Letter to the Editor: Even with concerns, Troup is best choice to become mayor

It’s probably no secret that I was going throw my hat in the ring and run for mayor of Quincy in 2021. I had bigger dreams than my shoes could fill. I’m proud of the courage I displayed, but I didn’t know the half about running a city. To be quite frank, I still don’t.

I since ran for precinct committeeman in 2022 in which I defeated incumbent Dave Bellis. For now, I’m enjoying being a political activist.    

I have important information you should know before voting for the mayor of Quincy on April 1. I’ve always voted conservatively, but I’ve had concerns about voting to re-elect Mayor Mike Troup. These are three issues that I have in order with our current mayor:

• 1. I have trust issues with anyone involved with the Quincy School Board who complied to Gov. JB Pritzker’s lockdowns.
• 2. He backed Rodney Davis during the hotly contested 2022 Republican primary. Even though some are saying that not to be true, the writing was on the wall. 
• 3. The city insurance debacle (enough said). 

So I was open minded to a fiscally conservative independent.

I called Linda Moore and asked her questions. My main question was, “At what point did you draw the line with the Democratic party? When did you say enough is enough?”

She explained she previously worked for ESPN for almost 20 years in Unionville, Conn., where everything at the municipal level was non-partisan — meaning they don’t have have Democratic or Republican candidates. She made it seem like Democratic and Republican was foreign to her when she moved back to her hometown of Quincy.

I’ll let you ask her what transpired after that, with caution of saying something incorrectly. 

I did a little digging and found that municipal elections in fact are partisan in Unionville, Conn. I have no doubt she’s a good-hearted individual with the best intentions in mind, but to me, it’s deceitful. This information was enough for me to close the door on a vote for Moore.

Quincy needs a quality conservative candidate with the courage to run for mayor in 2029. For now, you’d be doing a disservice to vote anyone other than Mike Troup for mayor on April 1.  

Brandon Koch
Quincy, Illinois

EDITOR’S NOTE: Muddy River News fact-checked Moore’s claim about voting in non-partisan elections in Connecticut. She said during a press conference at her campaign headquarters on Feb. 26, “The first election I was going to vote for in Connecticut, I went to the poll and I’m like, wait a minute, there are no Rs and Ds (Republicans and Democrats) here. They had non-partisan local elections. You didn’t get Republicans and Democrats until you got to the state level offices. When I asked the election judge why there were no Rs and Ds, she said, ‘Well, you’re supposed to do your homework and do research on the individual candidates. It doesn’t matter if they’re an R or a D. What matters is what they’re going to do for you.'”

Unionville, Conn., is a suburban neighborhood in the northwestern section of Farmington, a town of about 27,000 people. Muddy River News contacted Maureen Frink, the town clerk in Farmington, who said the city has not had non-partisan elections “as long as she can remember.”

Muddy River News then contacted Moore, who issued the following statement:

“Instead of debating a memory from an incident in Farmington, Conn., more than 25 years ago, I want to focus on what truly matters today — the challenges and opportunities facing the people of Quincy. I am looking toward the future, not dwelling on the past, and I believe real progress comes from listening to and incorporating the voices of all Quincy residents. From fixing our streets and revitalizing neighborhoods to ensuring safe, livable housing and supporting local businesses, we must take real action to navigate the economic hardships impacting working families. Quincy needs strong, effective leadership, and I am committed to delivering real results for you, our taxpayers. Together, we can build a brighter future for our community.”