Buffalo Grove mayor seeks Kathy Ryg's house seat

Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein said he will seek appointment to State Rep. Kathy Ryg's 59th District seat.

Ryg will resign her seat effective Aug. 31 to take a job leading a children's advocacy group.

Hartstein said he also intends to run for the seat in the 2010 election.

The post of Buffalo Grove village president has been a steppingstone to state office in the past. Former President Sidney Mathias represents the 53rd District.

Hartstein's fate will be decided by a committee of Democratic township committeemen and state Sen. Terry Link, the head of the Lake County Democrats. Ryg said she is not involved in the replacement search and she had no comment on any potential replacements or successors.

The real power behind that appointment will be Link, who did not return phone calls Wednesday. One of the committeemen, Kathleen Sances of Wheeling Township, said Link's vote is weighted so heavily that he could make the appointment himself.

Hartstein said Link in a brief conversation told him there will be a process involving Democratic committeemen and that he appreciated Hartstein's interest in the position.

Ryg's vacancy is red meat to the political hounds in both parties.

Dan Venturi, chairman of the Lake County Republicans, sees an opportunity to gain ground.

"Kathy Ryg would always be a formidable opponent. One of her strengths has always been constituent services. I think the people in her district liked her."

But with an open race for the 59th, he said, "I think this is going to be a good election cycle for Republicans. Unfortunately, it's going to be a good cycle because of the state that the state is in," he said, referring to Illinois' ethical and financial difficulties.

He said it will be costly to win the district back. "This will be a Tier One race," he said, estimating it will cost each side $500,000.

As to whether Hartstein would be a formidable opponent, Venturi said, "I think Buffalo Grove is an important component to the district. I think Vernon Hills is an important component to the district. Obviously you come into a race and you have already got a base of support, that gives you an advantage. But that doesn't mean that he is the only one that has a base of support there."

Hartstein said he will have to do fundraising to wage a campaign. "I don't have personal wealth that I will be putting in," he said, adding, though, "I am confident that I would be able to raise funds and do whatever it takes to run a viable campaign."

If Hartstein wins the appointment, he said there will be an appropriate time to step down as village president, but it is premature to say when. "My intention is not to hold two offices."

If he steps down, the board would elect his successor. One candidate for the president's job could be Jeffrey Braiman, an 18-year veteran of the board, who is currently president pro tem, which has caused him to jokingly remark, "I'm a Hartstein away from the presidency, instead of a heartbeat."

Braiman said he has thought about running for the village president in the past. But he added, "As long as he remains our village president, I will support him." However, "If he doesn't run (for president), I would most likely put my hat in the ring."

• Daily Herald staff writer Mick Zawislak contributed to this report.