Pols eye fests to stump

From the Sunday, June, 8, 2008 edition of the Northwest Herald:

Pols eye fests to stump
By DIANA SROKA - dsroka@nwherald.com

Harvard's Milk Days isn't just the first summer festival in McHenry County.

It's also the first opportunity for local Republicans and Democrats to stump for their presumptive nominees now that the primary season is over and it's almost certain that Americans will be choosing between Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain in November.

"It's good to have the question of the nominee settled," said Kathleen Bergan Schmidt, chairwoman of the McHenry County Democratic Party. "I think we're pretty excited."

Bergan Schmidt also is running for a spot on McHenry County Board.

Local Republicans and Democrats plan to use the festival season as an opportunity for grassroots campaigning.

For area Democrats, the emphasis will be on local candidates, Bergan Schmidt said.

"We're not going to be getting 30 seconds on the 10 o'clock news, so it's up to us to get out and let people know about the rest of the Democratic candidates," she said.

Bergan Schmidt said local candidates hoped that the momentum of the presidential election – and a popular candidate – would propel local Democratic candidates.

Republicans, however, are skeptical of the value of Obama's national "star power" in the county.

"We're still a conservative county that believes in empowering people and the rights of individuals over the rights of government," said state Rep. Michael Tryon, chairman of the McHenry County Republican Party. "Obviously Barack is from Illinois, but he's not from McHenry County."

Tryon said local Republicans already had mobilized a McCain campaign committee and had planned rigorous campaign events in the coming months, including a McCain fundraiser in August.

John McCrory, campaign coordinator for the McHenry County Republican Party, said the group's grassroots campaign included approaches as simple as being a vocal neighbor.

"A lot of campaigning is talking to neighbors, being present at parades," McCrory said.

While McHenry County is traditionally a Republican stronghold, more Democratic ballots were cast in the February primary election than Republican ballots.

The county also has experienced a significant increase in voter registration this year.

Before the February primary election, 188,449 McHenry County residents were registered to vote, McHenry County Clerk Katherine Schultz said. Since then, the number has risen to 190,632.

"Anytime you have a presidential election, you're going to see it in registration," Schultz said.

She said she expected that number to increase even more before the November election.

McCrory said the primary results and the county's conservative reputation posed a challenge for this year's candidates.

"You can't assume a Republican is going to carry the county in a presidential election," McCrory said. "I think Republicans need to get up and get out to vote."

As for area Democrats?

"Perhaps [the county's] conservative nature is becoming historical fact but [not] present reality," Bergan Schmidt said.