Crystal Lake Gala Parade - Saturday July 5th

The McHenry County Democratic Party and its supporters were out in force for the Crystal Lake Gala Parade on Saturday. It was a perfect day for a parade. Over 80 Democrats marched, carried signs, and distributed flags and candy to a very receptive crowd of viewers.

(Photo courtesy DiGregor).

(Photo courtesy DiGregor).

Marching with us were many candidates for office including:

Robert Abboud – Candidate for U.S. Congress in the 16th District with Newton the Energy Dog (Photos courtesy DiGregor).

Rich Garling – Candidate for State Representative, 52nd District (Photo courtesy DiGregor).

David Bachmann – Candidate for McHenry County Coroner (Photo courtesy DiGregor).

Kerry Julian – Candidate for McHenry County Auditor (Photo courtesy DiGregor).

Bob Kempfe – Candidate for Illinois State Representative, 64th District (Photo courtesy DiGregor).

Anita Harmon – Candidate for McHenry County Board, District 2 (Photo courtesy DiGregor).

Also marching with us were Kathleen Bergan Schmidt – Candidate for McHenry County Board District 3, Paula Yensen – Candidate for McHenry County Board District 5, Tom Cynor – Candidate for McHenry County State’s Attorney, and a very enthusiastic group of Barack Obama supporters.

My thanks to all the supporters that came out and made this parade a huge success. Special thanks to Andrew Georgi, Lisa Georgi, and BJ Rendine for all their efforts organizing the parade.

Look For Us

Watch the parades this summer and you will see something McHenry County hasn’t seen in a long time – Democrats. We’ve always been here. And we haven’t been hiding, though there are some who would have you think we were. But now we are out in force and growing stronger by the minute.

You will see us marching in the parades this summer. Most importantly, you will see our candidates. Cal Skinner fears that the “Republican hegemony” is threatened. He’s right. For too long a sense of entitlement and hereditary right has pervaded the Republican run government and the politics of McHenry County.

Mr. Skinner has likened us to pests invading this county. Mr. Skinner refuses to accept the fact that we have always been here – living here, working here, going to church here, sending our children to school here, and paying taxes here. Rather than accept the fact that we are your friends and neighbors, he would have you believe that we are an enemy.

I don’t know where Mr. Skinner learned his civics, but I seem to recall that we live in a democratic republic; that our leaders are chosen by the sacred institution of the vote; and that any citizen, regardless of race, creed, color of skin, or political leaning may run and serve in any office for which they are eligible.

Look for us Mr. Skinner. We won’t be hard to find. There are far more of us than you may be willing to believe. Look for us in the parades this summer:

• Village of Island Lake – Friday, July 4th, 10:00 a.m.
• Wonder Lake – Friday, July 4th, 1:30 p.m.
• Crystal Lake Gala – Saturday, July 5th, 1:00 p.m.
• ... and more to come

And look for us on the ballot in November. We’ll be there too.