Aaron Del Mar Fires 13 Chicago GOP Committeemen

Aaron Del Mar & Friends

As his final move as Cook County GOP chairman, Aaron Del Mar of Palatine fired more than a dozen committeemen who have voted in a Democratic primary during the previous eight years.

"No one's even heard of them. No one's even seen them," Del Mar said of the 13 committeemen, all from Chicago. He says the move was an attempt to combat issues the party has had in past years with election judges, where Democrats have filled Republican judges spots in heavily Democratic wards.

Del Mar was able to execute this maneuver through amendments to the party bylaws adopted earlier in the year at his request, a move his successor, Sean Morrison of Palos Park, also said he supported. Some committeemen, however, questioned the legality of the decision.

Off duty police officers ultimately removed some committeemen who protested the move, as well as some of their supporters, before the county meeting began.

The county party's plan is to replace those committeemen with Republican candidates for state representative and state Senate by the end of May. Committeemen, who aren't paid, have duties including helping out with elections and promoting the party's candidates.

Del Mar, who said he decided not to seek re-election due to the needs of his growing family, was succeeded by Morrison, a businessman in a unanimous vote. Committeeman Marc Levine is also expected to have a more visible leadership role within the party due to close ties to the governor, whose Winnetka home is in New Trier township, which Levine represents.

Aaron Del Mar Speaking at the Palatine Township Republicans Meeting!

Aaron Del Mar

Aaron Del Mar speaking at a meeting of the Palatine Township Republicans!

Aaron Del Mar

Del Mar, Roskam, Proft Meeting

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam and radio personality Dan Proft will be the featured speakers when the Palatine Township Republican Organization hosts its regular monthly meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 7.

The meeting, which is free and open to the public, takes place at the PTRO office, 765 N. Quentin Road in Palatine.

"Congressman Roskam will share with us his view of Congress from his position as chairman of the Ways & Means oversight Committee while Proft will give us his perspective on the inner workings of Illinois politics," said Palatine Township Republican Committeeman Aaron Del Mar.

The Palatine Township Republican Organization holds a monthly general meeting on the first Saturday of the month. For further information about membership and events or to join their email newsletter, visit www.palatinerepublicans.org, call (847) 496-7871 or email aaron@palatinerepublicans.org.

Aaron Del Mar Bio

Aaron Del Mar

Aaron was born as an only child to Vic & Betty Del Mar and was raised in Palatine, Illinois. A product of District 15 & 211 schools (Sanborn & Sundling), he graduated from Palatine High School in 1996. During his high school career, Aaron was on the varsity wrestling team, earning All-State honors and setting several school records. Aaron earned a scholarship to Indiana University-Bloomington and graduated with a degree in Public Management from their nationally-ranked school of Public and Environmental Affairs. During his time at Indiana, Aaron was a varsity letter winner in wrestling, a three-time Judo All-American and a member of the 2000 University World Judo Team.

An entrepreneur, Aaron now owns several companies. They include Adrenaline Sports Management, which produces running races and endurance events across the country and , US. Casino Rentals LLC a marketing firm that specializes in party planning, event management and corporate marketing and promotions.

Aaron founded Fathers Helping Fathers in 2006 after a 3 year struggle to get time with his son, Konnor Del Mar. Information about where and when his sons birth took place were withheld from him, and subsequent attempts at contact and visitation were repeatedly thwarted. He traveled the country in the hopes of gaining access and time with Konnor. After considerable emotional and legal efforts, the courts awarded him primary custody.

Aaron currently resides in Palatine, IL with Sara Cox and their six children.

Del Mar Appointed to the Palatine Rural Fire Protection Board

Former Palatine councilman Aaron Del Mar was appointed as the Palatine Rural Fire Protection District's newest trustee on Monday, Nov. 16.

Del Mar is filling the seat of Rich Wells who recently passed away. Wells was elected to the three-person board in May 2015. Del Mar’s term will end in May 2016 fulfilling the original three-year tenure.

“He was a very nice man and very good at what he was doing," said Palatine Township Supervisor Sharon Langholtz-Johnson of Wells.

Langholtz-Johnson said Del Mar is also well suited for the position. “His management skills are very high,” she said, “and he will be a good steward of the taxpayers money.”

Three applicants were in the running for the position, according to Langholtz-Johnson. She said Del Mar was chosen for his qualifications, as well as the fact that his other positions did not create a conflict of interest.

In addition to four years of experience as a village council member, Del Mar also has considerable fire protection experience.

“I took the Fire Ops 101 course,” he told the Journal & Topics. “It’s a class that gives elected officials an opportunity to actually live a day in the life of a fireman.”

He said that experience was “vigorous and strenuous,” but one that he enjoyed very much.

Fire protection was a focus for Del Mar when he worked on the village council’s project to annex parts of Palatine Township. He also helped negotiate police and fire pensions.

“I just moved to unincorporated Palatine Township and I wanted to make a difference here,” said Del Mar of his motivation for applying. “I’m very excited about the opportunity.”

Updates to the fire district website and improved transparency are goals that Del Mar brings to his new position. However, these issues are only secondary to the district’s budget deficit, in Del Mar’s opinion.

“I’m planning on making a motion to re-open this year’s budget,” he said. According to Del Mar, the recently approved $282,000 deficit is more than the district should carry. “I’d like to see a balanced budget.”

While Del Mar is honored and humbled by the appointment, he is also looking forward to “working hard to make sure everyone knows they made the right decision.”

“There are a lot of questions that need answering, but first they need to be asked,” he said of the tasks ahead.

Del Mar is the owner of Adrenaline Sports and Chicago Casino & Poker and serves committeeman of the Palatine Township Republican Organization.

Palatine Township incorporates Palatine, and portions of Barrington, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, and Rolling Meadows.