State House District 50: Hatcher

In her bid for a second term in the legislature, Republican Kay Hatcher, of Yorkville, faces a competent challenge from Democrat Linda Healy, the retired director of Mutual Ground, an agency that helps victims of domestic violence and sex abuse.

Healy, of Aurora, has more than the usual familiarity with the ways of Springfield, thanks to her decades of close work with lawmakers and bureaucrats to try to pry loose funding for programs like hers, and her knowledge and interest in government go deeper than the state's management of social services.

But Hatcher is more than up to the challenge.

Her own realm of experience includes success in business environments, and in the state House, she has quickly demonstrated the energy and ability to take on tough issues like campaign financing, employee pensions and the debilitating budget deficit. She may be a bit too comfortable with the mechanics of the party operation in Springfield, but she's an intelligent and independent-minded lawmaker who will no doubt be ruled by her own mind and values, rather than the dictates of party leadership, should her party gain more control.

She works hard and is committed to bipartisanship in solving the state's problems.

She is endorsed.