Six candidates vie for GOP nod in 6th Congressional District
By Jeff Vorva
Six for 6.
Here are some basic facts about each of the six Republican candidates in alphabetical order:
Niki Conforti
Conforti, who lives in Glen Ellyn, is a Riverside-Brookfield High School graduate and says she can provide a “fresh voice” in Congress for the 6th District citizens.
Among other things, she is trying to fight rising crime and fight declining test scores of area schools. She blames Casten, Newman and Democratic policies for those problems.
“As a mom, businesswoman and a lifelong resident of the Chicago suburbs, I have seen the bad leadership in Washington—and in Illinois,” she said on her website. “As an Illinois representative, I will protect your liberties and freedoms and make a better tomorrow.”
Rob Cruz
The Oak Lawn resident is originally from Joliet and was the starting quarterback for two state championship Providence Catholic High School football teams.
The leukemia survivor is now a business owner hoping to call signals in Washington.
Though he was recently tossed off the Oak Lawn Community High School District 229 Board of Education for suing Gov. JB Pritzker regarding face masks, he said he is acting in the best interests of residents.
“I believe that the people of [the Illinois 6th District] deserve to have safe neighborhoods [and] good schools where kids can learn life skills (not political agendas),” he said on his website. “Our voters deserve good paying careers and jobs that have been shipped away by a political class that has forgotten them in their pursuit of wealth.”
Gary Grasso
Grasso is one of two mayors in this race. He is the boss in Burr Ridge and held that spot from 2005-2012 and 2019-present.
He said he helped keep some businesses operating during the pandemic in 2020 by devising a tent program for restaurants. His desire is to restore the American Dream.
“The American Dream is a national ethos of the Unites States,” he said on his website.
He said it’s “The set of ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as an upward social mobility for the family and children…”
Scott Kaspar
The candidate from Orland Park has the support of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a polarizing figure to be sure, but a person who still carries some clout in Republican circles.
Kaspar has lived in Orland Park and is an engineer and lawyer. He says his great grandfather was Thomas Ehler, who served 30 years as a Republican judge, so there is some rich history in the family.
“I will fight to make this district safe, to bring more meaningful job opportunities to the district, to invest in our children’s education and to provide more healthcare choice so that everyone in the 6th District can succeed,” Kaspar said on his website.
Catherine O’Shea
O’Shea is an Oak Lawn resident, small business owner and breast cancer survivor.
She said she has worked as an unpaid trustee for the Worth Trustees of Schools for six years, including two as the president. She said she oversaw $300 million in investments in that capacity. She also calls herself a “proud plaintiff” on a lawsuit protecting due process rights for school children.
“I stand for pro-life, pro-police, law enforcement, pro-2A with a national background check, less government, small businesses, working class, energy independence, parental rights, veterans care, senior housing, affordable housing, unions, affordable prescriptions, border wall, budget accountability, less taxes and commonsense solutions,” she said on her website.
Keith Pekau
The other mayor in this race is Pekau of Orland Park, who is an Air Force combat veteran who said he has more than 1,500 hours of flight time including 45 combat sorties and 150 combat hours over southern Iraq.
He boasts of lower crime in his town since he took over in 2017 and has enjoyed accolades of Orland being one of the safest and best towns to live in by independent sources. He has endorsements from nine current mayors and one former mayor in the district.
“Politicians like Marie Newman, Sean Casten, Nancy Pelosi and Kim Foxx have put special interest party politics and extreme far-left agendas ahead of doing what’s best for the people they’re supposed to represent,” he said in on his website. “It’s time for Washington to put people over politics.”
