Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Can Mormons Save the Illinois GOP?

As I was shoveling the driveway, that was what was running through my mind.

But, that’s really not the real question.

The real question is

Will Mormons save the Illinois Republican Party?
I know they can.

At least in suburban Chicago and parts of Downstate.

I lived in Salt Lake City in the 1950’s.

This is the best-organized church in the country.

And its leaders know how to motivate people.

Maybe this isn’t true, but what I picked up as a Boy Scout in Utah was that the Church of Latter Day Saints knew how to motivate their young men to achieve the Eagle Scout Award. The rumor was the boys couldn’t play basketball at the stake houses until they earned it.

In any event, their troops produced a massive number of Eagle Scouts.

If Mormons in Illinois buy into the Mitt Romney campaign for president, local Republican organizations could be energized like they haven’t been since Jim Thompson ran for governor in 1976.

I’m hoping Romney supporters are smart enough to encourage people to run for Republican precinct committeemen outside of Cook County. That only takes ten signatures, although I’d recommend getting 20.

In Cook County any township or ward committeeman would be nuts to turn down anyone volunteering to be a precinct captain.

I’ll bet no one is willing to argue that the Illinois Republican Party doesn’t need a massive infusion of new talent.

And here’s where it could come from.

More, of course, at McHenry County Blog.

5 comments:

Bill Baar 10:49 PM  

I like Romney but betting on Giuliani....whether his campaign can help the Illinois GOP, I don't know.

Anonymous,  11:43 AM  

Of course his campaign isn't going to help IL, he's picked Bob Kjellander as his Illinois Director! Seriously, what's he thinking!

Unknown 9:08 PM  

Romney will be the GOP nominee. The south and Midwest will not go for a big slick New York, Italian pinking ring wearing big city mayor. I never thought of the grass root effect of the LDS church. I understand the Romney’s have linage to their Messiah Joseph Smith of Illinois.

Anonymous,  4:23 PM  

I hear Romney is setting up his IL HQ in Nauvoo....

Anonymous,  5:12 PM  

I am afraid that a vote for Romney would be like a vote for a write-in candidate. Romney isn't even close to Guiliani or McCain in the polls. It would be a throw-away vote, I am afraid.
I always respect Cal Skinner's opinions on the candidates and the issues though so I will read up on and learn more about Mr. Romney in the upcoming weeks. Unfortunately, the Mormon church has the stigma of being a very close-knit group almost like a cult for some reason. That seems to scare people away for fear that their church and the state will somehow become intertwined. I realize that this is an incorrect perception but it is still a prevalent perception, none the less. I don't know how Mitt Romney could overcome or change this perception by a large segnment of the voters. It is a real shame, too.

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