patrickmurfin

Most folks were glad that the Illinois General Assembly recently passed a long awaited Capital Bill.  A long list of needed McHenry County road projects and stretches of neglected, pot holed highways cried out for attention.  And, coupled with President Obama’s Stimulus Bill, needed jobs will be created as shovels start to turn at last.

But, of course, the devil is in the details.

Every once in a while Cal Skinner  at the McHenry County Blog uncorks a gem.  This time he has turned up a real eye popper in money earmarked for townships in the new capital bill.  All township road commissioners get at least $75,000 whether they need it or not.  But check out the eye popping $495,000 for Algonquin Township Highway Department and its few miles of roads outside state, county and municipal control.  It looks to me like a huge pay off to Road Commissioner Bob Miller’s mighty Republican machine. 

Then check out the generous $200,000 for Grafton, for which a negligent clerk left in identification of Rep. Mike Tryon—coincidently the McHenry County Republican Party Chair--as the sponsor.  Then turn your attention to another populous Township--Nunda.  It gets the same 75 Gs as puny Alden. 

What gives?  A cynic might think that now that Nunda Township is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brent Smith Empire Builders Inc, that it might be getting the back of the hand for drooling excessively over Tryon's job and Miller's power. 

Smith is ostensibly a lowly Precinct Committeeman and a power in the recently energized McHenry County Young Republicans.  But he is a clout heavy member of the Local 150 of the Operating Engineers and has used union muscle to work for selected GOP candidates.  He put together the Team Nunda slate, including his wife Joni, that swept to victory in the April Township elections defeating Change for Nunda candidates Meredith Reid Sarkees and I.  With his erstwhile mentor, Nunda Road Commissioner Don Kopsell likely to retire after or—better  yet—during his term, Smith might slide into the job with its potent mini-army of patronage workers. 

Smith clearly is aiming to seize leadership in the County party at the head of resurgent conservative purists out to purge “trimmers” and suspected moderates like Tryon.  But Tryon is popular with the voters if not with the knuckle dragging “base.”  And Miller commands the deep pockets of campaign cash to dole out to favored candidates.  Both men just sent a strong message to the lean and hungry Smith.

Meredith Reid Sarkees and Patrick Murfin wish to thank all of our volunteers, contributors, supporters and the voters.  We lost the election, but are proud to have stood up to be counted.

Here are the results as posted on McVote.  These results are not final.  Early and absentee ballots have not yet been recorded.  But early voting was very light and will not significantly affect the out come

So what happened?

Support for the Democratic Party candidates closely tracked the turn out in most Democratic Primaries (the last Presidential Primary excepted.)  In other words folks who are so strongly committed to the party that they have been willing to let their friends and neighbors in a traditionally overwhelmingly Republican area know who they are came out to vote.  The much larger number of folks who now vote Democratic in state and national elections, but traditionally pay no attention to local races, could not be turned out despite a concerted effort.  Some how we have to get the “national Democrats” to recognize the importance of local races.

Meanwhile the Republican Party, stung by the loss of McHenry County last November, was highly motivated to re-assert their traditional dominance of local governments.  The party raised and spent unprecedented money in support of their Team Nunda slate and in support of Algonquin Township trustee candidates challenged by another Democratic slate. 

The township was blanketed by hundreds of Team Nunda signs and hundreds more signs for each individual candidate.  By contrast the Change for Nunda campaign could only afford 50 signs at least half of which were stolen.  There were also multiple mailings and robo calls.  Change for Nunda got out one targeted mailing and volunteers made about 1000 phone calls in concert with McHenry County College Trustee candidate John Darger.  The Republicans also actually got out and canvassed door-to-door in some areas, which has been unheard of in recent elections.  They had ceded the shoe leather department to Democrats who have tried to make up for less well funded campaigns with personal campaigning.

So it became a turn-out-your-base election.  And the sad fact is that in Nunda Township the Republicans can still turn out a bigger base than the Democrats.

The Nunda Open Space Referendum was also a factor.  Murfin and Sarkees enthusiastically supported the referendum, which would have issued bonds to buy and preserve open space to protect ground water reserves.  Although the funding mechanism failed to pass it by a mere handful of votes the last time it was offered, bringing it back to the voters in hard economic times was risky.  But it was a matter of conscience for both candidates.

You can see that the yes vote closely paralleled the Change for Nunda numbers.  Murfin and Sarkees got the majority of yes voters.  On the other hand support for the referendum undoubtedly cost the candidates some votes even among Democrats voting their pocket books over environmental concerns.

Finally, did the last minute smear campaign launched against Murfin have much effect?  For all of the strum und drang it was essentially shouting down the rain barrel.  It got  half a dozen lunatics into a froth in the on-line comments to letters to the editor in the Northwest Herald.  “Discussion” there quickly spun out of control and ended with accusations that Murfin was an actual “Communist.”  But most voters of either party disregarded the noise.  It certainly did not effect the Democratic base.  At worst may have motivated a couple of dozen knuckle draggers to turn out to vote for Team Nunda—and to oil their guns in preparation for the upcoming insurrection against the “socialist/facist/muslim/terrorists/gun grabbing/baby killing regime in Washington.”

