Endorsement: Custer for DuPage County Board District 4, Democrat

The Democratic primary for the District 4 seat on the DuPage County Board is intriguing on many levels - not the least of which is that there's actually a Democratic primary. What makes the race even more interesting is that it pits M. Moon Khan, a longtime Republican from Lombard who once served as a York Township trustee and only recently switched parties, against Jeremy Custer, a 25-year-old from Glendale Heights who only recently moved to DuPage and serves as chief of staff to state Sen. Tom Cullerton. The good news for Democrats, who hold only three of 18 county board seats, is Custer and Khan are strong candidates with a good grasp of the issues and a realistic view of the challenges. Both, for example, support Chairman Dan Cronin's push toward consolidation. It's a tough choice, but Custer ultimately offers more to Democratic voters. He's gaining experience while working for Cullerton, he's thoughtful and quick on his feet, and he seems sincere when he says he's willing to compromise with the board's GOP majority. "If you want someone who's going to be the best customer service rep for the county, I'm your guy," he says. Custer is endorsed.