Three Republicans in Lake County Board D13 primary
Three Republican candidates are vying for the newly redrawn District 13 seat on the Lake County Board.
Jay Krasne, a 57-year-old real estate broker from Gurnee, Rick Lesser, a 56-year-old small-business owner from Lake Bluff, and David Barkhausen, a 61-year-old life insurance consultant from Lake Bluff, are vying for the nomination in the March 20 primary.
The new District 13 serves all of Lake Bluff and portions of North Chicago, Gurnee and Waukegan.
Krasne, a real estate broker since 1995, said he wants to “bring strong Republican, conservative representation to the Lake County Board.”
“I feel this best represents the views of the overwhelming majority of the new District 13,” he said, adding his “top priority on the board is tax and fee reduction and continued fiscal constraint.”
He said 10 percent of all his campaign contributions will go to Lake County PADS and asks contributors at his fundraisers to bring a food donation.
His website is at krasneforcountyboard.org.
Lesser, a former Lake Bluff village trustee and past president of the Lake Bluff Bar Association, said he is not a politician, but rather “I’m a small-business owner and an active member of our community.”
He said he’s been an “advocate for individuals and small businesses my entire life, and I want to use that experience to give a voice at the county for every citizen in the 13th District.”
If elected, he said, his first priority will be to work with county board colleagues to ensure the county does more to partner with small businesses so they can thrive and create jobs.
“There’s a lot that the county could do to improve the business climate and I’d like to help,” Lesser said. His website is at LesserForLake.com.
Barkhausen, a former Lake Bluff village trustee and former Shields Township clerk, said he intends to “provide a sound, fiscally responsible voice for county government.”
He said he served as chairman of the Lake Bluff village board’s finance committee and worked hard to make sure the village was on firm financial ground.
“My priority would be to make sure the county maintains its solid financial position, which is currently threatened by expanding services,” Barkhausen said. “I also question the wisdom of the board in building a new Winchester House when I believe there is capacity within the private industry to handle Medicaid patients in Lake County.”
His website is at barkhausenforlakecounty.com.
The Republican primary winner will take on the winner of the Democratic primary — Robert Glueckert of Grayslake, Sandra Hart of Lake Bluff and Anthony Soler of Waukegan — in the November general election.