But despite the defeat, this election was an important skirmish in the on going guerilla campaign to “Turn McHenry County Blue.”  By not ceding local races to the Republicans, Democrats force them to spend large amounts of cash.  We keep our campaign organizations intact and in practice between even-year general elections.  And we develop experienced candidates who learn the ropes and can go on to bigger things.  First time candidate Sarkees, who outdrew old timer Murfin, has all of the credentials to go on to other races.

It seems just yesterday since Nunda Township Democrats caucused to nominate Meredith Reid Sarkees and me as candidates for Township Trustee.  Less than three month is not much time to pull together a campaign, even one for an often neglected local race.  So we have been pretty busy.

We appreciate the support offered to us in donations of time, talent, and treasure.  Without it he could not hope to challenge one of the most entrenched political machines in McHenry County.

Now we need you to go the final mile.  VOTE!  Call your friends and neighbors and remind them to VOTE!  In the race for Nunda Township Trustee vote only for you Change for Nunda candidates, Murfin and Sarkees.  Do not “fill out” your ballot by voting for any of the Team Nunda Republicans.  You don’t need to vote for all four positions.  Vote only for the best.

While you are at the polls, please support the Nunda Township Open Space Referendum, which we have enthusiastically endorsed.  And vote for John Darger, candidate for McHenry County College Trustee.

 And after the polls close please join us and the friends and supporters of Algonquin Township Democratic Candidates—Frank Hyden, Robert Franks, and James McTague—and John Darger at Porter’s Oyster Bar, 446 W Virginia Street, Crystal Lake to follow the returns and celebrate the campaigns. 

On Saturday, Patrick Murfin, with Meredith Reed Sarkees one of the Change for Nunda candidates for Township Trustee, was out canvassing for votes the old fashioned way—by ringing door bells and talking to actual voters.  He had to work fast with a heavy spring snow storm threatening to close in.  He will be hitting the bricks again next weekend.  So will volunteers in other “urban” precincts.

While the tactic may be traditional, a high tech voter data base enables Democratic Party Precinct Representatives to target likely supporters.  Getting those supporters to the polls on April 7 or to cast an early vote is critical to electoral success.

Voters, including those in more rural areas of Nunda Township, are also being contacted by phone and by  post card mailing.

Our Change for Nunda yard signs are in!  If you would like to host a sign, please e-mail your request to pmurfin@sbcglobal.net.  Hurry, supplies are limited!

Early voting for the April 7 Consolidated Election begins Monday, March 16 and continues through Thursday, April 2.  This increasingly popular voting option is the choice of many busy people and insures that your vote is locked in and counted no matter how hectic election day turns out to be. 

Meredith Reid Sarkees and Patrick Murfin, the Change for Nunda candidates are opposed by an entrenched political machine.  We need bank every reliable vote now.

Please consider opting for early or absentee voting.

If you want change in Nunda Township, when you get to the polls cast your Trustee votes only for Murfin and Sarkees.  There are four Trustee positions up for election and only two Democratic candidates.  You are not required to cast 4 votes!  Votes for any of the Republican candidates will pile up votes for them and lessens the chance that your voice for change will be heard.

Early Voting Will Be Conducted At:

McHenry County Administration Building

667 Ware Rd., 2^nd Floor, Conference Room A

Woodstock, IL  60098

Mar 16^th thru Mar 20^th, Mar 23^rd thru Mar 27^th,

Mar 30^th thru Apr 2^nd

Hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Saturday, Mar 21^st and Mar 28^th   

9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Nunda Township Offices

3510 Bay Rd, Annex

Crystal Lake, IL 60012

Mar 23^rd thru Mar 27^th, Mar 30^th thru Apr 2^nd

Hours: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Saturdays--NO Hours 

Early voting will also be conducted at a number of other locations in the county.  Ballots for all jurisdictions will be available at each location.  For a full list of locations and times consult the McHenry County Clerk’s web page.

John Darger, candidate for McHenry County College Trustee

Please join us for a co-operative voter calling party this Sunday, March 1 from 12 to 3 PM at Pauline Walker's house, 233 Third Street in Crystal Lake.  Volunteers will be calling identified Democratic voters on behalf of John Darger’s campaign for McHenry County College Trustee, and the Change for Nunda candidates Meredith Reid Sarkees and Patrick Murfin.

If you are not familiar with John Darger, you should be.  A former candidate for the McHenry County Board, Darger is a leading McHenry County Democrat who worked full-time as an Obama Fellow this past summer in Saginaw, Michigan, the town where his parents grew up, and worked weekends for Obama in northwest Indiana.  Now he is applying that hard earned political acumen to making our community college work for all of us.

Darger is a sale representative for a leading independent publisher, W.W. Norton and has the intellectual curiosity of a true bibliophile.

He has also been a strong supporter of MCC, as well as a vocal critic when this vital community institution has strayed away from its mission.  Many observers point to him as critical to crystallizing opposition to the Board’s ill advised scheme to build an addition with a minor league baseball stadium last year.  And he has been skeptical of the current proposal to locate the world’s tallest free standing broadcast antenna on land sold by the college.

