By Tom Robb, Journal & Topics
Palatine Township Republican Committeeman Aaron Del Mar is running as a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor with gubernatorial candidate Gary Rabine.
Del Mar made the announcement on one of his social media pages late Tuesday, Jan. 11, and confirmed he is running with Rabine with the Journal on Wednesday. He said a formal announcement would be coming later this week.
Del Mar said he met with Rabine on Thursday, Jan. 6, thinking Rabine sought the meeting to ask for help with his campaign for governor. He said when Rabine asked him to be his running mate, he took a day to consider and said “yes.”
Del Mar is currently the only GOP candidate running for any statewide office from Cook County.
“It’s been an amazing ride,” Del Mar said. When he first ran for Palatine Village Council in 2009 he said he couldn’t envision being a candidate for lieutenant governor just a few years later. “My dad was so proud,” Del Mar said.
He said his father was an immigrant to the United States, and his mother, who grew up on Chicago’s South Side, spent her career working as an emergency room nurse.
Del Mar also serves as Palatine Township highway commissioner. He has held posts as Cook County Republican Party chairman, Palatine village councilman, and was appointed by former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to the Illinois International Port Authority.
On his port authority posting, Del Mar said he not only had to sit for Illinois State Senate confirmation hearings and be confirmed by a vote of the full Illinois Senate (which held a Democratic super-majority at the time), but also had to have his appointment approved by Chicago’s mayor, who was Democrat Rahm Emanuel at the time.
Del Mar said he told Rabine if elected, he wanted his first task to be creating a committee on crime and public safety.
“There are 100 people charged with murder out on the streets (now),” Del Mar said. Asked if he was targeting Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Del Mar said, “Kim Foxx created a target on herself.” He said if Foxx and Chief Cook County Circuit Court Judge Tim Evans can’t see to the safety of residents at the county level, he would work to get it done at the state level.
Del Mar said he would bring his extensive understanding of local government to the ticket with Rabine’s entrepreneurial history, building a company from the ground up.
New Rabine, Del Mar for governor and lieutenant governor campaign logo. (Photo submitted by Aaron Del Mar)
Del Mar said he and Rabine are the only candidates, “Who can’t be bought,” He said besides Rabine’s personal funding of the campaign, contributions ranging from $20 to $50,000 are coming into the campaign.
On the chances the Republican ticket wins in November, Del Mar said, “There will be a GOP wave in November. The question is will it be a three-foot wave or a 20-foot wave.”
Other GOP candidates running for the state’s top job include State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-55th), Former State Sen. Paul Schimpf (R-58th), and Jesse Sullivan.
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