Endorsement: Canty for Illinois House Dist. 54

The race for state representative from District 54 could be seen as a referendum of sorts on the performance of incumbent Democrat Mary Beth Canty in her first term in the seat.

Canty is challenged by Michele Hunter, the same Republican she beat in the 2022 race to replace Republican Tom Morrison after his retirement. And from where we sit, she has done well.

As candidates, both Canty and Hunter are very appealing. They are Arlington Heights attorneys who speak with passion, authority and respect on the issues facing the state and the community, and they have the intelligence and demeanor to work productively in an overwhelmingly Democratic chamber that is deeply divided politically.

But in the race, they are differentiated by two important factors — their experience and their positions on key issues. The latter, where we depart from Hunter is some key areas, is not necessarily decisive in warranting support — we consistently supported Morrison despite some fairly sharp differences with him on certain policy matters. But the former is particularly formidable in Canty’s favor.

Canty’s productive first term in the legislature is compelling on its own. And prior to that, she served a term on the Arlington Heights Village Board, and she has served on the Regional Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors. She knows how the wheels of government work in multiple venues and is well-versed on issues facing the district, such as the pending debate over merging the three local transit services, as well as the state.

So, while some of Hunter’s positions — notably strong stances opposing the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reforms and gun control — give us pause, it is not them so much as Canty’s can-do spirit in an environment she is growing steadily more familiar with that we find persuasive. She gets our endorsement.