Beard offers collaborative approach to McLean Co. GOP chair role

Posted on January 12, 2018
Connie Beard has worked with several candidates and the local GOP executive committee. (Photo courtesy Connie Beard)

By Greg Halbleib

BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington realtor wants to take over the soon-to-be-vacant chairmanship of the McLean County Republican Party.

Connie Beard has worked with the local GOP Executive Committee including as vice president, and has assisted congressional campaigns of Erika Harold and Darin LaHood. She also assisted the successful campaign of her son, Jacob Beard, for McLean County Board.

Beard said one of her goals is to encourage citizen activity in government.

“I like encouraging people to discover the gifts and talents they have,” Beard told WJBC’s Sam Wood. “and to help our local party find new people to be involved, to bring to the table skillsets that are needed, would be to me the ultimate satisfaction. I would truly enjoy helping people discover how they can be involved, how to get activated, how to get excited about serving.”

PODCAST: Listen here to the full interview with WJBC’s Sam Wood.

Beard said she encourages a collaborative approach that listens to all viewpoints, something she’s done many times in her theater background.

“Being able to bring together all components of a production with everyone having their own ideas of how it should happen on stage can be just as challenging as bringing several different people together of a political persuasion and convincing them that their ideas can work together to come up with a final production that satisfies everybody,” Beard explained.

Beard has been a licensed real estate broker since 1993, and has lived in Bloomington with her husband David since 1988. She also founded and directs the non-profit Crossroads Area Student Theater.

The new chairman will be chosen during the McLean County Republican Convention on April 18.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

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