Will County Gazette

Will County Board member Steve Balich, in support of former Braidwood Police Chief Nick Ficarello's run for Will County Executive, recently produced a video in which he challenges Democratic voters to leave what he describes as their “socialist party.”

“I’m here to talk about a bad thing that’s happening in our country and in Will County,” Balich said in the video posted to You Tube. “Abortions most people don’t agree with, taxes most people don’t agree with and now taking God out of everyone’s life that most people don’t agree with. So, I challenge people that are Democrats, I should say socialist, to leave that group and no longer participate because when you’re taking God away you’re doing wrong, when you’re killing babies after they’re born you’re doing wrong, and when you raise taxes so that you put everybody in an economic status where they can’t get out of the mess you put them in, the answer is no more.”

In throwing his support behind Ficarello, Balich ended his own run for county executive and asked voters to rally around a candidate he’s convinced will fight for what’s in the best interest of area residents.

Former Braidwood Police Chief Nick Ficarello | Will County Board

“I sat with Nick Ficarello and find him more than capable of winning back the county executive's office,” Balich said in a statement. “Nick Ficarello represents our best values, fiscally and morally. I believe that with his experience as the former Braidwood Chief of Police, Nick possesses the necessary skills and intellect required to hold the top executive position.”

But first, Balich said, there’s the matter of more Democrats heeding his advice.

“Leave the socialist party, leave the Democrats,” Balich said.