Third Democrat enters race for Lake County state’s attorney
A Lake County prosecutor with nearly 10 years experience announced Monday he was running to replace current state’s attorney Michael Waller, who is retiring at the end of next year.
Reginald Mathews, 39, of Lindenhurst, said he is “The voice for justice Lake County needs,” during a speech at Veteran’s Park in Waukegan.
Mathews becomes the third person to enter the race on the Democratic side, the sixth candidate overall and the second current local prosecutor to enter the race. The primary election is set for March 20, 2012.
Mathews, who worked as a probation officer for three years before earning his law degree in 2001 and joining the state’s attorney’s office, is a Lake County native and graduate of Western Illinois University.
Currently assigned to a felony courtroom, Mathews has served in all divisions of the office and has prosecuted cases across the criminal spectrum.
If elected, Mathews said he would revamp hiring and promotion practices in the office and search nationally as well as locally for new hires.
He said he will conduct an independent review of cases when there is criticism of the outcome and will demand “integrity, diligence and passion” from all employees in the office.
Mathews said he will create new committees to address the needs of victims and survivors of violent crime and to work on crime prevention.
Mathews is set to face off against Democrats Scott Drury and Christopher Kennedy for the right to challenge the winner of the contest between Republicans Louise Hayes, who is also a current Lake County prosecutor, Mike Nerheim and Bryan Winter.