Naperville attorney Michael “Mike” Webster announced his candidacy for Illinois Secretary of State this morning. He pledged to bring the Secretary of State’s office into the 21st century, and restore some much-needed confidence after Jesse White’s scandals.
Illinois Republican Chairman Jack Dorgan, State Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, and State House Republican Leader Jim Durkin recently met with Webster, 53, to encourage him to challenge the embattled Secretary of State.
Earlier, Chairman Dorgan issued a statewide call to G.O.P. leaders to circulate petitions for Webster.
“I’m pleased to share that Mike Webster has been recruited to run for Secretary of State,” Dorgan said. “Illinois deserves much better than the controversy coming out of Jesse White’s office, and the failure of leadership up and down the Democrat ticket.
“The most recent scandal, involving suspicious hiring and work irregularities of a high-ranking staff with a ‘special’ relationship to the incumbent, may be just the tip of the iceberg. Mike Webster will clean house. That’s why the party asked him to make this run.”
“The people of Illinois have been shortchanged for too long,” Webster said. “It is time for dramatic change. The troubling reports of serious improprieties show it is time for new leadership. I will end the inefficiency, cronyism, nepotism, and patronage hiring that Jesse White has become infamous for, and I will provide the transparency, efficiency, and accountability that we all deserve.”
A lifelong Illinois resident, Webster graduated from Joliet Catholic High School, The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and DePaul University College of Law. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
“As a lawyer and a CPA, I have the skills to improve the Secretary of State’s office on day one. I am a not a politician, with no ties to Springfield, and I’m beholden to no one. I am not afraid to root out the corruption, end political shenanigans, and reform the office. That is what Illinois taxpayers want, it is what they deserve, and it is what I will do when I am elected,” Webster said.
Webster started Webster & Schelli, P.C. in 1991 with his partner James Schelli, and practices business succession planning, estate planning, taxation, probate and trust administration.
Webster is the President of the Cass School District #63 Board of Education in Darien. He was first elected to the Cass Board of Education in 2005, and re-elected in 2009 and 2013. Webster, his wife, Sandy, and their four daughters live in Hinsdale.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:17 pm:
I am going to take “30 and the ‘Hook’ ….” - 30.5 as the Over/Under
- Spliff - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:17 pm:
62%
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:19 pm:
So … that puts Jesse White’s at “69 and the ‘Hook’ …” - 69.5
I figured I would take “Action” on both sides.
- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:25 pm:
66.5%
- too obvious - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:26 pm:
Lame move by Mike Webster.
What happened, did Mike want Jack Dorgan to get a weaker opponent for Lisa? Or no opponent? But what does it matter, both are suicide runs for gop.
- downstate hack - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:29 pm:
56%, The latest troubles will affect him, but he still wins easily.
- Timmeh - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:30 pm:
I’ll go with 70.84%. Those decimals seemed to like the 80’s for the last 2 elections.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:31 pm:
I think Jesse White has overstayed his welcome. I don’t know if Illinois voters will agree with me though. The trend line would suggest White’s over-under is closer to 55%.
Dorgan is smart to target White. There are cracks in the facade and a smart campaign can make White defend a lot of things he’d rather not defend. If the GOP wins, Dorgan has a base from which he can start re-building the party.
There is a very high reward here for the ILGOPs. It’s a long shot to be sure, but those are often the funnest campaigns to be on.
- Knome Sane - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:32 pm:
105% for White
-05% for Webster
- Robert the Bruce - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:33 pm:
63% - the recent news affects him a little bit, taking him down to the 2006 landslide margin
- Norseman - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:42 pm:
I’ll take the over.
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:42 pm:
Jesse White will be Secretary of State as long as he wants to be. 70%
- KGB - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 1:59 pm:
58%
But does he know he’s running or has he “forgotten” that too?
- wordslinger - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:00 pm:
47, if you have a Durbin/Oberweis race and a Quinn/One of the Gang of Four race at the top, I don’t think Sec. of State is even on the radar.
