Category: 2026 Primary Election

2026 Primary Election, Activism, Uncategorized

Part 2: Forums and Arbitrary Rules The US Senate Candidates You Do Not Know, Why and What I Did About It!

Lisa

Party backing money, and early attention reinforce each other. This elevates candidates so they seem like the only real options, while others are largely ignored unless voters go out of their way to find them.

Who you have heard of / been force fed
Robin Kelly
Juliana Stratton
Raja Krishnamoorthi

Who you may not know of
Sean Brown
Steve Botsford Jr.
Awisi A. Bustos
Jonathan Dean
Bryan Maxwell
Kevin Ryan
Christopher Swann
Adam Delgado (Write-in)

It frustrates me to no end. Voter education is my number one priority as a PC and the it is behind work I do for the League of Women Voters.

Excessive money in politics distorts elections and weakens the will of the people.
(example: Pritzter’s $5M to Stratton)

I TOOK ACTION
I reached out to all the affected (D) candidates for US Senate about a team effort. Five responded. Here is the letter that went out to US Senate candidates.

THIS IS CALLED A GATE KEEPING LOOP

First-time candidates — especially working-class, reformist, or movement-driven ones — never even get a chance to be heard by voters. It replaces voter choice with pre-selection.

Voters signed petitions—so why are their candidates invisible in the news?

After listening to the candidates thoughts, I put together a letter, they signed it, and it was sent to ABC 7…


ABC7 responded one day later offering the candidates an opportunity:

The two-minute statements will be posted on the ABC 7 Chicago website and ABC 7 Chicago’s digital platforms by Thursday’s forum, will be shared on the League of Women Voters’ online voter guide VOTE411.org, and will be mentioned during the forum broadcast. Additionally, each two-minute statement will run in full during ABC 7 Chicago’s Sunday morning newscast at 8 a.m.

At the ABC 7 website the the candidate videos are layered under advertisements. Again money in the way of voters.

*** THIS PRIMARY YOU HAVE CHOICES ***
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE FOR THE TOP 3 $$$
THAT HAVE BEEN HAND PICKED FOR YOU!

PROGRESSIVE
NO CORPORATE DONORS
NO AIPAC MONEY

NOW YOU KNOW

Sean Brown: www.seanbrownforsenate.com   
Email: electseanbrown@gmail.com  

Steve Botsford Jr. : http://www.botsfordforillinois.com
Email:  info@botsfordforillinois.com

Awisi Quartey Bustos https://awisiforussenate.us  
Email: awisiqbcampaign@gmail.com

Jonathan Dean www.dean4il.com  
Email: info@dean4il.com


Kevin Ryan: https://www.runwithkev.com
Email: info@kevinryanforillinois.com


Christopher Swann www.swannforsenate.com
Email: info@christopherswann.us

Brian Maxwell https://www.maxwell4senate.com
Email: maxwell4senate@gmail.com.

2026 Primary Election, Election Information, Illinois Congressional District 9, McHenry County, On the Ballot

McHenry County League of Women Voters Invites Algonquin Township Residents to a Congressional D9 Primary Candidate Meet and Greet.

Lisa

Confirmed Attendees:
Democrats: Kat Abughazaleh, Bushra Amiwala, Phil Andrew, Daniel Biss, Justin Ford Senator Laura Fine, Sam Polan, Howard Rosenblum, Senator Mike Simmons
Republicans: Mark Su

Congressional Illinois District 9 Map
Campaign Finance Data

2026 Primary Election, Democratic Party, petitions

McHenry County Democrats Announce Bill McNeese Steps Up to Run for McHenry County Clerk

Lisa

Democrats have a candidate for County Clerk: Bill McNeese.

His statement:

I was born and raised in Texas on a working farm. After the 2008 housing crisis hit and our local economy nearly collapsed, I joined the U.S. Navy, where I served proudly but was honorably discharged after six years as a disabled veteran.

Since then, I’ve lived in several parts of our beautiful country and I’ve seen firsthand both the challenges and the potential of local communities. My family and I have made our home here in Illinois for the past five years, and we love it here.

I’m a father of three young girls, a business owner, and serve on the board of a nonprofit that provides counseling services to veterans. Professionally, I’m a licensed insurance broker.

I hold a BBA in Economics from Kent State University and a Master of Business Administration.

Outside of work, I’m interested in economics, geography, flags, and strategy games. I like understanding how things connect and how people work together toward shared goals. Above all, I believe in community and that politics, religion, or personal differences should never divide us.

Starting at 11:00 am on Saturday 10/11/25 you can come to Cantina 52, at 52 Brink Street in downtown Crystal Lake, to meet Bill and be among the first to sign his nominating petition.  Also on site will be Karen Battaglia for State Senate in the 32nd, Brian Meyers for State Rep in the 63rd and Sarah Mertens for State Senate in the 35th.