Surges adds to GOP options in 33rd State Senate race
As Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker began speaking at a recent political action committee dinner, Cliff Surges felt his jaw drop and a fire begin to burn inside. Walker told the audience he wouldn’t be joining them as expected because he’d rather have a dinner meeting with the CEO of nearby company he hoped to coax into relocating to his state.
“He didn’t stutter; he didn’t equivocate,” Surges said. “He said until our governor starts to get it they are going to come here and convince everyone they can why it’s better to do business in Wisconsin. And I thought, ‘This is what we’re up against.’ ”
Surges wants to crush Walker’s efforts by being part of what he sees as a Republican wave of new Illinois state lawmakers who will take office after the next general election. Surges said Illinois needs the same kind of sea change a wave of freshmen Republicans has brought to Congress. That’s why he’s running for the Republican nomination in the 33rd District State Senate race.
“We are at a watershed moment in the state of Illinois where we can either sit and do nothing, or we can rise up and make a difference,” Surges said. “We are sitting on a surfboard in front of tsunami. People are absolutely sick and tired of the failure of career politicians in this state. They are tired of the lack of transparency. They are tired of all the deal making the career politicians orchestrate.”
Those repeated references to “career politicians” serve as a reminder that the big-name Republican Surges is running against in the new 33rd State Senate race is the twice-elected Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay. Republican Chad Koppie, a trustee on the Kane County Regional Board of Education, is also running, which creates a three-way primary.
Surges has his own political background. He served as a trustee in Gilberts from 1997 to 2001. In his private life, he runs an insurance company with his wife, Audrey. Surges said that gives him a small-business owner’s perspective that Illinois’ economy desperately needs right now to cut down on taxes and red tape.
“You look at Sears being courted by Texas and Ohio and wonder how many more times do we have to hear that same story,” Surges said.
In terms of his political beliefs, Surges said he “hits strong for the red team.” But even though he’s been in attendance at several recent tea party events, Surges doesn’t claim membership, just shared belief in the underlying idea behind many of the tea party groups.
“They have a call to action, and they are not afraid to mobilize,” Surges said. “That’s a good thing. They also have solid conservative values. That’s also a good thing. I don’t want to make a blanket statement, but these are good people. I admire what they are trying to do.”