Politics & Government

Will County GOP Women's Club Aims to Encourage Female Candidates

The newly-formed Will County Republican Women's Club is hosting a fundraiser Aug. 14 in Bolingbrook.

Having participated in local Republican organizations over the years, including at the township level, New Lenox resident Patty Deiters came to the conclusion that a separate organization for women and in support of female candidates would be an asset.

In April, she began researching organizations and their bylaws and discovered that the Will County Republican Women's Club would be particularly effective if it aligned itself as a chapter of the Illinois Federation of Republican Women . Consequently, she said, the Will County group is also affiliated with the National Federation of Republican Women.

The women-specific group has the opportunity to focus on women in government.

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However, that doesn't mean that men in the party are not welcome or that male candidates running under the Republican umbrella would not be supported, Deiters said.

With only four months under the organization's belt, it has 35 members from throughout the county, she said. The goal is to encourage women candidates.

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"We have a lot of good women running for office," Dieters said. "I think it's doing what's right for women that's important....We want to see more qualified women elected to office."

With state , (R-New Lenox) among the active members, Deiters said the group is off to a good start.

The club's first-ever fundraiser to support the campaigns of women candidates for public office—whether that be for Will County Board or state government—is slated for Aug. 14 at the . A reception is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. with a dinner following from 7 to9 p.m.

The price tag is $75 a plate, she said. At present, about 100 reservations have been accepted.

Check out the list of candidates the Will County Republican Women's Club is supporting in the upcoming election:

  • Ragan Freitag, of Shorewood, who is running for Will County Board 
  • Margo McDermed, of Mokena, who is running for Will County Board
  • Sharon Hicks, of Joliet, who is running for Will County Board
  • Laurie McPhillips, of Plainfield, who is running for Will County Recorder of Deeds
  • Marlene Carlson, of New Lenox, who is running for Will County Circuit Court
  • Renee Kosel, of New Lenox, who is running for the 37th House District of Illinois.

The speakers planned for the fundraiser are:

  • Demetra DeMonte of the Illinois Federation of Republican Women 
  • Adam Andrzejewski, who represents Project Vote Smart
  • Jack Rosen, who is expected to discuss the Renaissance PAC

For information about the Will County Republican Women's Club, email Deiters at pattydeiters@yahoo.com.


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