State Senate Rep. Leader, Christine Radogno, speaks elections and ethics in Lake Forest

State Senate Republican Leader, Christine Radogno, was the featured speaker at the 2009 Holiday Coffee sponsored by the Women’s Republican Club of Lake Forest/Lake Bluff at the Lake Forest home of William and Kim Madden.  The WRC of LF/LB is celebrating its 67th birthday this year and is one of the oldest Clubs in the nation.  Jan Gibson heads the group.

Seventy people attended the morning Holiday Coffee which included the following Primary Election candidates:
For Governor, Dan Proft and Kirk Dillard represented by Brook Hougeson; Lt. Governor, Brad Cole, Jason Plommer, and Don Tracy; U.S. Senate, Jim Arrington, Patrick Hughes, and Andy Martin; 10th Congressional District, Bill Cadigan, Rep. Beth Coulson, Bob Dold, and Paul Hamann; State Rep., Cindy Hebda, 59th District, and Lauren Turelli, 58th District; Honorable Bob Skidmore, Lake County Treasurer; Roycealee Wood, Lake County Superintendent of Schools and Mark Curran, Lake County Sheriff, were represented by Bob Skidmore; Willard Helander, Lake County Clerk; Honorable Wally Dunn, Circuit Court Judge; Honorable Susan Gravenhorst, Lake County Board; Honorable Justice Mary Schostok; Appellate Court; and Honorable Ann Jorgensen, Appellate Court.  Honorable Corinne Wood, Lt. Governor under Jim Edgar, was a VIP attendee.

The Women’s Republican Club’s Holiday Coffee was a time to meet and greet the candidates, along with the distribution of literature.  The Club is planning a Candidates Forum in Lake Forest on Saturday, January 9th, at which time Primary Election candidates will have a chance to speak.

Christine Radogno spoke of feelings of hope among Illinois Republicans; that this is a Republican year. Christine also cautioned that it is easy to get caught up with “win, win win,” but the main thing is “Why do we want to win?”  In Ms. Radogno’s words, “It is because Republicans have policies that are best for individuals and for this country.”

Fiscal policy heads the list.  Under Democrat leadership came an aggressive expansion of government which greatly damaged the economy.  The Democrat’s response to every problem is to get more money through added taxes.  People in Illinois are asking what the heck is going on?  This concern must be tapped by candidates.

Ms. Radogno expressed her own excitement about the caliber of Republican candidates on the ballot in the upcoming Primary Elections.  Good candidates are running.  In regard to the Governor and Lt. Governor candidates, Christine indicated — although no names were mentioned — that more than one of them could do a great job.  According to Ms. Radogno, “This will mean that Republicans don’t end up having to pick the lesser of two evils.”

Christine Rodogno then went on to speak about potential pickups for the Republican Party in the IL House and Senate, although she admitted that she is far more immersed in the Senate races.  Designated senate pickups were Steve Rauschenberger, District 22; Suzy Smidt, District 31; and Brian Doherty of the 10th District in Chicago.

In statewide races, Radogno praised Dan Rutherford as a terrific potential pickup for Republicans in his bid for IL Treasurer.  He is running unopposed.  Ms. Rodogno then went on to describe Judy Barr Topinka as a “terrific” candidate for Comptroller, never mentioning that Reagan conservative Jim Dodge is running as a viable Rep. candidate with Topinka for the Comptroller’s position.

Christine Rodogno’s omission of not naming Mark Kirk as a possible U.S. Senate pickup was perplexing to me.  It is well known that Ms. Rodogno is a strong supporter of Mark Kirk.  Could it be that because Mark Kirk was a no show at the event and conservative U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Hughes was standing well within Ms. Rodogno’s view, that Rodogno thought it best not to draw any attention to Patrick Hughes who is winning over former Kirk supporters?  There were Patrick Hughes supporters present, I being one of them.

Concerning ethics, Ms. Rodogno spoke of a law recently passed that limits the amount of money that can be raised as being flawed because it leaves party leaders off the freeze.

The final issue addressed by Christine Rodogno was the redistribution of districts that takes place every 10 years.  Reform is needed to change the process, taking it from the legislators and putting it in the hands of an independent commission, so Democrats are prevented from drawing districts that protect themselves.

You can help by going to www.ilfairmap.com and downloading a petition that calls for a redistricting process that is more transparent, fair, and accessible to the public.  500,000 Illinois signatures must be collected by April 1, 2010.