McHenry County Board Dist. 2, Republican: Koehler, Orphal

Voters will have the toughest time picking two names from the five experienced candidates running for McHenry County Board District 2 in the Republican primary. All have solid political experience and would serve voters well.

The incumbents include Ken Koehler, the county board chairman since 2004, and Lyn Orphal, chairman of the human resources committee who has been on the board since 1999.

The challengers are Ellen Brady Mueller, a Crystal Lake City Council member; Donna Kurtz, a McHenry County College trustee; and Sandra DePaul, a member of the McHenry County Regional Board of School Trustees.

While both Kurtz and DePaul bring good business sense to the table, Mueller is the strongest among the challengers because she not only has equal business sense, but has more community involvement and an unbridled enthusiasm the would serve voters well.

Koehler and Orphal, though, bring valuable experience and are proven leaders. They are endorsed.

District 2 includes parts of Algonquin and Grafton townships.