Photos at the top and bottom of this Diary page are of family
and friends from around Illinois. There is a different set each month.
Please look for your picture or those of an acquaintance. If you have a
photo to submit, please send it to me!
Alderman Don
Stalter is being remembered as a man dedicated to his 5th Ward and
to the Republican Party in Livingston County.
Mr. Stalter, who served on the Pontiac City Council from April
1999 to March 2003 and from April 2005 to the present, died at
4:20 p.m. Tuesday at OSF Saint James-John W. Albrecht Medical
Center. He was 77. Livingston County Coroner Mike Burke said the
death was due to natural causes.
Kendall County Picnic
I
had the opportunity to visit the Kendall County GOP picnic recently.
They asked that I give the keynote speech, and I was more than happy
to oblige. It is always a fun event.
A Brand New Harry Caray's
I was happy to attend the Grand Opening of
the new Harry Caray's in Lombard, IL recently. My great friend Grant
Deporter (pictured at right) is the owner of Harry's. He has managed
to keep the same great feel of the original restaurant at the new
location.
I have known Grant for years. He has been a
wonderful promoter of tourism and a positive influence in the
community. Congratulations on the great new restaurant Grant!
Celebration!
Barb baked these
cookies to celebrate the end, maybe only temporarily, of Special
Session and the beginning of the new school year without her. My
assistant, George, and I are back from
Springfield and are now
in the office a lot more. Barb retired from teaching at the end of
the past school year and has joined us fulltime after working part
time around her teaching career for the last 6 years. Although she
misses the people with whom she worked, Barb assures us that she
doesn’t miss the hot building. To help ease the transition, the
power went out and we were without air conditioning, computers and
phones for a couple of hours!
Last week's Iowa straw poll got a lot of
national attention -- historically it's known to be something that
could make or break a presidential candidate.
On Thursday,
Illinois got in on the action, with its first-ever straw poll.
The polls were
open at the state fair, and voters chose a candidate for president.
But it's not
Election Day -- its the first straw poll in Illinois.
"You felt the
enthusiasm in that room -- here it is, it was pouring rain at the
time, and people were literally standing in the rain waiting to
vote,” said Illinois State Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna.
Republicans came
in from across the state, ready to celebrate party unity.
"This is
important because it brings Republicans together,” said Senator Bill
Brady.
People who voted
in the straw poll got to choose from nine presidential candidates as
well as several state constitution issues.
"There's a host
of constitutional review questions. We put those out there because
in 2008, it goes on the ballot do you want to change the
constitution through a convention,” said McKenna.
In addition to
gauging public opinion, the straw poll also highlights Illinois'
contributions to national politics.
"I think because
it is so close to Iowa's straw poll that one more activity about a
straw poll and preference for president -- I think it will resonate
with the public,” said Senator Dan Rutherford.
No matter what
the opinion is, it didn't stop hundreds of people from pouring in to
Springfield on a rainy day.
Here are the final poll results:
1. Mitt Romney -- 40.35%
2. Fred Thompson -- 19.96%
3. Ron Paul -- 18.87%
4. Rudy Giuliani -- 11.61%
5. John McCain -- 4.12%
6. Mike Huckabee -- 3.04%
7. Sam Brownback -- 1.08%
8. Duncan Hunter -- .65%
9. Tom Tancredo -- .33%
Illinois State Fair Pictures
We are pleased that Craig Romney, son of Presidential Candidate Gov. Mitt and Ann Romney, could join us at the Illinois state fair this year. Below are some pictures.
Dan & Craig
2007 State Fair Crew
Dan Gwen & Norma
Dan & Kris
Craig & Kris
Craig
CONGRATULATIONS KRISTIN!
These pictures were taken at Adam and Kristin
Jamison's wedding in July. Kristin, who now works at Illinois
College, formerly worked for me as a Legislative Assistant. Suzy
Amiano (in blue) was my Financial Director.
Adam and Kristin Jamison, Senator Dan Rutherford,
Suzy Amiano
Adam and Kristin Jamison, Senator Dan Rutherford,
Linda Van Aken, Kristin's mother, and Suzy Amiano
After a generation of
Republican control of much of state government, in 2002
Illinois Democrats celebrated the turnover of power in the
governor's office and the chance it offered them to address
pressing needs such as education, infrastructure, pension
reform and tax relief.
Five years later, the budget
meltdown that's now unfolding in Springfield has the potential
to set Democrats back for another generation while hurting the
people of Illinois.
Multi Tasking
The budget has not yet been resolved
and life is very hectic right now. I am spending a lot of time in
Springfield, but I was able to be home last weekend. Saturday
morning I was on a conference call and then had to head out to the
McLean County Fair while the call was still in progress. Have you
ever tried to hold a cell phone up to your ear while you lather and
shave your face? I did one side and then put my cell phone up to the
other ear while I shaved the other side of my face. It was not an
easy task!
