There was a family atmosphere at the 24th annual Iroquois County Democratic Party's Oktoberfest Sunday night at Miss Karol's in Watseka.
The main speaker, Associate Judge Lance Peterson of Morris, candidate for third appellate court justice, is a long-time friend of Sen. Debbie Halvorson of Crete. He will be performing her forthcoming wedding to Jim Bush.
Peterson, when he was Grundy County state's attorney, was the first person to hire Rep. Careen Gordon of Coal City when she was a young lawyer.
And he practiced law with Appellate Court Judge Mary Kay O'Brien, now of Essex, whom he hopes to join on the third district appellate bench after next year's election. The two ran together in 1996 when she was a state representative candidate and he was running for Grundy County state's attorney.
He said improvements in the country start from the ground up.
O'Brien was not at the event, since she recently gave birth to her third son, said local chairman Maury Seggebruch.
"Working people are the foundation on which everything else sits... If they are struggling, our country as a whole struggles. If you start there, the rest falls into place," Peterson said.
Peterson, a Morris native, has been an associate judge for four years in the 13th Circuit, which includes Grundy, LaSalle and Bureau counties.
He's seeking the appellate judgeship held by Judge Kent Slater of Hancock County in western Illinois.
Also seeking the Democratic nomination for the 21-county third appellate court seat is Vicki Wright of Tampico, a 15-year associate judge in the 14th Circuit, which includes Rock Island, Mercer, Henry and Whiteside counties.
She started her legal career with two years in the appeals court in the state's attorney's office on criminal cases, then spent seven years as assistant state's attorney in Whiteside County (Sterling-Rock Falls).
Rep. Lisa Dugan of Bradley met with the Iroquois County Democrats only two years ago and said she considers them "just like my family."
She and Gordon have been roommates in Springfield and intend to continue working hard together.
Iroquois County is a small portion of their districts, but they urge everyone to contact them with their concerns.
Gordon, attending with her father, Tom, of Morris, also said she loves to visit Iroquois County. "My job is to represent the people who gave me the job -- because if I don't, my father will slap me back in place," she joked.
She said that in the Illinois House, she will continue to be the loud mouth in the back row, along with Dugan.
She said she was raised to help other people. Recently, Tom's next-door neighbor, who the family calls Sissie, 92, received information about the new Medicare D program in the mail. She was unable to understand it and came over in tears, asking Careen for help. "As my mother always told me: 'We are obliged to help other people,'" Careen said.
She refers to Peterson as "the most brilliant man on the planet."
Halvorson, the first woman to become majority leader in the Senate in Illinois history, says she also is blessed to represent Iroquois County. She characterizes the recent issue about the third airport as a "rude awakening." She believes the people who live and work in the area of the airport should be on the board and make the major decisions.
People have "accused me of all sorts of things" because of her stance on the issue, she says.
Her district stretches from south Cook County through eastern Will and Kankakee counties into Iroquois County.
That Iroquois County is a small part "doesn't matter," she said. "You guys work so hard for all of us and we want to be there for you."
Seggebruch of Buckley hosted the evening. Party icon Joe Mathy of Chebanse, who held the sheriff's post for 21 years, conducted the auction.
Other officers are first vice president Pat McTaggart of Watseka, second vice president Frances Wilson of Gilman and secretary/treasurer Grace Boomgarten, 90, who has been at her post since 1984.