This Democrat voting against Froehlich

As a lifelong Democrat and a life member of the National Education Association (retired), I have grown increasingly disturbed by the campaign being conducted by the Hon. Paul Froehlich and the so-called Friends of Froehlich in the 56th state representative district.

Who is Paul Froehlich anyway? This Johnny-come-lately who joined the Democratic Party last year - shortly after reassuring his own Republican Party organization that rumors of a party shift were false - is the same practitioner of gutter politics who was the enemy of any real Democrat in Schaumburg Township year after year. His tactics in the current campaign are the same back alley trash he employed as a Republican. The Republicans of Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Hanover Park and the other communities he represents in the General Assembly should have been ashamed of these tactics when he employed them as the leader of the old STAR organization.

The local Democratic organization and the AF of L and CIO unions who have endorsed his reelection should be ashamed of themselves. My own union, the NEA, should be ashamed of itself for endorsing Froehlich. And I am ashamed to admit that in the 2006 election I followed the recommendation of my own union and my political party and voted for him despite the fact that he was running unopposed and did not need my vote.

This will not happen again. I will be voting for Anita Forte-Scott, the Republican candidate in the 56th District. It will be only the third vote I have ever cast for an individual Republican candidate but it will not be a vote I will ever have to be ashamed of in the future. I strongly urge other like-minded Democrats to join me in this vote against the disgusting tactics of the Froehlich campaign.

James J. Garvey

Hoffman Estates