Endorsement: Laura Hois for House Dist. 81

Things have calmed down considerably since state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray first burst onto the Springfield scene in 2019 as a newly elected freshman lawmaker. She weathered a controversy after complaining of "a history of white supremacist policies" in Naperville. She decried what she saw as a climate of sexism in Springfield. And almost immediately she declared she would serve only one term, looking to challenge U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in the 2020 primary.

All of those experiences bespeak a politician who is candid about her positions and confident in her abilities, and we must say we find much that is appealing about her candidacy for a second term. But those early experiences also raise concerns about a tendency toward excess that, in its power to disrupt things, may not always move them in productive directions.

We are more confident that Stava-Murray's challenger, Republican Laura Hois, has the demeanor to best represent and promote the interests of a district that includes parts of Naperville, Woodridge and Downers Grove. Hois largely espouses traditional Republican values of low taxes and controlled spending, and, a lawyer, she has reasoned insights into the directions that social justice reform should take in the state. She also exhibits a character that could work successfully both within her own party and with the opposition.

There's much we appreciate about Stava-Murray's courage and energy, but we're persuaded that Hois could have a greater influence on issues important to the state and the district. Hois is endorsed.