Endorsements: Chaplin in DuPage County Board Dist. 2

Another pair of excellent candidates will face off in November for a two-year term in DuPage County Board District 2, where Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Chaplin is being challenged by Republican Richard Blass. Both candidates offer independent voices - Chaplin of Downers Grove as one of the few Democrats on the board and Blass of Elmhurst as a Republican who bucked the GOP establishment to win his party's nomination.

Chaplin, who works part-time, faces an uphill battle on a GOP-dominated board, but we like her willingness to ask tough questions and stand up for her beliefs. She says the county may have made all the budget cuts it can and eventually may need to consider other revenue sources. Much of her focus is on social issues, including the county's battle against heroin and the need for senior services.

Blass, an attorney and former police officer and administrator, is a fiscal conservative, who says the county can continue to hold the line on taxes if its works to bolster its business base. He is a strong supporter of Sheriff John Zaruba and the county's law enforcement efforts.

Voters face a tough choice but Chaplin has demonstrated a willingness to engage in honest debate and to challenge the board's status quo. In a close call, Chaplin is endorsed.

District 2 covers all or parts of Lombard, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, Villa Park, Elmhurst, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Westmont, Naperville and Woodridge.