Unopposed Franks' Stake in Nov. 7th

This summer and fall, State Rep. Jack Franks has been knocking on doors for two women—Congresswoman Melissa Bean and his former employee Mary Margaret Maule, who is running for county board from McHenry north.

Franks told me he would have knocked on doors in every precinct before election day.

And I heard he sent an endorsement mailing for Maule this past weekend.

Franks political action committee and his father have provided almost one-fourth of the money that Maule has reported receiving--$2,250.

The Republican incumbent that has been targeted is McHenry’s Pete Merkel. Merkel thinks that Maule’s main argument, that he holds two public jobs, is straight from Franks.

With Franks and the GOP having seemingly cut a non-aggression deal in which neither he nor Crystal Lake’s Mike Tryon. Franks has used his time and resources to help other Democrats.

Even though I think one of her leading issues—using the public animal shelter money for the private Turning Point—shows a lack of understanding of the functions of county government, it will still make sense to many people. Several of her issues are quite legitimate ones, e.g., the “belly up” loan made by the county board and covered up from December 1st until after the primary election and the sign ordinance for small businesses in unincorporated areas.

Even the double- dipping charge has been used successfully in McHenry County and may work today. When Patricia Floeter ran against County Board Chairwoman Dianne Klemm, Floeter won, in my opinion, with her anti-double-dipping signs. I really wonder why Maule didn’t use a similar campaign technique. Of course, she may not have been a resident back then.

This is not to say that Maule herself has not run an excellent campaign. She told me the third week of September that she thought she had knocked on 5,000 doors. She certainly could have added at least a thousand since then.

If she wins, she can take great pride in her accomplishment.

If she loses, because of her close identification with her employment by Jack Franks, State Rep. Jack Franks will have lost, too.

Who else but McHenry County Blog would look at county board races like this. More on the Perry Moy race, too.