Tony Michelassi for DuPage County Board

In April of 2008, I decided to throw my hat in the ring for the 2008 General Election. Having gone to vote in the Democratic primary, and having seen all the empty slots on the ballot, I felt someone had to step up and give voters a choice about who represented them in Wheaton. I decided to offer myself as the third candidate in what would otherwise have been a two-candidate race for two positions. The Republican candidates in that race were incumbent District 5 Board Member Jim Healy, and Naperville School District 203 Vice President Gerry Cassioppi.

04/25/08 – Lisle Sun: “College student tries his hand at politics”

I ran for County Board because I felt I could offer a new perspective in a branch of government dominated by one party and one occupation. While both my opponents were seasoned attorneys with histories of political activity, I was a clerk at the photo desk of my local Osco Drug store and a recent graduate of the College of DuPage with an Associate’s Degree in Political Science. I had grown up in DuPage County since I was just a year old. I had seen the farm fields around my home turn into housing developments, strip malls, and warehouses. I had seen traffic on Eola Road and Route 59 turn into an abysmal mess. I had dealt with COD’s commuter problems. And I had become aware of the County’s growing budget problems.

I also had grown tired of the things I saw in the news. While voting themselves pay raises and limiting public input and their own accountability, I saw folks in our County government over-spending the taxpayer’s dollar. I saw the County lobby to raise sales taxes on all of Chicago’s collar counties to help pay down a $40 million deficit. And I saw plans being set in motion to further raise taxes, such as introducing new ones, or obtaining home rule, or creating a larger and more expensive County bureaucracy.

I also had more philosophical disagreements with politics as usual. I ran to be the politician who kept his campaign promises. I ran to provide much-needed minority representation in what had been a single-party system for over 30 years (with one recent exception). I ran to do away with the “my way or the highway” politics that I saw going on in Washington and Springfield, and to become a consensus-builder. I ran to answer a call to service, and to prove that my generation can care about our neighbors and work to make their lives better. I ran because I agreed that the election was not about me, but about you, the voter – regardless of whether you voted for me or not.

I put together my platform, and went door to door to let people know who I was and what I wanted to do. On a very small campaign budget, I launched this website, printed postcards and signs, made phone calls, and paid for entry to community events. I recruited my friends and family to help with the campaign work. I walked in parades, shook hands, had discussions with anyone and everyone who had an idea. I was eager and willing to do the job. I worked hand-in-hand with many local Democratic candidates who shared a common vision of helping our neighbors and not serving any greater organization other than the voters who would elect us. I garnered two endorsements:

Personal PAC – www.personalpac.org
I received no funds from Personal PAC. I just filled out the questionnaire they mailed me.

Illinois Committee for Honest Government – www.ilchg.com
I received no funds from the ILCHG, nor did they send a questionnaire, but I was extremely happy to receive their endorsement!

And in the end, I was absolutely floored and honored to see the following final results from the DuPage County Election Commission:

DuPage County Board District 5

Precincts Reporting: 100.0 %
Total Votes: 98,935
James D. Healy (R): 34,148 – 35.37%
Tony Michelassi (D): 32,307 – 33.46%
Gerald Cassioppi (R): 30,098- 31.17%

I posted this here on my campaign website on Election Night:

“I cannot begin to express my gratitude to the people of District 5 for choosing me to represent them on their County Board. I promise to serve to the absolute best of my ability. I could not have attained this office without the help and support of so many, if I tried to list them all here… I wouldn’t get any sleep tonight! But they know who they are, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

Time to get to work.”

I am where I am now thanks to you, my neighbors. I will never, ever forget that. Whether we agree or disagree, I will always listen, and will always work to fulfill the promises I made to you.