Democrats make gains in McHenry County

There was no tidal wave of change sweeping Democrats to a significant number of victories Tuesday in staunchly Republican McHenry County.

But what once was an arid landscape providing nothing but double-digit losses for Democratic candidates has become in recent years fertile soil for the party to grow.

Democrats captured two more seats on the McHenry County Board in Tuesday's elections, bringing their total to an all-time high of three and establishing, they believe, a long-term footing in the county.

At face value, the victories seem minor. Republicans still control 21 of 24 board seats, all countywide offices and all but one state legislative seat that represents the county.

But the two-seat gain, coupled with President-elect Barack Obama becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county in decades, has party leaders feeling good about their future.

"One-party domination hasn't been good for the county," said Kathleen Bergan Schmidt, chairman of the McHenry County Democratic party. "People are ready for a change, obviously."

Bergan Schmidt, of Crystal Lake, was one of two Democrats to win election to the county board Tuesday, along with Lake in the Hills Village Trustee Paula Yensen. They will join Jim Kennedy, elected to the board in 2006, as the party's three representatives in county government.

Victories for Bergan Schmidt and Yensen meant the ouster of two Republican leaders on the board: Vice Chairman John Jung and Nick Provenzano, chairman of the board's Law and Justice Committee.

"It's a shake-up, but it also offers opportunities for good county board members to fill those positions," Republican board Chairman Ken Koehler said.

Kennedy said he was excited to have fellow Democrats with him on the board.

"A majority of the board's work is not partisan, but there may be some differences in how we approach things," he said.

Explanations for the Democrats' gains ranged from the coattails of Obama to a general sentiment for change among voters to an increasingly diverse county population.

"The board is beginning to reflect the population," Bergan Schmidt said. "(The county) is not so monolithic anymore."

Koehler agreed that demographic changes probably played a role in some of the Democrats' success, but also said voters are choosing more on individual, rather than party, preferences.

You've got more people thinking independently and choosing the person, not the party, they most want to represent them," he said.

Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon, who easily won re-election to his 64th District State House seat, said many of his fellow Republicans faced a "Democratic tsunami" this year.

"The economic turmoil and (President) Bush bashing was so strong," he said.

Tryon said he is not looking at Tuesday night's results as reason for disappointment. The party still won 10 of 12 board seats up for election and all countywide races by a large margin. He believes Republicans will fare better in 2010.

"I don't think McHenry County woke up (Tuesday) and said 'I want more government, I want higher taxes'," he said.

Koehler, in the meantime, said he expects no partisan clashes ahead for the board.

"I think I can, and will, work with the newly elected Democrats," he said.