Severance

Lake County GOP favorite son Joe Severino and running-mate Rantch Isquith are candidates for Governor. Some say their campaign is all about collecting the greens -- their Primary opponents have taken to calling them Vinegar Joe and Rantch Dressing.

HaHa.  Luckily, things haven't gotten that far, as Severino has been tossed off the ballot:

Board members removed Republican Joseph Severino from the ballot after finding that the Lake Forest resident and his lieutenant governor pick, Rantch Isquith, had insufficient signatures on their nominating petitions.
GOP race for governor tightens up after Severino removed from ballot

Severino accuses his objector with using Trump tactics against him:

Severino argues that thousands of signatures were improperly challenged, that objections were made in bad faith and that the board applied deadlines and evidentiary rules in a manner that violated due process.
Governor's race

So Severino has responded with some Trump tactics of his own:

Joseph Severino has filed a lawsuit seeking to remain on the ballot for the March 17 Republican primary for governor. He's asking the Cook County Circuit Court to reverse a decision by the Illinois State Board of Elections that removed him and running mate Rantch Isquith from the ballot after sustaining objections to their nominating petitions.
Governor's race

Note to Ops: No doubt about it, the Illinois Republican Party is pwned by Donald Trump.

Brown Out

Tedora Brown may be qualified for a position in DOGE -- her numbers do not add up. Brown will not be a GOP candidate for the 11th Congressional District, because her nominating petition is one signature shy a franchise:

A suburban congressional candidate's name was struck from upcoming primary ballots Thursday after the Illinois State Board of Elections decided her petitions fell one signature short of the legally required 799.
GOP congressional candidate falls one signature short, removed from ballot

Ordinarily, candidate Brown would be advised to not quit her day job, except she is under indictment for her day job:

Brown is awaiting trial on 13 federal counts of wire fraud in a case alleging she and her husband misused COVID-19 relief funds. They obtained at least $742,000 in small business loans and grants for businesses that didn't exist or weren't operating, prosecutors said in 2023.
GOP congressional candidate falls one signature short, removed from ballot

Tedora Brown still has some options. Obtain a Presidential pardon on the wire fraud charges. Failing that, at least get a pardon for that one signature.

Frosty Fest (Festival Frosty)

Frosty Fest (Festival Frosty)

New Year's Eviction

If candidates must resolve to obtain sufficient signatures to qualify for the ballot, then Joe Severino already broke his New Year's resolution. Lake County GOP favorite son Joe Severino will not be a candidate for Governor this year. The State Board of Elections says he is 252 votes shy a win:

Is it over for Joe Severino? There is still time to donate to his campaign:

Money donated can't be used to buy back votes. That would be illegal. But that money could hire enough legal talent to keep the case in permanent legal limbo, until the day when the State Board of Elections is forced to keep Joe Severino on the 2026 Primary ballot. That would be perfectly legal.

Lake County Vote by Mail Applications

Submit Vote by Mail Applications
for the March 17, 2026 General Primary Election

You Can't Spell NEPOTISM Without Extra Help

Did you know that Santa Claus has a son-in-law named Morals? Morals Claus knows he will forever be in the shadow of his famous in-law. On the plus side, it doesn't matter if he is on the naughty list, come Christmas.

In related news, Joe Salvi. As readers of this blog are aware ...

Nepo Baby

Early this year, Joe Salvi was on the short-list to be appointed to the 26th Senate District.

Salvi is now on the Primary ballot for County Board 17, challenging the GOP incumbent. It goes without saying that it doesn't hurt that Salvi has a relative in the Illinois Republican Party leadership. In related news, the aforementioned incumbent Michael Danforth, recently withdrew from the ballot. It goes without saying that it doesn't hurt if the aforementioned relative is also the Chair of the Illinois Republican Party.

Kindly allow Your LakeCountyEye to close out the year with a holiday favorite, Nepo Baby:

Nepo Baby, don't play no politics
Just appoint him to Senate 26
Nepo Baby, Come on down to the head of the line.

Nepo Baby, no real Republican Party
Slates a State Senator named Darby
Nepo Baby, Come on down to the head of the line.

Nepo Baby, word from the political machine
He deserves County Board 17
Nepo Baby, Come on down to the head of the line.

Nepo Baby, 2026 and henceforth
It's the retirement party for Danforth
Nepo Baby, Come on down to the head of the line.

Happy Holidays.

Political Silence

There is no truth to the rumor that Tosi Ufodike has a new campaign song:

To-To-Tosi Goodbye

HaHa. As readers of this blog are aware ...

Challenge Accepted

Tosi Ufodike was removed from the 2026 GOP Primary (IL House District 51), because of an incorrectly filed Statement of Economic Interest.

Ufodike nominating petitions were filed on Oct 27, the first day. Afterwards copies of the petition were requested by 13 individuals. Lori Smith filed nominating petitions for the same office on Nov 3, the last day to file. Smith then filed an objection to Ufodike candidacy on Nov 10, which was successful:

Illinois State Board of Elections Board Meeting Dec 9, 2025

Now, during all of this, had Tosi Ufodike resubmitted a Statement of Economic Interest to the Secretary of State, she would be on the ballot today. With all those smart guys looking at Ufodike's petitions, why didn't someone say something?

