are really having fun with this race…we are pleased with the momentum we are having. There are 80 days to go and we love competition and there’s a lot ahead of us.” When asked what he saw as the key issue in the campaign, McKenna said, “It’s the one I spoke about today, this outrageous spending and outrageous debt. People in Illinois are deeply troubled by a government that’s about to collapse and it all happened because of bad leadership. And people want common sense, simple, courageous leadership that will make decisions to rein it in. We’re not headed for a fiscal, rainy day, we’re headed for a fiscal Katrina and I’m just going to fix it. If that means tough decisions and a one-term governor, I’ll do it. I want to fix the problem.”
This reporter asked McKenna if he could control it all by spending cuts or does he have to consider a revenue or tax increase? McKenna said, “Illinois taxpayers gave Illinois more and more revenue. It is just that the leaders down there spent faster than the tax dollars came in and we have to live within our means.”
Jim Dodge was elated about winning the NTRO endorsement, noting that he had also won his home township, Orland Township, and that he picked up a straw poll victory in Milton township in DuPage, won unanimously in Schaumburg Township and he was expecting “some support out in Will County, as well.” Dodge said he thought, “people were responding to the idea of making a clean break with the politics of the past so that we can move forward.” Dodge said, “the people remember, whether it is fair or unfair to Judy, how she was tied to George Ryan by Blagojevich… and frankly the whole Alan Keyes thing happened on her watch as State Party Chairman.” When this reporter asked Dodge if he thought taxes should be increased, he said, “Absolutely not, emphatically not. Worse possible move.” I asked, “You don’t think there should be an increase in the income tax or sales tax for the next four years? Dodge said there should not be such an increase. He said the State spends too much money. When this reporter asked if Dodge could find ten billion dollars to cut since he said there was a ten billion dollar deficit, Dodge said, “Yes, [but] it’s not necessarily the Comptroller’s job, the comptroller’s role would be to get the facts right, so that the legislature, who ultimately controls the dollars, and the Governor, have a clear set of facts.”
Tolbert Chisum, NTRO Committeeman, speaking yesterday from the Winnetka Community House, the site of the endorsement session, said that in the Republican gubernatorial primary, Dan Proft won the first vote, 25 to 20 over McKenna, Jr. with the remaining votes being splintered among the other candidates and that the run-off between Proft and McKenna resulted in a tie at 32 votes each, meaning that NTRO would make a dual endorsement. Chisum said he had been neutral in the race for Governor and now that his organization has endorsed Proft and McKenna, he would be supporting them both.
Chisum acknowledged that McKenna, who had lived, with his family, in Glenview for many years, was kind of the hometown guy and “much better known there than Proft,” in his organization’s endorsement vote. This reporter asked Committeeman Chisum if Proft would get some notoriety out of this since he had tied a guy who was from the area and has been running big time TV ads. Chisum responded that this tie told him “Proft was representing his views very well and that people are hearing what he has to say.” When I asked Tolbert if he thought this meant “Proft had a shot at getting the Republican Party nomination,” Tolbert Chisum just laughed and said, “Thank you, Jeff, I’m not going to go there, I am only dealing with New Trier.”
NTRO Committeeman Chisum said the 10th CD vote was a surprise in that Bob Dold won it on the first ballot with about 52 %. [Chisum said it was 36 votes for Dold, 20 for Dick Green and 11 for State Rep. Beth Coulson, with Bill Cadigan getting 3 or 4 votes]. Chisum said the big surprise was Coulson’s third place performance because a lot of people thought she was the favorite because “She is the current State Rep. for the 17th Dist. and well known in this area…we’ve supported her thru New Trier strongly the last three elections and she has more name recognition than anyone but again Robert Dold had a strong showing- this is his home territory so his message is clear-- and Dick Green also made a strong showing…”
Committeeman Chisum said that Cong. Mark Kirk, who grew up in New Trier Township and is its Congressman, picked up the U. S. Senate endorsement, getting 94% of the vote, with several of his conservative opponents getting one or two votes each.
Jim Dodge picked up the NTRO endorsement over Topinka for Comptroller.
Northfield Township Republican Organization endorsement session
In Northfield Township, Cook County Comm. Goslin received the endorsement but the organization did not endorse anyone for Governor [McKenna, the top vote getter], Lt. Gov. [Plummer, the top vote getter], 10th CD [Coulson, the top vote getter], or Comptroller [Topinka, the top vote getter], as no one received the requisite two thirds for endorsement in those races.
Wheeling Township Republican Organization endorsement session
There was no endorsement for Governor, although Dillard received the largest vote total in the third round (46) to Brady’s 33, but Dillard did not have the requisite 60% for an endorsement.
For Lt. Gov., the local native son Sen. Matt Murphy received 41 votes to downstate Jason Plummer’s 40 votes in the third ballot, but again that was insufficient for the endorsement.
For 10th CD, Bill Cadigan was the top vote getter in the third round, with 43 to Dold’s 40 votes, but again that was insufficient for an endorsement.
In the U. S. Senate race, Pat Hughes edged out Cong. Mark. 43 to 38 in the third round vote totals, but again, that was insufficient for an endorsement.
Jim Dodge picked up the endorsement for Comptroller over Topinka, winning 53 votes to 25 in the second round.
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“It’s fantastic to get the endorsement of the New Trier Republican Organization (“NTRO,”) said Kenilworth’s 10th CD candidate Bob Dold yesterday. It’s a thoughtful organization- true honor to get their endorsement. There are twelve organizations like this in the 10th CD, but there are only four are five that will actually endorse… We got the Elk Grove endorsement so we are two for two. [Subsequently, it was determined that both Northfield and Wheeling did not endorse anyone in the 10th CD, see below].
