4 picked to challenge county board Republicans
Four Democrats have been slated by their party to challenge veteran Republicans on the Lake County Board.
No Democrats ran in February's primary election for the seats, so party leaders were able to select candidates for the slots. Monday was the deadline for political parties to make such appointments.
The moves mean no sitting Republican up for election Nov. 4 will go unchallenged.
Democrat Mark Nielsen of Round Lake Beach will take on incumbent Republican Suzi Schmidt of Lake Villa for the District 3 seat.
Schmidt is in her fourth term as the county board's chairwoman. She's sat on the board since 1988.
Democrat Steve Pearson will challenge Bonnie Thomson Carter in the 5th District. Both candidates are from Ingleside.
Carter is in her third term as president of the Lake County Forest Preserve District board, which is composed of the county board's 23 members. She joined the panels in 1996.
Democrat Sari Hurtig will try to unseat Diana O'Kelly in the 10th District. Both are from the Mundelein area.
O'Kelly joined the board in 1994.
Finally, Democrat Davita Siegel will challenge David Stolman in the 20th District. Both are from Buffalo Grove.
Stolman joined the board in 1992.
Additionally, Bill Durkin of Waukegan has filed as an independent to challenge incumbent Democrat Bob Sabonjian in the 8th District. Both are from Waukegan.
Sabonjian joined the board in 1998. Durkin, the son of a former Waukegan mayor, unsuccessfully ran for the county board post in 2006 as a Democrat and lost in the primary to Sabonjian.
Republican Michael P. Donnenwirth won the GOP primary for the 8th District seat in February and also will be in the race.
Unlike the Republicans, three sitting Democrats will not face challengers in November: Mary Ross Cunningham, a Waukegan resident who represents the 9th District; Angelo Kyle, a Waukegan resident who represents the 12th District; and Audrey Nixon, a North Chicago resident who serves the 14th District.
Additionally, Democrat Michelle Feldman of Deerfield will run unopposed in the 22nd District. Feldman is set to replace longtime incumbent Carol Spielman, who's retiring.
In all, 15 county board seats are up for election Nov. 4. All the posts carry 4-year terms.