Bring your cell phones and join us this Sunday!

Change for Nunda candidates Patrick Murfin and Meredith Reid Sarkees  congratulate the winners of the Republican Party Primary, Tom Palmer, Joni Smith, James C. Schlader, and Kelvin “Lee” Jennings.  We look forward to engaging them in a vigorous debate about the future of our township.  The vote totals courtesy of McVote are:

All four trustee candidates ran together as part of Team Nunda, which was led by powerful highway commissioner Don Kopsell, who was unopposed in the primary.  Dennis Jagla crushed Alan Weaver, the candidate who ran as a “soft” Republican and who appealed for Democratic support with a disingenuous mailer.

All in all, it was a triumph for the regular Republican political machine and business as usual.  Team Nunda can leave out all of those campaign signs already dotting the township.  They probably believe that they can sprint toward victory in the April 7 Consolidated Election while hardly breaking a sweat.

But only about 850 voters participated in the primary.  They represent, for the most part, the core of party diehards. The spring election is also typically a low turn-out affair.  But this time Democrats and the many Independents, who are loath to identify party preference to their friends and neighbors, will be in the mix.  And these voters are eager to see the refreshing winds of change and reform blow through this corner of the county as they have blown through Washington.  They know that the economic crisis faced by all of us will bring new challenges to township government that can only be met with fresh eyes and hands.

Meanwhile, over in Algonquin Township Linda A. Lance, Joseph H. Powalowski, incumbent Niels E. Sorensen, and Lowell A. Cutsforth crushed perennial looser Mark Guerra upholding the unchallenged supremacy of Highway Commissioner Bob Miller.  What is it about highway commissioners as Republican satraps anyway?

They will face Democratic nominees Robert Frank, Frank Hyden, and James McTague.

Democrats and Independents have often skipped the spring off-year election because the races are low profile and they have assumed the contests—when there are any—have been decided by an unchallengeable GOP machine.  But if we can get only one quarter of the folks who cast Democratic ballots in the 2008 Primary or who in the privacy of the voting booth changed the political landscape of McHenry County forever by decisively supporting Barack Obama, we can win.  Yes we can!

It is our job to make sure those Democrats and Independents know what is at stake.  You will be hearing from us.  We will be reminding you to vote—and to cast your votes only for the Democratic Party nominees in these townships.

McHenry County Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Bergan Schmidt addressed confusion over the upcoming Republican Party primary elections in Algonquin and Nunda Townships in a recent statement.

“The only way voters can support Democratic candidates in these townships is to cast their ballots in the April 7^th Consolidated Elections,” Bergan Schmidt said.

Republicans chose to select their candidates in a primary election scheduled for Tuesday, February 24.  Democrats elected to choose their candidates by caucus, which Bergan Schmidt noted was a considerable savings to tax payers.

Winners of the Republican primaries will square off against Democrats for trustee seats in both townships.  Frank Hyden, Robert Frank, and James McTague are the party nominees in Algonquin Township.  Patrick Murfin and Meredith Reid Sarkees will be on the ballot in Nunda Township.

“If a voter chooses to participate in the Republican primary, however, he or she can still vote for Democratic candidates in the April election,” Bergan Schmidt pointed out.

Voters with questions should contact the party at 815 788-9540 or e-mail info@mchenrydems.com.

        

Nunda Township Trustee candidates Meredith Reid Sarkees and Patrick Murfin in real life and as an Obamacon.

Yes, it’s true.  I am once again a candidate for public office.  After being whipped for Crystal Lake City Council in 1997 and for County Board in 2002, I thought I would never again run for office myself.  But township government, as obscure as that is too many voters, is no less in need of change and hope than the Federal, state, and county levels.  And important local issues including ground water preservation, open space, land use, and planning are all on the Nunda Township plate.  And I am delighted to be on the ticket with the vastly more qualified Meredith Reid Sarkees, a professor of political science who has published widely on international relations, war and women.  Below is a copy of the Democratic Party of McHenry County press release announcing the caucus results in Nunda and Algonquin Township.

ALGONQUIN AND NUNDA DEMOCRATS CAUCUS TRUSTEE CANDIDATES

CRYSTAL LAKE—Democratic voters from Algonquin and Nunda Townships assembled in caucus Tuesday evening to select candidates for township office in the April 7th local elections.

Algonquin Democrats meeting at the Lake In the Hills Village Hall nominated three candidates for township trustee.  James McTague, a psychologist from Cary, has twice been a candidate for the County Board from District 1.  He will be joined on the ticket by first time candidates Frank Hyden of Crystal Lake and Bob Frank of Cary.

Meanwhile Nunda Democrats meeting at the Township Hall selected Meredith Reid Sarkees and Patrick Murfin as candidates for trustee.  Sarkees of unincorporated Crystal Lake is a ten year McHenry County Resident and a former professor of political science at DePaul University.  Murfin of Crystal Lake is the Secretary of the McHenry County Democratic Party and previously ran for Crystal Lake City Council and County Board in District 3.

Nunda Democrats identified groundwater preservation, open space, and regional planning as top issues in the upcoming campaign.

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