Kane County incumbent Davoust pushes back on Warrior group’s opposition in GOP primary

ST. CHARLES – Incumbent Kane County Board member Mark Davoust, R-St. Charles, who faces challenger Jonathan Gripe in the March 19 primary for District 14, said an ultraconservative group within the Kane County Republican Party has asked him to give up his seat to support Gripe as their choice.

The group is known as the Warriors and is headed by Campton Hills residents Larry and Michelle Bettag, the same people who helped him defeat Democrat Tom Hodge in 2022, Davoust said.

“That’s when I lost my filter,” Davoust said. “Did you invite me here to ask me to step aside and help your guy take my seat?” he asked of the group. “That’s one of the dumbest ideas I think I’ve ever heard.”

Gripe said Michelle Bettag encouraged him to run, as did other friends.

Michelle Bettag said she is part of a grassroots group of friends who get together and look to support candidates.

“He’s been on the board 19 years. That’s a long time,” Michelle Bettag said of Davoust. “Mark Davoust is a very nice man. I like him. It’s not anything personal. ... We are not a radical right group. We are conservative. We are about the family and affordability in Kane County. They are not watching their budget.”

As to the group’s support of Gripe, Michelle Bettag said he was her Edward Jones representative for years. And when Gripe said he was retiring, she talked to him about serving on the County Board.

Her husband, Larry Bettag, declined to comment.

For the 2022 election, Davoust said, “Larry Bettag invites me to come out and meet their group. I said, ‘Sure, sounds great.’ I get out there and they’re friendly and want to help pass out palm cards and walk lists. Off they went and I defeat Tom Hodge.”

As he continued to attend the Warriors’ meetings, Davoust said he realized they had a different agenda.

“It didn’t take very many visits ... to realize they occupy a space that is quite a bit further to the right than the lane I use,” Davoust said. “They are prone to lean on the Bible quite a bit, for what I’m not sure. They’re very focused on all things conspiracy. They strike me as being interested in a fight more than a resolution.”

‘Not Republican enough’

This time around, Michelle Bettag invited him to speak to her and another person in their group, Brian L. Anderson, Davoust said. Anderson did not return a voicemail message seeking comment, but Michelle Bettag confirmed that she and Anderson met with Davoust about his reelection bid.

“They said they are meeting with candidates and would I come and sit down with them,” Davoust said. “It was a little uncomfortable for me, but they were supportive before [in 2022] and I won. I got the message that they still wanted to help. While I don’t embrace all of their positions, they are purporting to support Republicans – and they are Republicans.”

Davoust said after a few pleasantries, they told him, “Our goal as Warriors is to flip those 15 Democrat seats back to Republicans.”

There are only eight positions available at the moment, as the County Board seat elections are staggered by odd- and even-numbered districts.

“I said, ‘That’s a wonderful plan. Very ambitious,’” Davoust said.

Davoust suggested selecting four or five races and focusing on where the best chances were to claw back GOP dominance on the board.

He said they told him, “We want to make sure we have good candidates. We have recruited some people – including for County Board,” Davoust said. “A real true Republican speaks up and should sound more like David Young does at meetings.”

Davoust said he has spoken to Young, who was elected in 2022, and tried to mentor him as a new board member.

Young declined to comment.

“We wish you sounded more like David Young. You talk to Democrats,” Davoust said he was told. “We’re just concerned you are not Republican enough.”

“I said, ‘You do realize there’s twice as many of them?’” Davoust said of Democrats on the board. “They outnumber us 2:1. Yes I talk to them. That’s how we try to get anything done.”