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Republicans Rally At Annual Picnic Delabar State Park

"We have been deficient spending since Republican Governor Jim Edgar," said the next Illinois State Representative Randy Frese, who is running unopposed in the 17th District in the Illinois General Election November 4th.

Frese spoke at the annual Henderson County Republicans Family Picnic in Delabar State Park, Oquawka, which is held annually on the third Sunday in September.

Frese, who ran strong in the race against incumbent Senator John Sullivan in the previous General Election was asked to run for the position after the District's State Representative Jil Tracy agreed to run with Kirk Dillard for the Lieutenant Governor's position in the Primary.

Talking before 200 guests at the Henderson County rally, Frese relayed the regrets of Jil Tracy, who had other commitments, but she wanted them to know it had been an honor and a privilege to serve the 94th district.

Frese, said the filing date of Sept. 4th for write-ins had passed, and there was no opposition for him now.

"I hope to follow in her (Jil Tracy) footsteps," he said.

Frese related the election to harvest saying that soon the landscape around Illinois would be changing as corn and soybean and wheat is soon harvested.

"We'd like to do the same thing in Springfield."

In speaking about the businesses that are leaving Illinois, Frese said he was able to sit in with top Caterpillar executives and ask them what was needed in order to keep them from building another business outside of illinois.

Their answer was threefold:

1-to get their fiscal state house in order,

2-to make significant improvements in workman compensation,

3- tort reform (civil law).

"We have been deficit spending," Frese said, "but at the same time, we are not taking care of the ones we are suppose to care for (such as nursing homes, education, etc.) The state is not coming through.

Frese ended saying his dad was deeply rooted in farming, and he was supporting the right for life, and the first amendment. Frese was followed by candidate and former Congressman Bobby Schilling who thanked those who prepared the event and the food, and thanked all veterans and their families for their families for their sacrifices and service.

Schilling talked about his son Levi who enlisted saying he had wanted to do this since he was 4 years old and just went through training in Ft. Benning, Georgia and is now in Ft. Bragg going through selection process.

In talking about the election, Schilling said, "the polls have us in a dead heat" but polls don't vote. All the candidates have stressed that everyone must help bring constituents to the polls to vote.

Schilling warned of the lies and deceits that are being put out by "the other side".

Schilling talked about the campaign promises of his opponent and how they were not being fulfilled.

Schilling talked about a bill he came up with that allows veterans to go to any hospital for treatment, when he was in office and not one democrat would sign it.

Now, they have taken the bill and claimed ownership to it and passed it.

Bobby said he looks at the huge debt and the corruption and he felt he had to run again for the sake of his family and the future of Illinois. Bobby said, "I have a great job with a great company, but as I watched everything unfold with Bustos, I realized I had to run.

"It's not Bobby Schilling's seat, it's your seat! The most awesome job we have is serving people. We have to help the constituents every way we can.... This is about people, doing the right thing!"

He said, "We never yield, we never give up, we continue to fight and to move this country forward!

"If you want fiscal responsibility, people who know how the government works, we as republicans feel we can spend our money better than the government."

"I believe if we take on the attitude of "the greatest generation- who never gave up, we can take our freedoms back!"

Randy Frese, left, running unopposed for Ill. State Representative of the 94th District stands with Candidate for Representative in the 17th Congressional District, Bobby Shilling.