The Heretic, Rebel a Thing to Flout Illinois General Election Endorsements--Part II McHenry Co. Congressional Races

McHenry County Congressional Races 

McHenry County was carved up into four Congressional Districts in the last reapportionment.  Back then Democrats thought dividing the county would weaken traditional the Republican stranglehold.  Since then, due in no small measure to the Trumpist infused party repeatedly shooting itself in the foot on issue important to residents, McHenry County has gone from bright Red to Purple.  This might be the election that finally turns it Blue, like all the other Colar Counties have.

These Districts, including two with veteran Democratic incumbents, between progressive to Democratic Socialist (DSA) and "regular" or "establishment" Dems--the same split that is now being hyped by both right-wing pundits and hand-wringing self-proclaimed moderates and centrists,  There were an array of issues but the flashpoint was over unconditional support for the State of Isreal, the genocide in Gaza, and particularly fealty to AIPAC, the powerful Zionist lobbying and PAC operation that sells itself as the united voice of American Jewery.    But AIPAC was never that broad or representative.   It was the creature of conservative Congregation, especial Ashkenazi ones scarred by the Holocaust, and largely bankrolled and controlled by extremely wealthy individuals and families. They told generations of Democrats that need Jewish votes to win elections that they could not win with APAC support and donations.

Although support of Isreal was broad in America through the late 20th Century, it did not include a blank check for genocidal conduct on its own.  Israeli state violence against the civilian areas it accused of harboring terrorists from refugee camp massacres, through war in Lebanon, to the oppressions justified by Intifadas including bulldozing communities, sweeps by trigger happy IDF forces, rigid apartheid, and state approved settler attack to Gaza steadily eroded blind loyalty.  Many had never accepted if from Ultra Othodox Jew on the right to members of liberal to progressive congregations, Humanists and Free Thinkers, secularists, cultural Jewish non-Theists, and those drawing from the deep well of radicalism from the days of labor and class wars.  Generation after generation they were a major force and votes for the Left.

These days most Jews believe that opposition to state policy is not Anti-Semitic as usually charged, but an expression of Jewish values and making sure that the lessons of the Holocaust apply to all peoples and all oppressors and not just the exclusive right of Jews.  

Those shift of attitude and allegiance affected all our regional Congressional elections to one degree or another.  Of course there were other issues--Women's reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ status and safety, gun regulation, immigrant rights and protection, defending democracy--but the differences between the progressives and regulars was more nuanced than apparent.  There was broad agreement on a liberal Democratic agenda.

9th Congressional District

Evanston Mayor Daniel Bliss was a long-time favorite of what might be called a Bernie Sanders progressive.  The mathematician and academic served the Illinois House and Senate before being tapped as the counter to J.B. Pritzker's billionaire steamroller in 2018 and finished a strong second.  Pritzker surprised many by aggressively pursuing the progressive program in his first term.  The next spring Bliss landed on his feet as Mayor of Evanston, did his job diligently and enjoyed broad support, and bided his time for a new opportunity.  The path opened up when long-time Congresswoman Jan Schakowski announced her retirement and endorsed him as her successor. He faced Primary from Laura Fine, who took over his old State Senate who ran as bold Feminist and Kat Abughazaleh, a journalist, media gadfly, and DSA favorite, and a raft of other wannabes.  She accused both Bliss and Fine with being beholden to AIPAC for support in earlier campaigns and of failing to loudly express opposition to the blood bath in Gaza.  Bliss severed any remaining ties and returned some previous donations.  Fine was more reluctant.  Bliss denounced Netanyahu aggression but did not support charges of genocide.  Abughasaleh also renounced all corporate and PAC and relied solely on individual donations.  With the eager support of Sanders and DSA activists around the country she quickly out fund razed her opponents.  ICE Project Mid-Way Blitz enforcement became another issue.  Both Bliss and Abughasaleh showed up at confrontations and protests outside the Broadview Detention facility.  Both were gassed but Kat was thrown to the ground by an ICE agent during the protest and was charged with banging against an official ICE vehicle, breaking one of its mirrors, and scratching the word "PIG" into it.  Video of the incident went viral and made her an internet heroine.  In the interest of full disclosure, Heretic, Rebel a Thing to Flout endorsed Abughasaleh in the Primary.  Biss won with 29.5% of the vote to Abughazaleh's 26% but she placed first in City of Chicago wards and in supposedly deep Red McHenry County including Cary, Algonquin, and part of Crystal Lake.  Some of her supporters are calling for skipping Bliss on the ballot.  Bliss faces Evangelical pastor and MAGA loyalist John Ellson.  Bliss deserves election.

10th Congressional District

Brad Schnider served as Representative for 10th Congressional District since 2017 and previously from 2013 to 2015. The district is dominated by the wealthy North Lakeshore suburbs of Chicago.  The District is heavily Jewish.  Schnider has described himself as both broadly progressive and staunchly centrist.  He supported Joe Biden's program in the House 100%.  He has been the chair of the New Democrat Coalition, the largest House Democratic ideological caucus, since 2025.  He has also been not only an AIPAC supporter but an active and vocal member.  He has accused critics of Isreal with being Anti-Semitic.   He is opposed by obscure Republican Carl Lambrecht.  This is a tough race for supporters of Palestinian justice and safety.  But in a possibly narrowly divided House his vote could be critical to securing a Democratic take-over.  This is a sort of realist hold-your-nose endorsement.

11th Congressional District

Bill Foster advertises himself as an independent scientist and businessman.     He was first elected to Congress in 2008 replacing sex scandal disgraced, Dennis Hassert in the 14th District.  A Republican sponsored re-map Gerrymandered him out of that seat.  Foster moved to Naperville to run in the 11th District in 2012 and has been re-elected and has been re-elected every two years since then.  He enjoyed strong support of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats.  He provided leadership on many scientific and technical issues while providing strong back-bench support for most progressive causes but was sometimes viewed as insufficiently activist by some progressives, especially for withholding support for Medicare for All in favor of tinkering with Obama Care.  Like his colleague Lauren Underwood, who was re-districted out of her chunk of McHenry Count, Foster has a peerless constituent service and spends a good deal of time in the district, including hours at NO Kings and similar events where he thoughtfully engaged in deep conversations with many participants.  I found him open and curious even when we did not agree.  Israeli policy has been less critical in his races.  Foster voted to provide Israel with support following October 7 attacks but also cosponsored the West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025, which opposed Israeli violence in the West Bank and has spoken out about Gaza but has not signed off on a total suspension of arms aid and sales.  The 11th District covers the largest swath of McHenry County. This Blog has endorsed him in all of his races and continues to do so.

16th Congressional District

Youthful Paul Nolley is a long-shot challenger for veteran Republican Ray LaHood in the largely rural 16th Congressional District which includes Harvard and other small communities in the northwest corner of McHenry County.  The son of working class parents he has been deeply involved in community service, working with organizations such as the YMCA, United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and is Executive Director of Project First Rate, advocating for union contractors, apprenticeship programs, and responsible construction policies.  He has the strong support of the Illinois AFL-CIO and other labor leaders.  Donald Trump's sagging popularity with farmers and small business people battered by his tariffs and trade wars, soaring fuel and fertilizer costs due to the War on Iran, and labor shortages due to ICE raids and enforcement have put the district somewhat in play.  It remains a long shot, but in a total MAGA collapse Nolley stands a change.  Well worth a vote.