Andro Lerario takes helm of Kane County GOP leadership

The chairman of Campton Township Republicans, Andro Lerario, was elected the new chairman of the Kane County Republican Party at its convention last week, and Mark Guethle was re-elected to his 11th term to lead Kane County Democrats.

Lerario will replace Kenneth Shepro as the party’s leader in Kane County. Shepro said after serving two terms and six months as chairman, he chose not to stand for re-election as the party’s leader.

Shepro said Lerario will have a challenge unifying the party for the Nov. 8 midterm election.

“After a contested primary – where the active county clerk was opposed by party leaders and challenges were mounted to the current chairman, ie, me … I think there is a lot of work that needs to be done to somehow unite these warring factions before beginning of early voting, which is less than 30 days now,” Shepro said.

“I’m concerned, given the divisiveness of the primary, it’s going to be very challenging to put all of this back together in time to have an impact on the November election.”

While local politics is not necessarily on a par with the national schism –Trump vs. anti-Trump – the overturning of Roe vs. Wade is a factor, Shepro said.

“One thing it has done is galvanize what seemed to be an apathetic and defeated Democratic Party back to the wall and newly energized,” Shepro said.

In particular, a state referendum in Kansas this week for a constitutional amendment to outlaw abortion was soundly defeated, he said.

“A lot of Republicans are noticing that and getting a little worried,” Shepro said. “Dorothy, we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

Republicans working together

Lerario disagreed.

“I can’t tell you want it means for the party,” Lerario said of his election as the new GOP leader. “For me, I’m a firm believer in the answer to the party’s problems is everybody working together more efficiently and working for a common cause.”

Lerario said what he hoped to do was give a voice to the various chairs of the townships, the vice-chairs and the precinct committeemen.

“What I told everybody … I didn’t care about the title. I don’t need the title,” Lerario said. “I really want more about everybody working together and coming up with ideas on how to work together. That’s it in a nutshell. … That is – to me – what the party should be about.”

Lerario said he’s already seeing more unity and participation among Kane Republicans since the primary.

Among the organizations cooperating now are Illinois Freedom and the Geneva-based Three-Headed Eagle Alliance, Lerario said.

“Now we’re kicking off a Hispanic Coalition under the Kane County GOP,” Lerario said. “We’re going to work together and drive the message to the Hispanic population and work within that community.”

As for Douglas Warlick’s failed challenge to incumbent Jack Cunningham to be the GOP candidate for County Clerk, Lerario said both were Republicans and entitled to the same support he provided as chairman of the Campton Township Republicans.

“I never lost connections with our incumbent,” Lerario said of Cunningham. “I never decided not to speak to him any more.“ ... I don’t think I’m an enemy of the incumbent.”

Roe vs. Wade

Lerario also dismissed any significance attached to the Kansas abortion referendum.

“Everybody thinks the Roe vs. Wade decision is going to be this big shot in the arm for Democrats. I cannot answer for what goes on in Kansas. They handle their own issues,” Lerario said.

“I speak with people that vote – Democrats, too – I have got them in my own family. … They’re worried about taxes,” Lerario said. “They’re worried about inflation. They’re worried about the cost of gas and putting food on the table. This is what worries them the most.”

Lerario said his goal as Kane County’s new GOP leader is to build Illinois “back to the greatness that Illinois is capable of and should be.”

‘Kane County is trending blue’

As confident as Lerario is about Kane Republicans, Guethle is just as confident about Democrats’ success in November.

“The last two election cycles, Democrats led at the top,” Guethle said. “We have prevailed. I look at that as a presidential year and a mid-term – two in a row. We received more votes than Republicans and we are looking to repeat that. Kane County is trending blue.”

Guethle said Democratic leadership in the state lowered the gas and grocery taxes and facilitated a property tax rebate.

“These are bread and butter issues, making sure people have lower taxes and better paying jobs and somewhat of a break at the gas pump,” Guethle said. “I predict we will have another banner year for Kane Democrats and we will have more Democrats elected in Kane County and nationally as well.”

Guethle agreed with Shepro that the Kansas abortion referendum is an indicator of a general reaction to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade.

Parties began slating candidates to run in November following the June 28 primary.

Democrat Linda Robertson of St. Charles got more than 1,500 signatures in less than three weeks to run against incumbent State Rep. Daniel Ugaste, R-Geneva, in the state’s 65th District, Guethle said.

“We have 21 local candidates who are pro-choice,” Guethle said. “Ugaste is anti-choice. Darren Bailey is not only anti-choice, but he is for no exceptions if a woman is raped or for incest.”

Bailey is the Republican challenger to incumbent Democrat JB Pritzker for Illinois Governor.

“It’s an important issue if you are running for office – at every level – County Board, on up,” Guethle said. “Never count out the women’s vote. That is a mistake.”

Robertson, a microbiologist who holds 12 patents, made a friendly correction to Guethle’s timeline: “We needed 400 signatures in three weeks. When it was all counted up, we had 51 volunteers who got over 1,500 signatures in two weeks.”

The issues are the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S Capitol, abortion rights and sensible gun control, for Democratic women and Republican women, Robertson said.

“Being a candidate was something I never planned on doing, but I could not stay out of it any longer,” Robertson said.

“There needs to be a choice of candidates and a choice of policies. We should be discussing ideas, that’s my belief,” Robertson said. “As a scientist, I follow data and information and as new information you reevaluate on that. … I see myself as logical and mainstream.”

However, Ugaste agreed with Lerario, saying that when he talks to people, the issues are inflation, crime and parental rights in school, not Roe vs. Wade.

“I think this is why we have elections. Because the people are going to decide what’s important,” Ugaste said. “I can’t predict how this is going to all come out. … I will go out and run my race and someone will come out the winner.”

An attorney, Ugaste is seeking his third term to represent the 65th District, which includes Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, Campton Hills, Gilberts, Hampshire, Huntley, Pingree Grove, South Elgin and Wayne and portions of McHenry County.