Sadly, no
pictures are available of this multi tasking experience.
It's that time
of year again!!
Once again
it is time to start circulating petitions for office. Below are
links to the directions for circulating my petitions and the
petition itself. If you would be willing to circulate my petition, I
would appreciate it. Once they are signed and notarized, they should
be sent to my campaign office, 220 W. Howard Street-Pontiac, IL
61764. Thank you for your continued support.
I was out
for my morning jog here in Springfield when I spotted these Canadian Geese in a
field near the Red Roof Inn I have been staying at during overtime
session. They must be in town to attend the
State Fair!
Question: When is a billion
dollars of utility rate relief not really "One B-I-L-L-I-O-N
Dollars"?
Answer: When typical customers
receive only $8 per month of "reduced increase" in year one, less
than that in year two, NOTHING after year three, and when you end
up paying more than 20% per year more in the long run.
As overtime session of the Illinois Legislature continues through the summer
with no end to the budget stalemate in sight, frustrations have reached an
all-time high at the State Capitol, throughout government and around the
State. Amidst the debating, negotiating and overall lack of progress on a
spending plan for Illinois, some citizens have begun to question the
leadership of the State and have openly considered the impeachment of Gov.
Rod Blagojevich.
Pike County
GOP Chairman visits Springfield
Pictured from left to right are: John
Birch and Sen. Rutherford
Springfield, IL – State Sen. Dan
Rutherford (R-Pontiac) welcomes John Birch from Pike County to the
floor of the Illinois State Senate recently. Birch spent the day
with Rutherford watching the General Assembly work during overtime
session.
Pontiac Bonneville
At the beginning of August the Pontiac Bonneville had 263,170 miles on her. Most of the miles in the past couple of months have been back and forth to Springfield for special session.
State Fair Straw Poll
The Illinois State Fair Republican Day will be on August 16, 2007. This year there will be a straw poll from 11:00 - 4:00 on the Director's Lawn, with results being announced at 4:30 that evening. Also I will be having refreshments served at Franny's which is right outside of the fairgrounds, please feel free to stop by to see me and meet the Candidates for Delegate Committed to Mitt Romney for President. Click on the link below to print out a flyer with more of the straw poll and Franny's information on it and feel free to distribute it to others!
I held my annual Networking Party at
Harry Caray's last month and it was a great time as always (the staff
was outstanding and everything was perfect - thank you!)
Thought it might be of particular
interest that among those in attendance was Matt Romney (pictured at
left), the son of Mitt Romney and one of five brothers touring the
country on behalf of their father. Matt shook hands and mingled
throughout the night, before addressing the crowd. WGN Radio's Orion
Samuelson and former WLS Radio host Eileen Byrne also gave short
remarks and received an enthusiastic response. Matt e-mailed me to let
me know he had a great visit would be posting about it on the blog he
and his brothers have:
http://fivebrothers.mittromney.com/blog/comments/178
Thank you to all those who came out to
show your support. This is one of my favorite events all year and you
always help make it special.
The Bonneville was just recently in the shop for a routine oil change. When I picked her up I was told she needed new tires. I just put on new tires rated for 60,000 miles, what I thought was only a few months ago! They checked when the tires were put on and found that it was at 192,000 miles. The Bonneville currently has 262.000 miles on her. I guess it is time to get the old girl some new shoes!
Roofer
As you all know the Governor stays in a Mansion when he is in Springfield. I stay at the Red Roof Inn as I have for years. I make sure to get the same room. It even has a tree right outside the door to give the Bonneville some shade! I really like it because during the Spring Session birds make a nest in the tree and I get to watch the baby birds grow up. I never knew we would be in Springfield so long this year that I would get to see them have their own children!
Fellow Redbirds
I ran into David Horstein at the Legacy of Leadership Dinner. David is the President of the Student Body at Illinois State University. As you may know, ISU is my alma mater and I too was the Student Body President....long before David.
Senator Rutherford is the Chairman of the Committee for Legislative Action.
Its primary purpose is to bring sunlight to attempts to raise Taxes, Fees and
increase Government Regulations in Illinois. Their website is: http://www.CommitteeForLegislativeAction.org
The development, hosting and maintenance of Senator Rutherford's web site
are not paid for with taxpayer dollars. The phone line and internet service
for Senator Rutherford's calls and e-mails are also not paid for at taxpayer
expense.
I
had the opportunity to visit the Kendall County GOP picnic recently.
They asked that I give the keynote speech, and I was more than happy
to oblige. It is always a fun event. 
THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
