Spoiling for a fight at all levels in November
Lauded for making inroads on longtime Republican turf and looking toward capturing more elected positions, state Sen. Terry Link of Waukegan was selected Wednesday night to continue as Lake County Democratic Party boss.
About 150 party members in a Ramada Inn banquet room in Waukegan provided a voice vote in support of Link, 60, who's led the county Democrats since 1992. No other candidates emerged.
Link, who spoke to the crowd over the telephone because he was in Springfield on business, said he's optimistic about the Democrats grabbing more national, state and county seats in November.
"This is going to take the efforts of all of us working together to make sure we can win this," Link said.
Peter Couvall, the Lake County Democrats' vice chairman, said the party has clear goals heading into November. First, he said, it must defend Coroner Richard Keller and Recorder of Deeds Mary Ellen Vanderventer, both Democrats in countywide positions.
Couvall said Democrats in particular will target veteran Republican Lake County Circuit Court Clerk Sally Coffelt. Cynthia Pruim Haran will be Coffelt's opponent.
"It's a family employment agency," Couvall said of why Coffelt is wearing a bull's-eye for the Democrats. "We get numerous complaints from the attorneys about service."
Couvall said Democrats also will push heavily for Dan Seals in his bid to topple Republican U.S. Rep. Mark in the 10th Congressional District. Kirk nipped Seals nearly two years ago.
As for Link, he's has taken heat from some of his fellow Democrats in recent months. He even faced a primary challenge this year from former North Chicago Mayor Jerry Johnson, who wound up getting kicked off the ballot.
Moreover, the Lake County state's attorney's office is probing complaints about Link's candidate petitions that were necessary to place him on last month's ballot. Johnson accused Link of having the names of dead people and local residents who denied signing the documents.
Under the powerful state senator's leadership, the Democrats' key victories include seizing Lake County's coroner's and sheriff's posts.