Primary could be mandate on chairman's clout
DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom isn't running for election this year, but you'd never know it from the amount of money he's spending on the board's Republican primary.
His chief beneficiary is Lombard village Trustee Laura Fitzpatrick, who is running for one of the two District 2 seats currently held by Patrick O'Shea and Brien Sheahan. Schillerstrom pumped $65,000 in donations into Fitzpatrick's campaign and also floated her a $25,000 loan.
Schillerstrom's preference is that she get Sheahan's spot, considering he also donated nearly $20,000 to O'Shea's campaign during the past few days and likely spent thousands of dollars to dispatch mailings to registered Republicans in the district denouncing Sheahan's voting record.
Newcomer Anna Marie Manzo is also running for one of the two seats and has aligned herself with Sheahan.
For his part, Sheahan has strayed from sparring with any of his GOP counterparts in the race and focused his attacks on the board chairman. He has sent out press releases answering Schillerstrom's charges and accusing the chairman of various improprieties.
But Schillerstrom didn't just dip into his war chest for the District 2 race. He contributed $5,000 to District 4 challenger Mary Dickson who is looking to unseat either Debra Olson or Grant Eckhoff. Both incumbents have received donations from Schillerstrom in past elections, but not this time.
There are two seats open in that race as well.
Dickson is a lawyer whose firm has close ties to several county divisions including the election commission, sheriff's merit commission and circuit court clerk's office. She believes there would be no conflict between her firm's business with county government and her work on the board if elected.
Eckhoff and Olson both said that's a matter for the voters to determine.
DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett said it is likely Dickson would have to give up some clients if she is ultimately elected to the board in November.
Schillerstrom also donated to longtime District 6 board member Jim Zay's campaign. The incumbent received $8,000 from the chairman to help stave off challenges by political newcomer Robert Larsen and Carol Stream village Trustee Pamela Fenner. There are two seats open in this race as well.
The chairman also dropped $12,500 into the campaign coffers of District 3 incumbents Michael McMahon and Tom Bennington. They are facing a challenge from Woodridge village Trustee John Curran.
No Schillerstrom money made its way into the District 5 race where incumbent board member James Healy and former Naperville Unit District 203 board Vice President Gerry Cassioppi have allied themselves against DuPage Regional School Board Trustee Joe Wozniak.
The two winners in each district race will go onto face challenges in November from Democratic candidates. No Democrats have filed to run in District 5, however.