Candidates and no-shows on first filing day
Monday was the first day of the filing period for the 2010 elections, but while election authorities were open and accepting petitions all day, they really only needed the first few minutes.
Dozens of Fox Valley candidates lined up early to hand in their paperwork, officially throwing their hats into the ring for elected offices large and small. There were a few surprise candidates, and some absentees, but all of the hopefuls had one thing in common: They all filed at 8 a.m.
Four people filed to run in the 14th Congressional District that encompasses most of the Elgin area, but the incumbent, Rep. Bill Foster, was not one of them. Foster, a Democrat, said he will run for re-election.
Four Republican challengers officially took aim at him, including state Sen. Randy Hultgren of Winfield; Ethan Hastert of Elburn, son of former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert; Jeff Danklefsen of Geneva; and Mark Vargas of Elgin.
A four-way race has shaped up among Republicans to challenge Democrat Melissa Bean for her 8th Congressional District seat. The district includes portions of Elgin, South Elgin, Bartlett and Hoffman Estates.
Republicans filing Monday in the 8th District were Maria Rodriguez of Long Grove and three Barrington residents -- Christopher Geissler, John Dawson and Dirk Beveridge. Bean was the only Democrat to file.
In statehouse races involving districts that include the Elgin area, only incumbent Michael Noland, D-Elgin, filed Monday in the 22nd Senate District. His predecessor, Republican Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin, has said he will make another run for the office.
After two terms as 22nd District state senator, Rauschenberger chose not to run for re-election in 2006 in order to make a run for governor. He later became the lieutenant governor running mate of the more-well-heeled Ron Gidwitz, but lost in the GOP primary.
State Sen. Chris Lauzen of the 25th District kicked off his re-election bid and, as expected, Sugar Grove Village President P. Sean Michels filed to challenge him. While those two will face off in the Republican primary, surprise Democrat Leslie Juby of Geneva was the only one from her side of the ballot to file for that race.
In the 28th Senate District, incumbent John Millner, R-Carol Stream, was the only candidate filing on opening day.
The race for the 43rd Representative District -- which includes much of Elgin, East and West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow and Carpentersville -- is shaping up as a repeat of two years ago.
Incumbent Democrat Keith Farnham of Elgin and the person he defeated, former GOP Rep. Ruth Munson of Elgin, both filed Monday.
Incumbent Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, was the only person filing Monday in the 44th District, which includes a portion of northeast Elgin.
In the 55th District, incumbent Randy Ramey, R-Carol Stream, and Democrat Gregory Brownfield of Bartlett filed.
The 49th District saw incumbent Timothy Schmitz, R-Batavia, and Democrat Jennifer Barconi of South Elgin filing the first day.
In Kane County, two Republicans -- Robert Russell and Donald Kramer -- turned out to challenge Democratic Sheriff Pat Perez, although the sheriff himself did not file Monday. Perez previously announced his intention to run.
Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham will run for re-election, at the moment with no challenger.
Twenty-two candidates filed for 11 spots on the Kane County Board, including Democrat Kay Catlin, and Republicans Albert Lenkaitis Jr., Susan Secondi and incumbent Barb Wojnicki of rural St. Charles in District 15; incumbent Deborah Allan of Elgin in District 17, who's running as a Democrat after years running under the Republican banner; Republicans Nathan Akemann, Stan Hickrod and incumbent Cathy Hurlbut of Elgin in District 19: former GOP board member Lee Barrett of Dundee Township and incumbent John Fahy of West Dundee in District 21; and Republican incumbent Bob Kudlicki of Hampshire and GOP challenger Thomas Smith in District 25.
In the Cook County Board district that includes the Hanover Township portions of Elgin, Streamwood and Bartlett, Republican incumbent Timothy Schneider of Bartlett has filed for re-election to the 15th District commissioner spot.
The filing period ends at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2.