Nobody knows.

Challenge Accepted

Lake County GOP favorite son Tosi Ufodike will be the State Rep District 51 candidate in the Primary next year. At least, that's what they say at the Friends of Tosi Ufodike:

But as the Brainiac said to the zombie apocalypse, "not so fast there". On Dec 9, Tosi Ufodike was removed from the ballot:

Republican Tosi Ufodike of Hawthorn Woods will be removed from the ballot in the 51st House District. She filed her Statement of Economic Interest with the Lake County Clerk and not the Secretary of State.
Board of Elections Begins Candidate Removals

For the record, having been thrown off the ballot may result in some awkward moments during your election night victory party.

The good news is you can still make a donation to the Tosi Ufodike campaign:

Note to Ops: This is the one page on your website that will never need to be taken down.

Post Dox

An ambulance receipt was posted on the McHenry County Blog. This is a (blurred) copy of the image:

Republican Scandals

For the record, ambulance receipts are protected health information (PHI) and these are covered by Federal HIPPA statutes (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) ...

Health Information Privacy

Note to Ops: Your protected health information belongs to you and in the wrong hands could be used against your interests. Never put your PHI on the Internet. Your PHI won't be very much protected if you're seeing it on even the McHenry County Blog.

Chemical Absorption

There is good news and bad news.

The good news is the Southlake Mosquito Abatement District has been dissolved and you no longer have to worry about being run down after dark by their insecticide trucks:

While the Southlake Mosquito Abatement District — the last of its kind in Lake County — has been dissolved
Lake County mosquito abatement district dissolved, to merge: 'This consolidation will increase efficiency … and lower taxes'

The bad news is that the Southlake Mosquito Abatement District will be consolidated with the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District:

The Southlake District board voted Monday to dissolve the district and begin the first steps toward annexation into the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District to the south.
Lake County mosquito abatement district dissolved, to merge: 'This consolidation will increase efficiency … and lower taxes'

So now, not only will you have to worry about being run down by the insecticide trucks, but the trucks will be driven by guys coming from Cook County.

A spokesman for the Environment said: "You might as well lower the gate. I am through."

GOP Gag Gift

Did you hear the one about the GOP candidate who did not get a lump of coal in his stocking? He'd been naughty, so Santa gave him a wind turbine.

Rocio Cleveland is a GOP candidate for the 9th Congressional District. She gifted one of her Democratic opponents with a sack containing cat food, a toothbrush and holy water. Why? Because her opponent is under federal indictment stemming from an immigration protest and could go to prison.

Now, it's been observed that there are plenty of Republican candidates in Federal court who should receive priority over Democrats:

• GOP 11th District Congressional candidate Tedora M Brown is under Federal indictment for wire fraud.
  
  
• GOP Gubernatorial candidate Joe Severino is in Federal bankruptcy court.
  
  
• GOP US President Donald J Trump is a convicted felon.

A spokesman for the campaign said in response: "We will look into it but may not have the budget for additional gift sacks. You know, holy water does not just come out of a tap."

Christmas Creep

Thanksgiving hasn't even dropped and Lake County GOP favorite son Rocio Cleveland is already passing out the Santa sacks. Cleveland, a GOP candidate for the 9th Congressional District, gave the sack to a Democratic opponent who is under federal indictment stemming from an immigration protest:

Something the Cat Dragged In

The gift bag included cat food, a toothbrush and holy water. It has been suggested that Rocio Cleveland might also want to bake a cake for a concealed hacksaw.

In this case, a white cake.

Something the Cat Dragged In

Lake County GOP favorite son Rocio Cleveland is a candidate for Lake County 9th Congressional District. Cleveland has been seen giving gift bags to her opponents:

A Democratic congressional candidate who's under federal indictment for her actions during a protest against the immigration crackdown was given an unwelcome, prison-themed gift bag by a Republican rival Sunday at a suburban campaign event.
Republican congressional candidate confronts Democratic rival with prison-themed gift bag at event

This gift bag contained prison survival items, including among other things, cat food, a toothbrush (for protection) and holy water:

Republican candidate for Illinois 9th district Rocío Cleveland gifts Democratic contender Kat Abughazaleh

Why is Rocio Cleveland giving gifts to a Democratic opponent and not instead to other Republicans? A spokesman for the campaign said: "Rocio Cleveland did intend to give the prison gift sacks to Republicans, but President Trump pardoned all of them."

Gurnee Park District Holiday Lights

Gurnee Park District Holiday Lights

Aim Low and You Won't be Disappointed

Good news, everyone. The McHenry County Man Who Shot Himself in the Foot™ is back.

The McHenry County Man Who Shot Himself in the Foot™ has shot himself in the foot. All the while in McHenry County:

A 64-year-old man was taken to the hospital after he accidentally shot himself in the leg in Marengo, officials said.
Man shoots himself in leg at Marengo gun range

The Department of Homeland Security is looking for the McHenry County Man Who Shot Himself in the Foot™. A spokesman for the agency said: "We need men like him who know how to handle a firearm. If he contacts us, there is an ICE badge with his name on it waiting for him."