EAST DUNDEE – The 66th District House GOP primary is shaping up to be a tight four-way race, and Tuesday, one of the four competitors – Allen Skillicorn – announced five political figures from Illinois circles that are backing him in the March 15th GOP primary.
The "reformers," as Skillicorn calls them, are State Representative Mark Batinick, State Representative Tom Morrison, State Senator Jim Oberweis, former State Senator Chris Lauzen, and former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger.
“I have had the opportunity to work with these outstanding legislators for years,” Skillicorn said. “To receive the public endorsement of these leaders is humbling. For the past 10 years, I’ve just been doing what I felt compelled to do, expose corruption, make taxing bodies accountable, help conservative candidates, and fight for the people who couldn’t fight for themselves. All candidates, including myself, seeking the primary nomination are elected officials."
Skillicorn said in a statement that his past governing experiences line up with his campaign promises.
"Meeting minutes and public records show officials who are afraid to take a stand on issues like government consolidation, refusal to support Governor Rauner’s Turnaround agenda, increased government spending, and outright repeated tax hikes," he said.
Skillicorn says he lowered property taxes in East Dundee, made the town's books more transparent, and has a track record of positive reforms that he plans to continue in Springfield.
His current list of notable endorsements includes:
- Tax Accountability
- President Taxpayers United of America, Jim Tobin
- Former US Senate Candidate Patrick Hughes
- Former US Congressional Candidate Larry Kaifesh
- Former US Congressional Candidate Mark Vargas
- State Senator Jim Oberweis
- Former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger
- State Representative Tom Morrison
- State Representative Mark Batinick
- Former State Representative Candidate and Teacher Ramiro Juarez
- Republican State Central Committeemen Stan Bond
- Republican State Central Committeemen Ryan Higgins
- Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen
- Kane County Circuit Clerk Tom Hartwell
- Kane County Auditor Terry Hunt
- Kane County Treasurer David Rickert
- Kane County Board Member Kurt Kojzarek
- Kane County Board Member Doug Scheflow
- Elgin Community College Trustee Jeff Meyer
- U46 School Board Trustee Cody Holt
- Elgin City Councilman Toby Shaw
Skillicorn faces Paul Serwatka, Dan Wilbrandt and Carolyn Schofield in the March 15th Primary.
The 66th Legislative District represents areas in McHenry and Kane Counties, including Algonquin, Carpentersville, Crystal Lake, East Dundee, Elgin, Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Lakewood, Sleepy Hollow, and West Dundee.