Incumbent decides not to seek re-election to DuPage County Board

Two Republicans, including a longtime incumbent, have dropped out of the March primary race for seats on the DuPage County Board.

Paul Fichtner of Elmhurst, who has served on the panel since 2004, will step down when his term ends on Nov. 30. Even though he submitted petitions to get on the ballot in District 1, Fichtner said he withdrew because he has a new job as a CFO in Chicago.

"It just wouldn't be feasible to run a campaign and to serve four more years," Fichtner said. "It's time to do a new chapter."

Fichtner said he plans to finish his term and continue serving as chairman of the board's finance committee.

"I'm going to be using vacation days and personal days to fulfill the duties and attend the meetings," Fichtner said. "But it would not be sustainable beyond the end of my term, especially if I would have had to campaign."

Before becoming a county board member, Fichtner served nine years as an alderman in Elmhurst.

"Public service has been a great experience," he said, "but it's time to move on for now."

His decision leaves Sam Tornatore of Roselle as the only incumbent in the race for two 4-year seats. The two other candidates seeking the GOP nomination are Bensenville resident Paul DeMichele and Dino Gavanes of Itasca.

The two primary winners will face Elmhurst Democrats Ashley J. Selmon and Zahra Suratwala in November.

District 1 includes all or portions of Addison, Bensenville, Bloomingdale, Elmhurst, Glendale Heights, Itasca, Lombard, Roselle, Villa Park and Wood Dale.

Meanwhile, the Republican race to fill two 4-year seats in District 3 is down to three candidates after Jim Broline of Burr Ridge withdrew from the primary.

"At this time, there are ample good and qualified Republican candidates," Broline said in a statement. "I decided that for me to continue would detract from their messages and unnecessarily raise the campaign cost."

The remaining GOP candidates are Greg Hart of Burr Ridge, Greg Abbott of Woodridge and Downers Grove Mayor Martin Tully.

The three candidates in the Democrats primary are Mehr Qayyum of Burr Ridge, Julie Renehan of Hinsdale and John Basco of Downers Grove.

District 3 includes all or parts of Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Darien, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Lemont, Naperville, Westmont, Willowbrook and Woodridge.