Discontent and Anger Motivate Voters

On Jan. 23, about 65 people went to the wood-paneled Gurnee American Legion Hall for a Republican candidates’ event sponsored by the Northern Illinois Patriots, a Tea Party group. Among them were Amy and Jesse Moore of Zion, who have a 2-year-old daughter and a mortgage they struggle to pay.

“We are wondering, Where is our money going?” said Mrs. Moore, 28, a self-described staunch pro-life voter. “What are we paying taxes for?”

Mr. Moore, 28, lost his job in 2005, but quickly found work in Lake Bluff as a machinist. Mrs. Moore is a full-time mother. They said they considered themselves lucky even though their home had plummeted in value in the six years since they bought it.

“We wish we had never bought the house,” Mrs. Moore said. “We’re stuck now.”

She leaned forward in her seat as the candidates, including Dan Proft, a contender for governor, and Maria Rodriguez, the hopeful for the Eighth Congressional District, spoke and fielded questions about the economy, protecting gun rights and their plans to clean up corruption in a state where one in five former governors in the past century have wound up behind bars.

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