Gubernatorial candidate Andy McKenna, Jr. said yesterday, “Well, I am pleased to be endorsed by NTRO [dual endorsement with Dan Proft], it is a great organization.” When this reporter asked if he was now the front-runner, Andy McKenna said, “You know, we are really having fun with this race…we are pleased with the momentum we are having. There are 80 days to go and we love competition and there’s a lot ahead of us.” When asked what he saw as the key issue in the campaign, McKenna said, “It’s the one I spoke about today, this outrageous spending and outrageous debt. People in Illinois are deeply troubled by a government that’s about to collapse and it all happened because of bad leadership. And people want common sense, simple, courageous leadership that will make decisions to rein it in. We’re not headed for a fiscal, rainy day, we’re headed for a fiscal Katrina and I’m just going to fix it. If that means tough decisions and a one-term governor, I’ll do it. I want to fix the problem.”
This reporter asked McKenna if he could control it all by spending cuts or does he have to consider a revenue or tax increase? McKenna said, “Illinois taxpayers gave Illinois more and more revenue. It is just that the leaders down there spent faster than the tax dollars came in and we have to live within our means.”
Jim Dodge was elated about winning the NTRO endorsement, noting that he had also won his home township, Orland Township, and that he picked up a straw poll victory in Milton township in DuPage, won unanimously in Schaumburg Township and he was expecting “some support out in Will County, as well.” Dodge said he thought, “people were responding to the idea of making a clean break with the politics of the past so that we can move forward.” Dodge said, “the people remember, whether it is fair or unfair to Judy, how she was tied to George Ryan by Blagojevich… and frankly the whole Alan Keyes thing happened on her watch as State Party Chairman.” When this reporter asked Dodge if he thought taxes should be increased, he said, “Absolutely not, emphatically not. Worse possible move.” I asked, “You don’t think there should be an increase in the income tax or sales tax for the next four years? Dodge said there should not be such an increase. He said the State spends too much money. When this reporter asked if Dodge could find ten billion dollars to cut since he said there was a ten billion dollar deficit, Dodge said, “Yes, [but] it’s not necessarily the Comptroller’s job, the comptroller’s role would be to get the facts right, so that the legislature, who ultimately controls the dollars, and the Governor, have a clear set of facts.”
Tolbert Chisum, NTRO Committeeman, speaking yesterday from the Winnetka Community House, the site of the endorsement session, said that in the Republican gubernatorial primary, Dan Proft won the first vote, 25 to 20 over McKenna, Jr. with the remaining votes being splintered among the other candidates and that the run-off between Proft and McKenna resulted in a tie at 32 votes each, meaning that NTRO would make a dual endorsement. Chisum said he had been neutral in the race for Governor and now that his organization has endorsed Proft and McKenna, he would be supporting them both.
Chisum acknowledged that McKenna, who had lived, with his family, in Glenview for many years, was kind of the hometown guy and “much better known there than Proft,” in his organization’s endorsement vote. This reporter asked Committeeman Chisum if Proft would get some notoriety out of this since he had tied a guy who was from the area and has been running big time TV ads. Chisum responded that this tie told him “Proft was representing his views very well and that people are hearing what he has to say.” When I asked Tolbert if he thought this meant “Proft had a shot at getting the Republican Party nomination,” Tolbert Chisum just laughed and said, “Thank you, Jeff, I’m not going to go there, I am only dealing with New Trier.”
NTRO Committeeman Chisum said the 10th CD vote was a surprise in that Bob Dold won it on the first ballot with about 52 %. [Chisum said it was 36 votes for Dold, 20 for Dick Green and 11 for State Rep. Beth Coulson, with Bill Cadigan getting 3 or 4 votes]. Chisum said the big surprise was Coulson’s third place performance because a lot of people thought she was the favorite because “She is the current State Rep. for the 17th Dist. and well known in this area…we’ve supported her thru New Trier strongly the last three elections and she has more name recognition than anyone but again Robert Dold had a strong showing- this is his home territory so his message is clear-- and Dick Green also made a strong showing…”
Committeeman Chisum said that Cong. Mark Kirk, who grew up in New Trier Township and is its Congressman, picked up the U. S. Senate endorsement, getting 94% of the vote, with several of his conservative opponents getting one or two votes each.
Jim Dodge picked up the NTRO endorsement over Topinka for Comptroller.
Northfield Township Republican Organization endorsement session
In Northfield Township, Cook County Comm. Goslin received the endorsement but the organization did not endorse anyone for Governor [McKenna, the top vote getter], Lt. Gov. [Plummer, the top vote getter], 10th CD [Coulson, the top vote getter], or Comptroller [Topinka, the top vote getter], as no one received the requisite two thirds for endorsement in those races.
Wheeling Township Republican Organization endorsement session
There was no endorsement for Governor, although Dillard received the largest vote total in the third round (46) to Brady’s 33, but Dillard did not have the requisite 60% for an endorsement.
For Lt. Gov., the local native son Sen. Matt Murphy received 41 votes to downstate Jason Plummer’s 40 votes in the third ballot, but again that was insufficient for the endorsement.
For 10th CD, Bill Cadigan was the top vote getter in the third round, with 43 to Dold’s 40 votes, but again that was insufficient for an endorsement.
In the U. S. Senate race, Pat Hughes edged out Cong. Mark. 43 to 38 in the third round vote totals, but again, that was insufficient for an endorsement.
Jim Dodge picked up the endorsement for Comptroller over Topinka, winning 53 votes to 25 in the second round.
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