Not enough oxygen, much less money or coverage, for a GOP challenger.
- Knome Sane - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:00 pm:
The Office of the Secretary of State has awesome responsibilities, arguably most important being the licensing and adminstration of drivers’ services, or better put, the “DMV”. The average Joe does not know (nor care) about the office’s adminstration of securities, keeper of the state seal, or the fact that the Secretary of State is the state’s librarian.
So, if the drivers’ facilities are clean, efficient, have short-lines and whose staffs are courteous, the odds of defeating Secretary of State White on a “personnel” issue, are long.
I would wager that the Secretary of State has had to terminate hundreds of employees over the years for various reasons. This one is no different, especially if the inspector general was made aware of it and the office acted swiftly, which appears to be the case.
- Roamin' Numeral - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:03 pm:
63 … in honor of Webster’s school district.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:04 pm:
===…if you have a Durbin/Oberweis race and a Quinn/One of the Gang of Four race at the top…===
This is EXACTLY why I went 69.5 for Jesse.
Oberweis and Brady, Yikes!
Oberweis and Dillard, Wow.
Oberweis and Rutherford, Meh, but not moving more moderates.
Oberweis and Rauner, Chaos, disorganization, mixed messages and a Dem GOTV to beat the Drum!
Jesse and 69.5%. The “field” dictates the number more, than Jesse White dictating his percentage.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:10 pm:
Low to mid 60’s. A name opponent could push him below 60 but not this guy. Jesse will suffer a bit from fatigue with him, as four terms is plenty for anybody, and five is more than plenty.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:15 pm:
===Not enough oxygen, much less money or coverage, for a GOP challenger===
You’re probably right Word. Unless Derrick Smith sticks to him. Or another “social acquaintance” on the payroll turns up. And it sure took him some time to evolve on marriage equality too, didn’t it? And have you seen him speak in public lately?
I’ll take the under.
- Powell - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:18 pm:
if this doesn’t work out, he might think about making a run for DuPage Auditor in 2016. the current guy clearly doesn’t like his gig.
- Levois - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:21 pm:
Wow! I would imagine 2006 was a down year for republicans anyway. No matter that 2010 likely wasn’t and it helped that White ran against a no name who’s running for Lt. Gov. with Rutherford. No matter he’s running against another no name and I’ll err on the side of 50ish% for White.
- Anonymous - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:23 pm:
Jesse has had a rough term with negative publicity. He gets 58%.
I agree with 47th that this would actually be a great opportunity for the GOP to begin rebuilding the state party. Not gonna do it with this guy, however.
- PolPal56 - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:26 pm:
57.86% if Rutherford tops the GOP ticket, 64.32% if any of the others do.
- Formerly Known As... - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:29 pm:
If Webster is a “base” guy, then White gets 70%.
If Webster is a “mainstream” guy with some personality, then White gets 49.5% and loses in the upset of the year.
White will be in trouble if the public ever begins looking at more than just the smoke swirling overhead. There are too many fires to put out all at once.
- Fed up - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:31 pm:
Depends if the hiring the young lady who is just a “friend” story gets legs. Maybe some journalist starts to look into the leases of sec of state facilities that are owned by Whites family, or maybe the usuall Cook Co nepotism stories start to resonate with voters.
- Knome Sane - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:35 pm:
=Maybe some journalist starts to look into the leases of sec of state facilities that are owned by Whites family=
That’s a pretty serious accusation. I hope you can back that up.
- Belle - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:39 pm:
64% Jesse
I agree with the other posters that, for whatever insane reason, voters in Illinois love Jesse.
- walkinfool - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:52 pm:
Closer than we think. 54% Jesse
JBT and Cross win. Gov. a nail-biter, for the GOP to give away in their primary.
(Warning: I’m terrible at predicting elections.)
