Democrat leaving DuPage County Board race

A DuPage County Board candidate plans to withdraw before the November election to help a fellow a Democrat in the race.

Arlene Kendorski of Downers Grove says she's abandoning her bid for one of two District 2 seats on the county board. She plans to file the paperwork to drop out soon.

Kendorski said her decision was motivated in part by personal reasons.

But she said she also wants the Democratic Party to focus on helping county board member Elizabeth "Liz" Chaplin defend her District 2 seat in the November election. Chaplin, who lives in Downers Grove, is the only Democrat on the 18-member board.

"As Democrats, we need to make sure that Liz Chaplin is re-elected," Kendorski said. "We have lots of other wonderful people running. But they're going to be looking to Liz to help them, to mentor them."

Earlier this year, the DuPage Democratic Party was considering a so-called one-candidate strategy, where some of its county board nominees would be asked to drop out so the party could focus its resources on its strongest candidates in districts where it has the best chance of winning seats.

Kendorski said she supports the strategy. However, she stressed that party leadership didn't ask her to withdraw.

District 2 includes portions of Addison, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Hinsdale, Lisle, Lombard, Naperville, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, Villa Park, Westmont and Woodridge.

The Republicans seeking election to the two District 2 seats are Steve Nero of Westmont and incumbent Peter DiCianni of Elmhurst. Both are "very strong" candidates, Kendorski said.

"If DiCianni and Nero were lesser candidates," she said, "that would have made my decision different."

Kendorski said she also weighed her chances of winning based on how she did during the Democratic primary. She beat the third candidate in that primary, Claire Goldenberg of Lisle, by fewer than 200 votes.

Chaplin got more than 10,000 votes during the primary - nearly twice the votes Kendorski received.

Chaplin said she was aware of Kendorski's decision and understands why she made it.

"I think Arlene was torn on whether to get out or not," Chaplin said. "But then she thought about it and felt it was the better thing to do."

Chaplin acknowledged that being the only Democrat on the ballot in District 2 would help her.

But Goldenberg said she doesn't believe it would be a good idea to have only one Democrat in the race. "Having only one candidate run when you have the potential to elect two in each district is not the best strategy," she said in an email.