Do you know the name of your Republican Committee Person?

By Michael J. Korman

We ARE the party of Lincoln.

Yesterday I was horrified by what I heard from the 45th President of the United States, and even more horrified about what happened after that at the United States Capitol. This morning I am just, simply put, outraged.

I served nearly 25 years in the US Navy, including four combat tours. The actions I saw yesterday in the District of Columbia reminded me of the fledgling governments I saw get created in Bosnia, Kosovo, North Macedonia (formerly FYROM), and Iraq.

I have been a very proud Republican for many years. From elections held in Pennsylvania in 1982 through to today, I have voted in every election I have been eligible to do from here at home and while stationed across the globe. I have been dealing with severe internal strife about how to handle my party affiliation today. Quite possibly, the easy answer is just to resign and become independent. It is undoubtedly true that I feel more aligned to many ideals of the Democratic Party, but at my core, I have been a Republican.

I spoke yesterday to a lifelong and staunch Democrat, a former candidate for elected office. I shared with her my conflict. She encouraged me to stay in the party and to make a change internally. As a resident of Cook County, that might not be easy. The fealty for the Head of the Republican Party (45) is disgusting to me. I have been and will continue to be a NEVER Trump Republican, and I have supported the Lincoln Project.

Illinois Law (10 ILCS 5/8-2) states in part: "no political organization or group shall be qualified as a political party hereunder, or given a place on the ballot, which organization or group is associated, directly or indirectly, with un-American principles and engages in activities or propaganda…or the overthrow by violence of the established constitutional form of government of the United States and the State of Illinois"

Honestly, I don't know how else to view what I saw yesterday.

Local governance and elections are the bedrock of our Constitutional Form of Government. People often say we are a Democracy when in actuality, we are a Representative Republic. In Illinois, the most basic unit of our government is the Republican and Democratic Committeewomen and Men elected to serve our respective parties. In Suburban Cook County, these representatives are ELECTED every four years at the Primary election for Governor. The political subdivision is the Township. At the March 20, 2018, Primary election, the following Republican Township Committeepersons were elected without opposition (please remember this point).

• Barrington Chris Geissler (Note 1)
• Berwyn David A. Hartman (Note 2)
• Bloom Douglas M. Troiani
• Bremen Kevin Suggs
• Calumet No Candidate
• Cicero Maria C. Moreno
• Elk Grove Russell K. Nowak
• Evanston Blair Garber
• Hanover Michael H Baumer
• Lemont Michael G. Shackel
• Leyden Bradley A. Stephens
• Lyons Christine Cook
• Maine Char Foss-Eggemann
• Niles Chris J. Hanusiak
• Northfield No candidate (Note 3)
• Norwood Park Anthony Beckman
• Oak Park Linda Tibensky
• Orland Elizabeth ''Liz'' Doody Gorman
• Palatine Aaron B. Del Mar
• Palos Sean M. Morrison
• Proviso Michael A. Corrigan
• Rich David T. Brooks (Note 4)
• River Forest Thomas C. Cronin
• Riverside Michael C. Dropka
• Schaumburg Joe Folisi
• Stickney Natasa Dzolic
• Thornton Tim DeYoung
• Wheeling Kathy Penner
• Worth Shaun Colin Murphy

In New Trier Township, there was a contested Republican Committeeperson election, Kathy Myalls defeated Alex Kaplan.

According to the Cook County Republican Party website (www.cookrepublicanparty.com)

the following changes have occurred since the March 2018 election cycle.

Note #1: Geissler has been replaced by Peter Kopsaftis.

Note #2: Berwyn is vacant.

Note #3: In Northfield Township, Mr. TJ Brown filed as a write-in candidate in 2018 and earned his seat.

Note #4: Brooks has been replaced by Dr. Eric Wallace.

I would venture to say that MOST Republican Primary Voters have no idea who their elected Committeeperson currently is, and even fewer have met them.

The next Cook County Committeeperson election is likely March 15, 2022. A simple question should be put to every one of these elected leaders. On January 6, 2020, were you supportive of the Presidents incendiary remarks and, by extension, him; or do you stand for the Rule of Law, our Federal and State Constitutions, and the real Republican Party ideals which were on clear display before 2015.

If you don't like the answer you get, I hope that you will consider becoming a candidate for Republican Committeeperson. Our party must decide, are we with the 45th President or not. Only then, I believe, we will be able to relay the foundational stones of the Republican Party, one that I hope to be proud of again. If we can't make an elegent transition to better government in the next four years I will turn in my lifelong Republican credentials.