John Guevara: meet the Winnebago County Board District 3 candidates

John M. Guevara is running against  Ray Thompson in the March 19 Republican primary election for Winnebago County Board of Trustees District 3, which includes much of Roscoe.

John Guevara's experience includes seven years as a member of the Winnebago County Board. He was vice-chairman of the Winnebago County Republican Central Committee and Illinois chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly. In 2019, he served as Legislative Chief of Staff for State Senator Brian Stewart in his Freeport office. He works as a senior business development manager at Lucky Street Gaming. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Princeton University. Guevara's website is johnmguevara.org.

District 3 includes the Rock River, Hononegah Forest Preserve, Kelly Myers Park, Goldie B. Floberg Center, Riverside Park, Roscoe Middle School, and Schnucks, and many Roscoe restaurants. It includes downtown Roscoe east to 90 and west to Old River Road. Its eastern border runs south along 251 to Ralston Road/173.  On the current Winnebago County map [PDF], revised in 2021, District 3 is colored "sorrell brown."

Guevara is officially endorsed by his colleagues in the Republican caucus of the Winnebago County Board of Trustees, County Sheriff Gary Caruana, County Chairman Joe Chiarelli, States Attorney J Hanley, and former state Representative Jim Sacia.

We asked each candidate to tell us why they should be elected as District 3 Trustee.

John M. Guevara

What are your qualifications for the Winnebago County Board of Trustees?

I am the most experienced candidate in this race, having just started my 8th year serving in the county board. I have been the vice chairman of the operations committee, chairman of the juvenile justice task force, and chairman of the public safety committee. My experience has earned me the endorsements of my colleagues [in] the Republican caucus of Winnebago county board, of Sheriff Gary Caruana, of Chairman Joe Chiarelli, and of States Attorney J Hanley. These folks know what we need to get the job done. And they’re asking you to vote for me because I get the job done.

Why are you running?

I believe District 3 residents need a board member who shares their values and fights for them. Take the multi family development issue, for instance. I initiated an investigation by the state’s attorney to uncover everything we can possibly do to support local governments and neighbors who are fighting bad faith developers. I refused to just sit back and shrug my shoulders. I want to know if there’s anything your county government can do, and I want to make sure we do everything your county government can do to fight bad faith developers. I am running to fight for the residents of District 3.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

The bridge at Roscoe Road needs to be replaced and widened so Roscoe Road can be widened. I will also continue to keep my promises on taxes and public safety.

“Refugee” and “asylum” seekers are being flown to Illinois. A few hundred landed in the Rockford airport earlier this year. It is my priority to establish that Winnebago County is not a sanctuary county and do our part to stem the tide of illegal immigration.

Illinois state government has imposed or are eyeing multiple mandates on your county government that I vehemently oppose: from cashless bail, to green energy land grabs of prime farm land, the requirement to use electronic voting machines, and the implementation of woke-ism in our justice system. I will stand up and fight these mandates!

Why should people vote for you?

I keep my promises. I promised to support development that made sense and had the support of the community and surrounding neighbors. And I’ve voted against zoning projects that were opposed by the surrounding community.

I promised our property taxes wouldn’t go up. I have voted against six county budgets because they raised property taxes. I’m proud to say I voted for this budget because the property tax levy was flat.

I promised to invest in better roads and to increase investment in public safety. The budget I voted for invests millions more dollars in county roads and $2 million more to fight crime in Winnebago County!

I believe experience matters. And in a Republican primary, being Republican matters. Former Congressman Don Manzullo and [former state] Representative Jim Sacia agree with me and I am proud to have their endorsements in this Republican primary.

Former Congressman Don Manzullo has since withdrawn his endorsement, saying that Guevara misquoted him in a mailing.

John Guevara's endorsements

John Guevara is officially endorsed by the Republican caucus of the Winnebago County Board of Trustees, County Sheriff Gary Caruana, County Chairman Joe Chiarelli, County Coroner Jennifer Muraski, Circuit Clerk Tom Klein, State's Attorney J Hanley, Harlem Township Supervisor Gary Jury, Roscoe Township Supervisor Bob Nowicki, and former state Representative Jim Sacia. He was also proud of his endorsement by former Congressman Don Manzullo, but Manzullo has since withdrawn his endorsement.

John Guevara is providing the leadership that Winnebago County needs. He understands that public safety isn’t just about better jobs and better schools; it’s about a better future for our children and grandchildren. Due in no small part to his leadership on the County Board, Winnebago County is safer today than when he took office. That is why I fully endorse John Guevara.

– Sheriff Gary Caruana

I have found (John) Guevara to not only be reliable and hardworking… he is genuinely concerned for the people in our community and wants to make improvements that benefit all of us living in Rockford.

-Carol Benson, former homeschool mom