John Tsarpalas
John Tsarpalas has been involved in the political scene for over three decades. He regularly speaks to groups on the importance of running for local office and how to do so. John has coached candidates at a range of levels, from county board to congress, and has been a campaign manager for state representative candidates, a mayoral candidate, and local candidate slates. In addition, he has worked on the campaigns of Senator Mark Kirk during his first run for congress and Congressman Joe Walsh in his first race for congress. John has served as President of the New Trier Township GOP, Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party, and President of two limited government/free market advocacy groups, the Sam Adams Alliance and Team Sam.
A Chicago native, John earned a B.S. in Finance from Northern Illinois University, where he opened a restaurant, It’s Greek To Me, in DeKalb, Illinois in his senior year. It was one of his restaurant customers who first introduced him to limited-government ideals. After selling the restaurant, John put his finance degree to work as an investment broker with Dean Witter Reynolds. Soon after, in the early 80s, John joined the Illinois Libertarian Party and served on its State Central Committee. He left Dean Witter to run A.A. Tsarpalas General Contractors during the 80s and 90s, and it was in the late 90s that John’s passion for politics was more fully realized. He became active in the Steve Forbes for President Campaign and a respected grassroots campaign director for local races.
While running a small business and staying politically active, John became involved with Victories of the Heart, a group focused on personal growth, and quickly became a group leader and member of the organization’s board of directors. He would eventually apply these personal growth techniques to the political and advocacy world.
After becoming more involved politically by the early 2000s, John transitioned himself from the Libertarian Party to the Republican Party. He became active in the local GOP organization and worked on a string of winning Republican races. From congress to state representative, to local school boards and even to local village board races, John built a strong reputation as a winner. In 2005 he was recruited to serve as Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party. While working for the Republican Party, John received training and graduated from the Republican National Committee’s Campaign College, the RNC’s Field Management School, and the Leadership Institute’s activist training.
Graduate of Republican National Committee Campaign Management College
Two years later he moved into the nonprofit realm serving as president of the Sam Adams Alliance. At the Sam Adams Alliance and Team Sam, he did issue education and advocacy work in over 10 states, with a focus on the web. He is very familiar with initiative and referendum rights around the country and has been involved in bond referendum campaigns as well.
Like most of MSNBC’s and the left’s half truths and lies, John was accused (proudly) of organizing and starting the Tea Party movement by the likes of Rachel Maddow and the Huffington Post. Today, John utilizes his political experience and personal growth training; coaching political candidates, campaign staff, and family members to prepare their mind and spirit for campaigning. John understands that it takes more than a desire to hold office and serve the public to successfully campaign.
John believes that in order to execute a successful campaign it must have a grassroots element along with all the other components. He is committed to spreading all he has learned to help grow the community of motivated, trained activists who will create a better, more prosperous world for all.
John lives behind enemy lines (in Illinois) with his wife of 35 years. They have three daughters. In his spare time, John enjoys trap shooting (while he still has the right!), fishing and public speaking.