Bitterness resurfaces in rematch of Yingling, Drobinski

Democratic state Rep. Sam Yingling and Republican opponent Rod Drobinski are in a rematch reminiscent of their hotly contested 2014 race.

Both are on the Nov. 8 ballot for the 62nd House District, which includes all or parts of Grayslake, Hainesville, the Round Lake communities, Lake Villa, Gurnee, Wauconda, Wildwood and Gages Lake. Two years ago, Yingling topped Drobinski, 13,527 votes to 12,568, to win his second term representing the district.

In that race, Drobinski and Yingling accused each other of misrepresenting their positions on issues. Some of that bitterness resurfaced in a Daily Herald editorial board endorsement interview Monday.

The candidates complained about distortions in political advertising generated by or on behalf of the rival campaigns.

They also had different takes on Yingling's cosponsorship of a House bill to purportedly close corporate tax loopholes in Illinois.

Drobinski contends Yingling backs a proposal that would affect all small businesses collecting sales taxes - not just large companies.

"It's every single store that's up and down Main Street (in Wauconda), on Center Street in Grayslake," he said.

Yingling countered that no small businesses would be harmed through the proposed tax loophole closure. The target would be large companies taking advantage of certain state tax codes, Yingling said.

"There is no reason we need to be giving million-dollar tax credits to companies in Illinois who are drilling for oil on the Gulf of Mexico," he said.

"That's not something that the people of the state should be affording to pay."

Drobinski, a Wauconda resident, is a former Fremont Public Library board member who works as a Lake County assistant state's attorney. Yingling, of unincorporated Lake County near Grayslake, won his first election to the General Assembly in 2012 and served as Avon Township's supervisor from 2009 to 2013.

Also during Monday's joint interview, Drobinski criticized Yingling's support of veteran House Speaker Michael Madigan.

"His second vote every session, after he votes for Mike Madigan to be speaker of the House, is for the rules that give Mike Madigan the power to cause any bill to die in committee," Drobinski said.

Yingling said he's thought about his votes for Madigan as speaker and would consider another Democratic choice.

However, he added, he wouldn't vote for a Republican if no Democrat challenged Madigan to lead the House.