Andro Lerario re-elected as Kane GOP chairman

ST. CHARLES – Andro Lerario was reelected this week for another two-year term as chairman of the Kane County Republican Party.

The Kane GOP convention was held Wednesday at the Royal Fox Country Club in St. Charles.

Precinct committee persons reelected Lerario, who ran without opposition. “The energy was unbelievable,” Lerario said. “People were standing up clapping.”

Lerario said he will be focused on having Republicans who disagree with each other to talk it out and work it out.

“Enough with the back-talking,” Lerario said. “Everybody understands we have different opinions. ... If we have a problem, talk it out.”

As the new party chair, he still needs to be sworn in at the next Kane GOP meeting.

But Lerario said he already has plans for how to rebuild the party.

“I plan on keeping on, forging ahead and organizing more of a business-type structure to support all Republican candidates,” Lerario said. “To help them, educate them – whatever it is we have to do to get the votes out. Baby steps and keep moving in a forward direction. That is my game plan so everybody knows what they’re doing.”

When Lerario was elected two years ago, he said he warned the precinct committeepersons — the only ones who can vote for a party leader — that “the first two years were going to be a bit chaotic.”

“I’m still surprised that some people get upset about the way I do things. I warned you,” Lerario said. “Now we are fixing things.”

Among the new efforts with his second term will be recruiting more precinct committeepersons and training them, he said.

With 292 precincts in Kane County, there are 107 Republican precinct committeepersons, as their job is to promote the party and candidates within their respective precincts.

Lerario said the list of those just elected in the March 19 primary does not include more who will be appointed.

“When we end up, we’ll probably be closer to 170 positions filled,” he said.

Lerario said he would likely appoint three vice chairmen to have leadership roles in recruiting precinct committeepersons and training them, one for technology and artificial intelligence and a third to promote membership.

The party is already reaching out to high school students who will be old enough to vote as well as students at Waubonsee and Elgin community colleges, he said.

Another goal is to have Dean White, who already serves on the Illinois Republican State Central Committee, become the state representative for the Republican National Committee.

Support for White is expected to be solidified at the state Republican County Chairmen’s Association Convention May 24 and 25 in Collinsville, Lerario said.

“We are trying to get a little more of a national footprint for our county,” Lerario said. “Dean White – he’s our guy.”

White did not immediately respond to a voicemail message seeking comment.