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Contact: Jim Thompson, WCRCC Chairman Telephone: 815-963-4895 E-mail: countygopchair@gmail.

com

February 22, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thompson Provides Personal Endorsement of Manzullo from Jim Thompson, Winnebago County Republican Central Committee Chairman
The Winnebago County Republican Central Committee has not endorsed candidates in contested primaries historically although our bylaws do NOT prohibit such endorsements. Rather, we have taken steps to educate both our organization and our members as to each candidate -- via review of public activities, political questionnaires and other means. Thereafter, in some races the party will share information from the review and provide such information for the public to consider prior to any election. This does not, however, eliminate the personal beliefs of those elected as members of the organization or its leaders. While the party organization may choose not to endorse, those individuals retain every right, in their discretion, to make known their personal preference in any primary race. This too has always been the policy of the WCRCC, but clarification is necessary due to a recent statement attributed to me regarding the 16th District race. That statement -- that I am remaining "neutral" in the race for the 16th District -- was and is inaccurate. The PARTY has not endorsed -- although comments made at a recent meeting by many indicate support for the same conclusion I have reached. I encourage each individual member of our organization, should they choose, to make their individual opinions known. Personally, I am pleased to provide my endorsement for re-election to our current 16th District representative, Don Manzullo. Don has represented the responsible voices of Illinois, particularly the 16th District, for the past twenty years, consistently leading with a conservative perspective (both fiscal and personal) during that time -- even when conservative voices were scarce in Washington. He has taken his personal experiences -- as a small business owner, living in an agricultural community, representing small and larger businesses -- and drawn from them in his representation for this area. He has been a leader in promoting manufacturing interests, small businesses and agricultural interests, and he has obtained federal support for projects in each county in the district, thereby benefiting the entire district on numerous occasions. He knows how to accomplish things for our area in Washington, but does not forget his roots and the source of his position - his constituents. He is routinely back in our district maintaining a strong connection to those constituents. When I visited Washington in the 1990's, Don personally escorted me into the White House and stayed with his group of constituents (less than 10) for nearly an hour until it was our time for the tour; I saw other elected officials drop off their constituents and leave. This was when I was just another voter, a former resident of Bureau and Lee Counties and the son and grandson of farmers - and this is how he treats all of his constituents. The fact that his record has earned him endorsements of regional and state organizations -- not just local leaders and officials, which he has as well -- demonstrate that he brings a solid conservative voice with the proper common-sense needed in DC. His voting record likewise demonstrates his fiscal responsibility and forms a basis for his high ratings by various conservative groups; his experience as a past chairman has reflected well on our area, and his experience may well garner another chairman position in the next Congress. This experience and proven track-record make any area he represents better for it -- and I personally and enthusiastically endorse him for re-election.

### If youd like to learn more about the WCRCC, please log on to www.wcrcc.com. 2222 E State Street Suite A106 PO Box 7543, Rockford IL 61126 Telephone: 815-387-2874

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