December 03, 2024
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Republican Jon Gripe ahead in Kane seat in District 14

Gripe: ‘Nobody is going to tell me what to do’

By Brenda Schory
Jonathan Gripe, Republican candidate for Kane County Board District 14, talks with supporters while awaiting election results on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles.

Jonathan Gripe, Republican candidate for Kane County Board District 14, talks with supporters while awaiting election results on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. (Sandy Bressner)

Republican Jonathan Gripe appears to have won the Kane County Board District 14 seat with 7,290 votes to Democrat Brenda Engelhardt’s 5,387, according to unofficial results as of 4 p.m. Nov. 8.

District 14 includes parts of Elgin, South Elgin, Campton Hills and St. Charles.

“It’s better than losing,” Gripe said.

“I do feel good about going onto the board and doing everything I can to try to improve things. I don’t need to be in the majority to do that, which was occasionally my mindset,” Gripe said, referring to the Democrat majority on the board.

Currently, there are 16 Democrats and eight Republicans on the board. When the new board takes the oath of office in December, the mix will be 17 Democrats and seven Republicans. Democrat Ted Penesis will take over the seat formerly held by Republican Michael Kenyon.

“I have friends who are a minority in the Illinois Legislature and they still do stuff and get things done,” Gripe of St. Charles said. “I think we can work together with others on the board who want to work together.”

Kane County Board District 14 Republican challenger Jonathan Gripe waits for election results at Old Towne Pub and Eatery in Campton Hills on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Kane County Board District 14 Republican challenger Jonathan Gripe waits for election results at Old Towne Pub and Eatery in Campton Hills on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Gripe won the primary. (Sandy Bressner)

One of the issues in the March primary race when Gripe unseated 18-year board veteran Mark Davoust was the influence of an ultraconservative group within the Kane County GOP known as the Warriors.

Davoust had said they recruited Gripe to run against him and then asked him to give up his seat and back their choice. Davoust refused, but Gripe won the GOP primary anyway.

Gripe disavowed any influence from the Warriors in his service on the board.

“I’m not in the pipeline to let anybody tell me how to vote,” Gripe said. “My strong answer is nobody is going to tell me what to do. I will always take input from the people. Nobody owns me. Nobody controls me. I made that very clear.”

Engelhardt said she called Gripe on Nov. 5 to congratulate him on his win.

“He worked very hard and he very graciously got back to me. He was very nice,” Engelhardt said. “I am so proud and glad for friends and the help and support I got. I was proud to run for the county board.”

ElectionKane County2024 Election