Two McHenry County Board members appear to be headed toward defeat in the Republican primary Tuesday.
Incumbents Brian Sager of Woodstock and Larry Smith of Harvard were both trailing their respective GOP opponents in unofficial results Tuesday.
The GOP enjoys a 15-3 supermajority on the county board after gaining two seats in the 2024 election. One district will have a new member after the fall election, while two more could possibly also have new members if the GOP primary results hold. Election results are unofficial until the canvass April 6.
McHenry County Board District 7
In this district, based in central McHenry County, incumbent Republican Brian Sager of Woodstock is trailing his primary challenger, former county board member Jeff Schwartz of McHenry.
With all precincts reporting, Schwartz has 920, or just under 58% of the vote, to Sager’s 675, or just over 42% of the vote, in unofficial results.
Schwartz was on the county board, but lost in 2022 to Sager and former board member Lou Ness.
The candidates differed on issues, especially taxation.
Schwartz contrasted his voting record with Sager’s at a candidate forum hosted by the GOP and McHenry County GOPac.
“He says he’s fiscal conservative, trusted, voice of reason and proven leader. However, actions actually speak louder than words,” Schwartz said.
He said officials don’t need to cut services to hold the line on taxes.
“You eliminate waste and get better,” Schwartz said.
Sager, at that same forum, said taxes and increases in the cost of services has been among the biggest challenges in recent years.
“Those of us who are in public service, we pay taxes too. Our taxes are going up. Our cost of living is going up, and we recognize the strain that that creates,” Sager said.
Sager added the county board went years without increasing taxes, which he said “catches up with you.”
Sager said infrastructure keeps deteriorating and eventually has to be fixed, which he acknowledged can mean increasing revenues and taxes. But he contended the county board will continue to be responsible in how it taxes and spends.
The winner faces Democrat Patrick Shea in November.
McHenry County Board District 8
In this district covering large portions of northern and western McHenry County, incumbent Republican Larry Smith of Harvard is trailing challenger Marty Mohr of Marengo.
Mohr has 1,386 or just over 60% of the vote, to Smith’s 923 votes, or just under 40%, as of 10:36 p.m. Tuesday. All precincts have reported.
Mohr, who is the chair of the Marengo Planning and Zoning Commission and the Marengo Park District Board president, also contrasted his positions with Smith. Smith didn’t attend the forum and Mohr said that was not surprising and Smith’s record isn’t in line with GOP values.
Solar farms is one area where the candidates differed.
Smith said in a Shaw Local questionnaire that he doesn’t like seeing solar farms on agricultural land. But he said state law has tied the county’s hands on solar farms. “The risk of a lawsuit and liability for the County, which affects the taxpayers, is always a factor in my decisions on these matters,” Smith said.
Mohr said at the forum he is against state law restricting the county’s ability to solar projects and wanted the county to push back against unfunded mandates.
“We can’t allow the fear of a lawsuit to stop us from defending our rural character,” Mohr said.
Mohr said in his Shaw Local questionnaire that the state law “is an unacceptable infringement on local governance.”
Mohr added the county should work with lawmakers to get their rights back but felt while some people hesitate because of litigation, “standing up for our residents’ property rights and the protection of productive farmland is a fight worth taking to court.”
The winner faces Democrat Christy “Chris” Stevens in November.
McHenry County Board District 9
The district covers much of southwestern McHenry County and will have a new county board member after incumbent Michael Skala, a Huntley Republican, decided not to run again.
On the Republican side, former Huntley trustee and restaurant owner Niko Kanakaris was unopposed for the Republican nomination. Democrat Christine Hamm, who was among the organizers of a group that helped to flip control of the Huntley School District 158 board in 2025 after being dissatisfied with the direction a conservative slate who won control of the board in 2023 took the board in.
All of the countywide incumbents, Sheriff Robb Tadelman, Regional Superintendent of Schools Diana Hartmann, Clerk/Recorder Joe Tirio and Treasurer Donna Kurtz, were uncontested in the primary. All are Republicans. Tirio and Kurtz will face Democrats Bill McNeese and Amin Karim in November, respectively. However, Hartmann and Tadelman could also have general election opponents.