By Mark Weyermuller -
Last Thursday, the Lake County Republican Federation held their 59th Annual Spring Gala. Over 500 attended the dinner and reception held at the Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling, Illinois.
Larry Falbe, president of the organization, was master of ceremonies. Lake County Chairman Mark Shaw addressed the audience and announced a large group of candidates and elected officials. Rebecca Vitucci did a presentation for the Lake County Young Republican organization.
The keynote speaker was South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. She is a rising star in the Republican Party, probably best known for her leadership and response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Governor Noem never ordered a single business or church to close and never issued a shelter-in-place order. She is also known as a wife, a mother, and a lifelong rancher, farmer, and small business owner. The governor mentioned her enthusiastic support of President Donald J. Trump and his policies promoting freedom, liberty, and opportunity.
Earlier in the afternoon, a forum was held for the four announced candidates in the 2022 Republican Primary governor’s race. They included Darren Bailey, Max Solomon, Paul Schimpf, and Gary Rabine.