ABOVE: GOP Lieutenant Governor candidate Aaron Del Mar in the WDAN – D102 – KRock conference room in Danville.
Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate Aaron Del Mar stopped at CIMG in Danville Tuesday afternoon; making one of many stops on his way to the State Fair in Springfield. He’s currently Palatine Township Highway Commissioner, and also of course, GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey’s running mate.
Del Mar’s political career began at age 28, when he won a spot on the Palatine City Council. He moved on to become Palatine Township Chairman, Cook County Republican Chairman; and then by 2016, ’20, and ’24; a Republican Convention delegate. Del Mar says as a delegate, you can’t help but learn from all the big time people you meet.
AUDIO: I mean it would be Chris Christie or it’ll be Ted Cruz; Lara Trump, or whoever; anybody in that arena. Rand Paul, or Newt Gingrich; up and down the line.
In his athletic days, a wrestling scholarship to Indiana University helped him earn a Public Administration and Public Management degree; not to mention his wrestling career leading to him competing in Spain with the U.S. National Team, along with a brief 13 bout career as an MMA fighter.
AUDIO: And you know, people have often asked me, “Aaron, how can you run for lieutenant governor when there’s videos and pictures of you punching and fighting people in cages?” And I saw, “Well, that makes me equally qualified to be a Republican in Illinois.”
Del Mar poses in front of pictures of a young Dick Van Dyke and young Gene Hackman at WDAN-D102-KROCK.
Today, Del Mar’s resume as an entrepreneur includes owning a full service restaurant and brewery in Lake County, and an event production company that produces large scale endurance events
Del Mar says with the new school year starting, he sees one major issue as what has happened to local school districts, when it comes to getting their share of state money.
AUDIO: This current administration has been underfunding local share for the last 7 1/2 years. And that’s created an environment with local school districts, townships, cities; having increased property taxes. And I think everybody across the state can feel that pain.
When Darren Bailey was at a Vermilion County Republican event a few Sundays ago at the David S Palmer Arena, the theme definitely was “we can win this time if everyone who wants us to win takes time to vote.” Del Mar agrees with that, saying that since all that matters in statewide elections is who has more votes; it’s the downstate folks that they really need.
AUDIO: It’s a lot easier to get somebody in Danville, that looks at Republican politics in a positive light to come out and vote; than it is to convince a South Shore Democrat to come over and vote as a Republican.
But with that being said, Del Mar says when he’s back home in Palatine or anywhere in Chicago or the collar counties; a lot of times people approach him as if they are telling a secret in class. He says that has to change. Del Mar says “vote for who you wish, and be proud.”
AUDIO: “We’re gonna vote for you.” Why are you whispering? Be proud to be a Republican. Stand for what you want to say. You’re worried about everybody else beating on you, or your next door neighbor that might have a different point of view; or you’re going to lose Facebook friends or whatnot. They have the same rights as we do. Be proud of who you are. Stick to your points. You don’t have to be adversarial with people. But why are we whispering?
You can hear all of Aaron Del Mar’s talk with WDAN-D102-KROCK’s Steve Brandy and the News-Gazette’s Jennifer Bailey right here:
