Wheaton council candidate stays in race despite battery charge

A Wheaton City Council candidate charged with domestic battery earlier this month will continue his campaign, he announced Thursday.

Derek Bromstead said he has received tremendous support from family and friends while he weighed his options.

Bromstead said the support should indicate to Wheaton voters that he is still a viable candidate.

“I want to take my experience, skills and knowledge to continue to improve the city in whatever way I can,” he said. “My supporters know I can help. I’m not doing it for any other reason. They are still supporting me and know what kind of person I am and character I have. If they are not shying away from me, I don’t think anybody else should.”

Bromstead would not elaborate on the incident that led to his Feb. 1 arrest except to say that he had been advised to be cautious because of the pending charges.

Bromstead, who co-owns Genghis Grill and serves as president of the Downtown Wheaton Association, was arrested after police say he struck his teenage daughter with a belt.

“I feel like I want to talk a lot more,” he said. “But with the pending charges, any public statements I make could be misconstrued. I’m hoping the people of Wheaton will treat the issues of the city and my potential as a city council candidate separate from my personal life.”

Earlier Thursday, Bromstead released a statement thanking his supporters.

“Because my family, and those that are closest to me and my family, have shown this tremendous support and have indicated that they will continue this throughout the campaign, I will be continuing my candidacy for the Wheaton City Council,” the statement read.

He next will appear in court March 21.

Bromstead is in a five-way race for two available 4-year terms on the council. Also running in the April 5 election are Alberta Adamson, Evelyn Pacino Sanguinetti, Bob Molenhouse and Jeanne Ives.