DeKALB – In the heat of Illinois midterm elections, Jeff Keicher, his campaign staff and a crowd of supporters met at The Forge of Sycamore, 327 W State St., Tuesday to share drinks and food over broadcasted election coverage.

Of his official platform, many supporters said they felt most enthusiastic about Keicher’s promise to reinstitute MAP grants for Illinois higher education.

Alex Rader, 22, of DeKalb, said this issue influenced his decision to vote for Keicher.

“Jeff went to school on MAP grants,” Rader said. “He’s very adamant about funding MAP grants here in Illinois, especially at NIU; he’s homegrown, and wants to give back to the community.”

Keicher spoke readily on his involvement with NIU. He said the DeKalb and Sycamore communities could benefit from a university revitalization attained through an extension of state-sponsored support of higher education.

“If we are able to capture the students who have left NIU over the past number of years; re-engage them in securing a future for their dreams, by getting them back in school, by making that process easier, I think that will lead to overall success for the university and the students,” Keicher said. “There’s high value and significance in getting those MAP grants to the people where that will be a generational change for opportunity.”

Other supporters said Keicher’s stance on property taxes in the DeKalb area also garnered their support. Senior political science major Tristan Martin said his parents’ difficulty in paying property taxes along with providing assistance towards his college tuition has presented some challenges he felt could be remedied through the enactment of Keicher’s policies.  

“Jeff representing the concerns of his constituents, I find, is something I very much align with,” Martin said. “Especially cutting [property] taxes, making sure those taxes aren’t raised. That’s what my parents need right now.”

In regards to the influence of politics occurring on a national scale, attendees said more outside concerns have dictated local affairs.

Brian Scholle, 61, of DeKalb, said he’s witnessed this phenomenon firsthand through his work in the Keicher campaign.

“It’s kind of strange this year,” Scholle said. “The national politics have really trickled down to DeKalb County, in the voting, in the campaign rhetoric, in everything.”

Scholle also said that he hopes to see more parity in Republican representation in Illinois to counter what he feels will be increasing departures from Illinois in the years to follow J.B. Pritzker’s election less than an hour after the polls closed.

“I think it’s really important on a statewide basis that we have some balance between Democrats and Republicans as well,” Scholle said. “I own a business, and I’m afraid that I’m going to lose a lot of customers because it’s too unaffordable to live in this state anymore.”