Democratic leader to pass torch

Early in her tenure as leader of the Democratic Party of DuPage, Gayl Ferraro had a clear mission.

"I'd love to get people to actually stand up and say, 'We're Democrats,'" the Lombard resident said in spring 2002.

Five years later, local Democrats are a growing force in Republican-dominated DuPage.

But Ferraro will be watching from the sidelines rather than leading the cheers in the near future.

After the February primary, she will step down, Ferraro said Friday.

"I have great faith in the people I've been working with," she said.

Already, there's interest in her job.

Bob Peickert, a former county board candidate from Elmhurst and president of the Democratic group Turn DuPage Blue was expected to formally announce his candidacy for county party chairman Friday.

"I think I'm capable of turning the county in the direction we to move it in," he said.

Turn DuPage Blue emerged early this year as an alternative and some say rival to the Democratic Party of DuPage County.

Peickert believes his experience as a candidate, former teacher, union negotiator and small-business owner lends itself to the job.

"I understand what it takes to run a business," he said. "I have the time."

Peickert advocates recruiting more committeemen.

"The county needs to build up the township organizations. It's key to getting Democrats elected," he said.

Another name surfacing as successor to Ferraro is DuPage party Vice Chairman Rob Bisceglie.

The Roselle resident, who ran for the state House 45th District seat in 2006, said he hadn't made any decisions yet and is centered on the next general election.

"I'm focused on finding the right candidates for 2008," Bisceglie said. "We will be incredibly competitive."

Although they didn't clinch any seats, the 2006 election was a significant one for DuPage Democrats who lost a state race by fewer than 300 votes and came within 2 percentage points of winning the 6th Congressional District.

"We've come a long way," Ferraro said. "We've been moving along and involving more of the young people."

When elected unanimously in 2002, Ferraro said she sought to unify Democrats. Now with two separate organizations in DuPage, she still believes it's a key goal.

"It really is important people work together," she said.

The new Democratic organization leader will be voted on by committeemen following the Feb. 5 primary.