State House District 55: Ramey

There's a decidedly “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington feel about Democrat Greg Brownfield's bid to head to Springfield and change the way business is done in the legislature.

His views are idealistic, intelligent and thoughtful, his energy infectious, his independence obvious.

Yet there is about the challenger a certain question of just how much the Bartlett newcomer could in fact accomplish, and there's no denying that, in large part, the Republican incumbent Randy Ramey, of Carol Stream, although ideologically very different from Brownfield, is equally disgusted with the system and has a record of success within it while bucking it.

Ramey, who sponsored and drove important legislation protecting victims of crimes by the insane, has good ideas on government transparency, performance-based budgeting and campaign finance limits.

He's familiar with the needs of the district and the mechanics of constituent service and deserves to return for another term.