White in Illinois Senate 31, GOP

Four credible candidates lined up to run in the Republican contest for Illinois Senate District 31 following incumbent Republican Suzi Schmidt’s decision not to seek re-election. They are Lake County Tea Party leader Linwood “Lennie” Jarratt of Round Lake Beach, an activist in Grayslake Elementary District 46; 18-year former Lake County Board member Larry Leafblad of Grayslake; Joe Neal of Wadsworth, a civil and transportation engineer and Navy Civil Engineer Corps officer who is the son of former Lake County GOP Chairman Robert Neal; and Michael White of Lindenhurst, a 22-year military veteran who ran for governor in 2010, initially on the Constitution Party slate and later as an independent write-in after the Constitution Party was ousted from the ballot. While all four candidates have something to offer voters, we endorse White for a cost-cutting approach that includes pension reform and eliminating spending on a third airport, high-speed rail and college scholarships granted by legislators. We like White’s ideas for building a coalition with other freshman lawmakers to accomplish goals in Democrat-led Springfield and support White’s pledge not to accept a legislative pension, if elected. District 31 cuts a large swath through Lake County, running from Winthrop Harbor to parts of Wauconda.