No opponent yet for Franks
By NATE LEGUE
nlegue@nwherald.com
After four unsuccessful attempts, Republican candidates are not clamoring for a chance to take on the strongest elected Democrat in McHenry County.
In fact, no one has approached the local GOP to seek the nomination for the 63rd district representative and take a shot at Rep. Jack Franks of Woodstock - and today is the first day for candidates to file petitions for office.
Bill LeFew, McHenry County Republican chairman, said he had not heard of any suitors vying for the seat.
But even without a primary candidate, the local party can caucus in its choice for the district by May 22, 2006.
Still, the GOP's apparent lack of enthusiasm signals a major shift since Franks' 1998 surprise win in a Republican district and county, that then had no elected Democrats.
In subsequent races, the party of Lincoln has fought tooth-and-nail to regain the seat.
In 2000, state organizations poured more than $400,000 into Crystal Lake doctor Tom Salvi's campaign to unseat Franks.
In 2004, restaurant owner and county board member Perry Moy spent more than $171,000, including $45,500 of his own money, in his attempt to snatch the office.
Franks beat Moy by a 30-point margin.
Despite the past performances, LeFew said the right candidate could beat Franks.
But the local GOP might have bigger concerns in the next election cycle, with a hot congressional race in the 8th District on its hands.
"If it comes down to us in having a token candidate, one that can't win against Jack Franks, and concentrating on the 8th and not putting someone there, then I choose option two," LeFew said. "I don't believe in running people that can't win."
National Republican groups have vowed to defeat Democratic U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean at the polls next November in the 8th Congressional District race. A local Republican eager to take on Franks in the state race also would have to compete for donations with six declared candidates in the federal district, which shares northeastern McHenry County with Franks' state district.
"The 8th Congressional is going to take a lot of those resources up and there aren't going to be a lot of resources for other races," said state Rep. Mike Tryon, R-Crystal Lake.
And Franks also enjoys a solid incumbency, having risen to a leadership post and even flirted with a primary challenge against Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
"I just think if you do your job and work really hard for the people, it gets you re-elected," Franks said.
Franks' coziness with his Republican colleagues also may dampen their willingness to look for someone to unseat him. Franks, Tryon and Sen. Pamela Altoff, R-McHenry, have joined each other in town halls and press conferences, they meet regularly in Springfield and they even banter with each other in public.
"We've become really the envy of Springfield, our contingent," Franks said. "We carry each other's bills, look out for the best interests of the county without any partisanship."