- Anonymous - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:53 pm:
I used to be pretty good at these, but I couldn’t possibly guess anymore because I have no clue as to how many “purists” have been successfully “purged” and how many of the Ds who seemed to be promising that they’d consider voting for an R if an adequate (I suppose) number of those “purists” were purged.
I suppose Willy’s guess is as good as any then.
- West Side the Best Side - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 2:54 pm:
It’s the Tumblers.
- Casual Observer - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 3:02 pm:
Jesse needs to “reboot” his administration to avoid looking old and stale. He’ll still win because he’s likable and people trust him. He can lose that trust in a second. My prediction - 68% by bold changes, 58% status quo.
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 3:20 pm:
The last time I got my license renewed, I was in and out in under an hour in the express office downtown Chicago. The staff was pleasant to the crowd in there and there’s a Dairy Queen down the hall. As long as that’s the way it is across the state, Jesse White is a shoe in.
- Anonymous - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 3:23 pm:
=== The staff was pleasant to the crowd in there and there’s a Dairy Queen down the hall. ===
The Dairy Queen is gone now. Such a shame.
- Anonymous - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 3:30 pm:
Yeah, Chavez, that’s what I always thought, too, especially since I still remember the days when things were far from being that good.
However, younger voters didn’t experience that, those a bit older are probably thinking of the current service levels as the “standard,” too, and some of us oldsters are probably beginning to forget how bad it really was.
Increases in service levels–even those as noticeable as what happened in the SOS’ office, have a shelf life and I just don’t know whether it’s been exceeded yet this election.
- Darienite - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 3:34 pm:
If he can make some inroads into White’s numbers, he could be groomed for a future role as State Rep (Durkin’s district), or a DuPage County Board seat.
- Tankr - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 3:36 pm:
0, No more Lawyers!
- walkinfool - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 3:45 pm:
Sacrificial lamb to complete the ticket — to be rewarded later.
- DuPage - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 3:56 pm:
Darienite, he wouldn’t have to make any inroad into White’s numbers. Republican + DuPage County (usually) = easily wins.
- Knome Sane - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 4:07 pm:
=Republican + DuPage County (usually) = easily wins.=
Your confidence in “easily wins” is applicable to maybe 20 years ago, today, the demographics are shifting and nothing is a sure thing anymore.
- Knome Sane - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 4:10 pm:
@Darienite
Mike Webster is in his mid-50s. I doubt he is being groomed for a state rep seat, especially the one currently occupied by the House Republican Leader.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 4:17 pm:
- Knome Sane -,
I was hoping all that was “snark”, but I am glad you addressed it.
Thanks.
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 4:44 pm:
It wasn’t that long ago that things were bad, Anonymous. I mean I’m old, but I really dreaded going in last year (year before last? I don’t know I’m old) and being really surprised by how well it went.
Too bad about the Dairy Queen.
- A guy... - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 5:21 pm:
Rich, this post has nothing to do with the post, but it’s a cute video you can share with Oscar after a long day:
http://www.demilked.com/dogs-shaking-heads-shake-carli-davidson/
Think you’ll both enjoy this along with anyone else who decides to view it.
- DuPage - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 6:05 pm:
Knome Sane, =the demographics are changing and nothing is a sure thing anymore= You are right, that’s why I added (usually). Republicans are still strong here, where else would Ives get elected?
- Bill White - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 6:20 pm:
@Du Page
Re: Jeanne Ives — Milton Township is a very different place than Lisle Township or Naperville Township.
Just saying . . .
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 6:32 pm:
I just wish Jeanne Ives would understand that My Party needs a Jeanne Ives … and an Ed Sullivan, both… to be a Majority Caucus.
Just saying, too.
- Bill White - Monday, Nov 18, 13 @ 6:43 pm:
=== I just wish Jeanne Ives would understand that My Party needs a Jeanne Ives… and an Ed Sullivan, both… ===
Could someone who understood that actually win in Milton Township? As I recall, Ives prevailed in a large multi-candidate primary back in 2012