Incumbents facing challenges on Lake County Board

With the first day of candidate filing complete, at least five Lake County Board members will face election challenges in 2012 from within their political parties.

One of the targeted incumbents, Libertyville Republican Carol Calabresa, is among the longest-serving commissioners on the panel.

The other incumbents facing primary challenges are Waukegan Democrat Diane Hewitt, Lindenhurst Republican Jim Newton, Waukegan Democrat Mary Ross Cunningham and Lincolnshire Republican Ann B. Maine.

Bob Cook, chairman of the Lake County Republican Party, suspects the struggling economy may be a factor in the challenges.

“People are looking for jobs,” he said.

Democratic activist Nancy Shepherdson believes the growing interest in national government is trickling down to local politics.

“People who you wouldn’t normally consider running are saying, ‘This government is in trouble, and I want to do something about it,’” said Shepherdson, the first vice chairwoman of Lake County’s Democratic organization. “And it’s just normal people, too, not political operatives.”

The county board, which doubles as the county’s forest preserve district board, will shrink from 23 to 21 members after the 2012 election. All 21 seats will be on the March 20, 2012, primary ballot.

Calabresa is challenged by Libertyville resident Dan Donahue for the 15th District seat she’s held since 1986.

In the 2nd District, Hewitt is challenged by Mark Stricklin of Beach Park and Beverly Stackhouse-Mull of Zion. Hewitt was elected in 2008.

In the 3rd District, Newton is challenged by Tom Weber of Lake Villa. Newton was appointed to the post this year after Suzi Schmidt quit to join the state Senate.

In the 9th District, Cunningham is challenged by Ann Kindle of Waukegan. Cunningham joined the board in 2002.

In the 21st District, Maine is challenged by Robert E. Haraden of Libertyville. Maine was first elected in 2002 and is president of the forest district board.

In addition to the county board races, the primary ballot will include showdowns for circuit court clerk, coroner, county recorder and state’s attorney.

The Republican and Democratic races for state’s attorney each drew three candidates Monday. Republican incumbent Republican Michael Waller isn’t seeking re-election.

“I think there are a lot of people who have wanted to run for that (post) but thought Michael Waller was doing a pretty good job,” the GOP’s Cook said. “And some people didn’t want to run against him.”

Karen Boyd Williams of Mundelein, Reginald C. Mathews of Lindenhurst and Chris Kennedy of Libertyville were the early contenders for the Democratic nomination.

As for the Republicans, Mike Nerheim of Waukegan, Louise Hayes of Lake Bluff and Bryan R. Winter of Lake Barrington are after the post.

Overall, more than 160 political hopefuls submitted candidate petitions at the Lake County clerk’s office in Waukegan on Monday, Chief Deputy Clerk Cindy Pagano said. That’s more than the number of candidates who filed in the first-day rush two years ago, she said.

The total likely was greater Monday because all the county board seats and all five seats on the North Shore Sanitary District board are up for election as a result of redistricting, Pagano said.

The Democratic Party’s Shepherdson called the interest by new candidates “inspiring.”

A list of candidates who filed for the ballot is available on the clerk’s official website, countyclerk.lakecountyil.gov. It will be updated daily, Pagano said.

Candidate filing for county-level and state legislative seats ends Dec. 5. Filing for congressional posts was pushed to late December because of a political fight over redistricting.