Local News
Thome sweet Thome: Nazareth baseball defeats Hall of Famer Jim Thome’s alma mater
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Nazareth baseball team took a road trip to the middle of Illinois and improved its record to 7-0 on March 23 by beating Limestone, 6-0. Limestone is the alma mater of former White Sox player and Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim Thome, who is an assistant coach…
Chicago Catholic League greats headed to Hall of Fame
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent A handful of area stars will be inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The list features Kevin Bracken (St. Laurence, wrestling), Kevin Carberry (St. Rita, football), Matt Macievic (De La Salle, cross county and track), Mike McGrew (Mount Carmel, football), Dan Nicholson (Brother Rice,…
Fire II tops Chicago City, advances to to second round of Hunt Open Cup
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire II picked up a late invitation to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and beat Chicago City, 6-0, on March 20 in front of an announced crowd of 810 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Giovanni Granda and midfielder Vitaliy Hlyut each made their professional debut and scored…
Red Stars top Seattle, open season with two wins for first time in franchise history
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year’s last-place finish notwithstanding, the Chicago Red Stars have had a pretty rich history of success. The franchise has seven NWSL playoff appearances and has finished runner-up twice (2019, 2021), and prior to 2022 had finished no lower than fourth in the league ‘s regular season standings for…
College Football | Marian (Indiana) and St. Francis highlight Saint Xavier 2024 home slate
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Saint Xavier has released its 2024 football schedule, which has the Cougars opening the season in Michigan. SXU will travel to the Detroit suburb of Southfield to play Lawrence Tech on Sept. 7 in a Mid-States Football Association crossover. The Cougars’ home opener kicks off at noon on Sept.…
Morton College women’s hoops takes fifth in nation
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent For the second year in a row, the Morton College women’s basketball team finished fifth in the country. The Panthers closed out the 2023-24 campaign in Joplin, Missouri, with a 75-67 victory over Iowa Western on March 23 in the consolation championship game at the NJCAA Division II National…
Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Lockport for Gold at RedHawks Invite
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent Marist enjoys getting its season going by hosting a tournament that is now in its 20th year. They had a good time again this season, going unbeaten over five matches in two days to win the Marist RedHawks Invitational for the sixth consecutive time. The RedHawks ended the tournament…
City wants to buy armory at MDW
Spread the love. Has been vacant since 2017 . By Tim Hadac For decades, it served military purposes, as well as Chicago’s gateway for Presidents stopping off in the city. But the Army National Guard Midway Armory, 5400 W. 63rd St., has been mostly vacant since 2017, when the Illinois Army National Guard ceased operations…
A successful career serving thousands
Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708)-496-0265 . Most folks work for years at their jobs, expecting and receiving little fanfare, then retire quietly. Garfield Ridge resident Mary Ellen Fox planned to retire from her 30-year job in the City Clerk’s Office quietly; and she did, earlier this year. But…
Neighbors
Capitol Briefs: Advocates push for guaranteed income, child care assistance
By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the case of actor Jussie Smollett, who was convicted for staging a hate crime against him in 2019 in a case that drew criticism for Cook County’s top prosecutor. Smollett made what turned out to be…
Illinois teacher shortage persists, survey finds
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the state to ease the strain have made an impact. That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools,…
Bills in state Senate would further regulate battery storage and disposal
COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Two bills that would regulate battery disposal and storage are awaiting action from the full Illinois Senate after unanimous committee approval. Senate Bill 3481, sponsored by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, would require facilities that store electric vehicle batteries to register with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency…
Prisoner Review Board chair, member resign in wake of boy’s fatal stabbing by released inmate
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The longtime chair and a relatively new member of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board have resigned, Gov. JB Pritzker’s office announced Monday. The governor’s office announced the pair’s resignations within hours of each other nearly two weeks after Crosetti Brand was released from Stateville Correctional Center. Brand is…
Highest-ranking woman in state police history reflects on experience as force looks to diversify
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com The night before Rebecca Hooks started at the Illinois State Police Academy in 2002, she spoke on the phone with her father and her brother – both of whom worked in law enforcement. Her father encouraged her, telling her she was strong and could get through the…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
Capitol Briefs: Insurance reforms advance as Pritzker announces California trip
By PETER HANCOCK, JENNIFER FULLER & ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposal for sweeping reforms in the state’s health insurance industry passed out of a committee Thursday and will soon make its way to the full House for consideration. Pritzker first outlined the proposal in his State of the…