Kathy Michael

Member For

1 year 6 weeks

Website:

McLean County Pundit

Contact:

Red County Editor -
McLean County, IL
kathymichael@verizon.net

BIOGRAPHY

Kathy Michael, founder of mcleancountypundit.com and President of Michael Consulting, is a political and business consultant from Bloomington, Illinois. She has served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman, and on the McLean County GOP Executive Committee. She is a regular political commentator on WJBC (1230) radio, and has provides a weekly political commentary on conservative radio Cities 92.9. She also writes a weekly email political newsletter, The Michael Report.

Kathy created her local blog when spending concerns in McLean County, Illinois were increasing; including questions about delays in the releasing of financial statements from the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, which billed as a money-maker, still today is a huge financial drain on the city. The Coliseum issue alone caused those on the City Council who voted for this project, to be defeated. Kathy was Political Consultant and Campaign Manager for five successful City Council elections whose victories changed the face of the City Council from liberal spending Democrats, to conservative Republicans.

The beginning of the grassroots training which helped determine Kathy’s success in campaign consulting came from work with GOP candidates including Bob Dole, Ronald Reagan, IL Congressman Tim Johnson and IL Supreme Court Justice Ben Miller (retired), who pulled off an upset Primary victory for the high court. Having grown up in central Illinois, in the small town of Lexington, in farm country in McLean County, Kathy learned early on that talking with people, going door-to-door and shaking hands with the voters was the way to win elections. That’s still the way to win, she says. It’s all about grassroots.

In 2004, Kathy was appointed McLean County Campaign Co-Chair for Bush, and that year saw the largest turnout of Republican voters in McLean County’s voting history. Other successful campaign management work included hotly contested races for State’s Attorney and Sheriff. In McLean County, Kathy has a 10-2 win/loss record.

As President of Michael Consulting, Kathy’s most recent work included lobbying successfully for local businesses and residents against a gravel pit proposed in McLean County, and helping to get a form-based code zoning proposal put on hold in Bloomington/Normal, which would have had a negative effect on existing business owenrs.

Kathy is nearing completion of her first book, “So You Want To Run For Office? A Beginner’s Guide,” due to be published in 2010 and is proud to be a contributing writer for Red County.

COMMENTARIES

"While we complain, we must also act."

By Kathy Michael | 08/30/09

Commentary by Contributing Writer Donny Herrin Local Coordinator-Campaign For Liberty LONG TRAIN OF ABUSES We find our political landscape today scattered with a myriad of issues. These issues seem fraught with uncertainty and an unstableness that, without question, invite no less than catastrophe. The two-party system that has so-long controlled the American political horizon is in shambles. While both sides,... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Sunday Headlines - "Illinois GOP Far From Settled on Obama's former US Senate seat nod"

By Kathy Michael | 08/30/09

With the GOP making some headway in Illinois political races, with Obama's US Senate seat front and center on the "one to watch" dial, to Obama's strongest disapproval numbers so far in his brief tenure and Nevada not all that keen on their home-town Congressman Harry Reid who is up for re-election, it's going to be a political year to watch in 2010. With voters becoming more and more anxious and aware, maybe this election cycle more... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Ted Kennedy-With the name came a price

By Kathy Michael | 08/26/09

My source, long retired, told me this story: On May 15, 1972, when Democrat George Wallace was shot at the Laural, Maryland shopping center, the Secret Service was immediately ordered by then President Richard Nixon to protect Shirley Chisholm, an African-American Congressman from New York, Wilbur Mills, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Senator Ted Kennedy, who was not a candidate in '72. Three days... read more »

1 Comment | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Illinois GOP Chairman Follow-UP and a Busy GOP Day at the State Fair and Central Illinois

By Kathy Michael | 08/21/09

With our IL GOP Chairman Andy McKenna quitting, to the surprise of many; National Committeeman Pat Brady taking the helm, to our 11th Congressional candidates out and about, Illinois Republicans are shaking things up for the 2010 elections. It was GOP Day at the Illinois State Fair yesterday and what a day it was. As I mentioned surprising nearly everyone in the Illiniois GOP, was IL Chairman Andy McKenna announcing he was stepping... read more »

1 Comment | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Illinois GOP Chairman Andy McKenna Quits-National Committee Pat Brady, New GOP Chairman

By Kathy Michael | 08/21/09

Andy McKenna Pat... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SCANDAL- "ADMISSION COMMISSION OMMISSIONS"

By Kathy Michael | 08/21/09

Submitted By McLean County Pundit Contributing Writer David Stanczak Abner Mikva The Report & Recommendations of the State of Illinois Admissions Review Commission has been out for nearly two weeks. Its content is consistent with the observations of its chair Abner Mikva, who identified the problem as the... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

National Republicans - New Hope on Illinois Young Guns

By Kathy Michael | 08/19/09

No, it's not so much abour young Congressman Aaron Schock, but the Schock effect the NRCC hopes to happen a second time with young Adam Kinzinger: NRCC banking on Illinois candidate's Schock factor A young Republican in central Illinois wins his first political office before he can legally drink and goes on to Congress a decade later. Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Just a cycle after 27-year-old Aaron Schock became the... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Chris Kennedy won’t run in 2010 for Illinois Senate (Obama's former seat) or governor

By Kathy Michael | 08/18/09

Another Kennedy apparently not ready for Prime Time. Chris Kennedy, CEO of Chicago's Merchandise Mart, had hinted (strongly) that he might run for Obama's US Senate seat, or Illinois Governor. He's changed his mind. Chris Kennedy won't run in 2010 for Senate or governor In a letter e-mailed today, Kennedy, the son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, said he "decided not to run" for the Senate. "The decision wasn't easy to... read more »

0 Comments | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

ILLINOIS SENATOR DICK DURBIN: UNCONSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATIVE

By Kathy Michael | 08/15/09

BY CONTRIBUTING WRITER DONNY HERRIN, Local Coordinator for the Campaign for Liberty Illinois Senator Dick Durbin's recent position not to hold any town hall meetings to become better informed of the citizens' sentiments regarding the national health care fiasco is a far cry from simply ignoring the people and their interests. Durbins' decision not to even entertain their feelings is constitutionally repugnant. Fundamentally, let's put... read more »

1 Comment | Related Topics »McLean County (IL) |

Illinois in play again for GOP?

By Kathy Michael | 08/09/09

With Governor Blagojevich indicted, and our state in near financial ruin with a Democrat controlled legislature; Republicans could get some seats back in 2010. Current IL State Treasurer, Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, is going to run for Obama's Senate seat; he's the President's baskeetball playing buddy from the old days; as old as you can get for this 30-something Treasurer. Republican State Senator Dan Rutherford will make a run for the... read more »