Viva Lake County

When you see Sheriff Mark Curran's finger in the air, you know the political winds are changing in Lake County. Curran has been observed flip-flopping triangulating all over his political loyalties again; in this case, the winds are blowing out of the south, from down under -- and not from Australia but from places like Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba.

The big story from the 2012 election was Sam Yingling's upset victory over State Rep Candy Cole. Some, including Rich Miller, cite the Latino vote as contributing to Yingling's win:

The 62nd House District, where Democrat Sam Yingling upset Rep. Sandy Cole (R-Grayslake) has a Latino voting-age population of 22 percent. Yingling defeated Cole by 10 percentage points in a district drawn to elect a Republican. Yingling worked very hard for months, and Cole simply didn't, but the Latino vote was obviously crucial.
Latinos are now a major force in Illinois

Well, the voting machines are not even cold yet, and already Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran is telling the News-Sun and other newspapers that he thinks undocumented workers should be eligible for state-issued drivers licenses:

Curran also said that ensuring licensing of all drivers will save lives. "I've driven in Mexico — of course we have immigrants from all over — but they don't have the same rules of the road and it is more dangerous."
Lake County sheriff gets on board licensing undocumented drivers

For operatives who have been out of town on hiatus, this is the same Sheriff Mark Curran who, just a few years ago, was seeking deportation powers for his deputies. According to a 2008 Chicago Tribune story, Curran ...

released the results of an audit that showed a fifth of his jail population is undocumented and pressed for the power to deport them. In the process, he took shots at Cook County, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and politicians in Springfield and Washington for not doing the same. "The city of Chicago as well as the state of Illinois have shown little interest in cooperating with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]," Curran said. Later, he added: "Throw the bums out of Springfield and Washington but treat the illegal immigrants with love and respect." Fourteen months ago, Curran applied for certification in the federal 287(g) program, which gives local law enforcement officials deportation powers under Immigration and Customs supervision.
Lake County sheriff continues push for power to deport undocumented immigrants
Curran blasts Daley, Cook County and Washington over lack of deportation efforts

Haha, those were the days, when the Teaparty ruled the roost. Your LakeCountyEye remembers them like they were just yesterday.

Note to operatives, invest your 401(k) money in a Libertyville windfarm: cf. above, the shifting political winds of Lake County.