Successor to 60th Dist. House seat may be named today

Lake County Democratic Party officials could name the late Eddie Washington's successor in the state House today.

State Sen. Terry Link, leader of the local Democrats, had said an announcement would come this week. Last Friday, Link and two other Democrats interviewed about a dozen applicants for the 60th District seat, which serves parts of Waukegan, North Chicago and Park City.

Link said the interviews went very well.

"We had a number of good candidates," he said. "It did not make it a very easy decision."

Washington, of Waukegan, died last month of a heart attack. He was in his fourth term and planning to seek re-election in November.

Under state law, midterm vacancies in the General Assembly are filled by appointment. The new lawmaker is selected by a three-person committee representing the political party of the person being replaced.

The only applicant Link has publicly identified is Angelo Kyle, a Lake County Board member from Waukegan who twice challenged Washington in Democratic primaries for the House seat.

But that doesn't mean Kyle is a shoo-in for the post.

"Everyone thought they knew what I was going to do in the 59th District, and they were wrong," Link said, referring to last year's appointment of Carol Sente to replace Kathy Ryg in the 59th House District.

Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein was considered a favorite for the post, but Democratic leaders instead chose Sente, a Vernon Hills Park District board member.

Whoever replaces Washington will be expected to run in the Nov. 2 election. North Chicago Alderman Valerie DeVost is on the ballot as an independent.

No Republicans are running for the seat.