McHenry County auditor to run for state comptroller

McHenry County Auditor Shannon Teresi was the latest McHenry County Republican to announce a run for a statewide office on Wednesday when she said she will run for comptroller.

Teresi, who has been the county's auditor since she was appointed to the job in 2018 by Democratic Board Chairman Jack Franks, posted her campaign announcement on Twitter. She pledged to use her experience working to save taxpayers money in McHenry County to tackle the state's financial troubles.

"Illinois needs a comptroller with real financial experience, not a career politician controlled by the special interests," Teresi said in a statement.

If she won the GOP nomination, Teresi, a Crystal Lake resident, likely would face incumbent Democrat Susana Mendoza in the November election.

Under Mendoza's leadership, the comptroller began providing more publicly available information about the state of Illinois' finances. The comptroller's office now issues monthly debt reports under a law approved by state lawmakers in 2018.

Mendoza, who took office during the state's budget impasse under Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, has also touted progress her office made last year paying down bills that pilled up during that time.

"Through smart financial management and fiscal discipline coupled with tenacious perseverance, I've successfully navigated our state through unprecedented fiscal challenges," Mendoza said in a statement Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, the state's bill backlog had dropped by $12.3 billion from its highest point in 2017, according to the comptroller's office.

Teresi does not currently have an opponent in the June 28 Republican primary. The Republican primary for comptroller hasn't been contested in Illinois since 2010.

On Tuesday, McHenry County Board member Carolyn Schofield, a Crystal Lake Republican, announced she would run for lieutenant governor as Paul Schimpf's running mate in the GOP primary for governor. Bull Valley businessman Gary Rabine is also running for the Republican nomination for governor.