Now that the 2016 state and national elections are over, the Williamson County Republican Party is looking forward.
“We are focusing primarily on preparing for the 2017 countywide cycle,“ Chris Sheffler, Williamson County GOP vice chairman, told the Southeast Illinois News. ”We are preparing and vetting terms and conditions for the county and how the county GOP would endorse candidates, viable candidates, in the future.”
The deadline to file to be on the ballot ended this week. There is now a five-day period for petitions to be challenged. The GOP is keeping its eye on a few of the municipal races, but it is also watching the school board race in Marian.
“We were hopeful that someone would have filed and would have challenged one of the school board members in Marian, but that didn't happen, it looks like,” Sheffler said.
The only people who filed for the positions were the three members already serving on the board whose positions are up for re-election: B.W. Bruce, Brandi Bradley and Steve Cook.
The GOP also was hoping to see someone challenge Glenn Poshard on the John A. Logan College Board of Trustees, but that didn't happen either. He is seeking re-election after being appointed to fill a two-year unexpired term.
“Those are campaigns we are watching," Sheffler said. "We were hopeful someone would step forward in those two races, but they haven't at this time. We were kind of disappointed in that."
There is still a chance someone could run a write-in campaign to get on the ballot, Sheffler said. Longtime Republican Johnston City Mayor Jim Mitchell will be facing competition from within the Republican Party, as Michael Murray has filed to run for the position, Sheffler said.
Sheffler also will be appearing on the ballot in 2017, seeking a third term on the Marian Park Board. He currently sits on the board with another conservative, Ashley Gott. Both four-year seats are up this cycle, and the two will be facing opposition from Laurie Fields.
The Lake Egypt Water District board races are also worth watching, Sheffler said. Because water is such an important natural resource, and many people are affected by the board's decisions, the GOP is watching as well. There are three incumbents and four challengers vying for the four open seats on the board. Running for the Lake Egypt Water District are incumbents Doug Peebles, Gary Jenkins and Dan Scott, and challengers Joseph McCurdy, William David Rix, William Perry Young and John Cavaness.
As far as the 2016 election goes, it has left the GOP in Williamson County hopeful.
The supermajority in the state House has been broken, but the center of power remains the same as long as state Rep. Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) is House Speaker, Sheffler said. For instance, Madigan controls what legislation is brought to the floor for a vote.
”We're extremely excited," Sheffler said. "The bottom line is Illinois is broken, and it can't be fixed overnight. It's going to take sacrifice from both sides to move forward...We're hopeful and encouraged, but we still understand it's going to be an uphill challenge in order to fix the problems.”
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