Contests in the March 20 primary election for offices from governor of Illinois to municipal legislators are coming into focus after the deadline to file nominating petitions passed December 4.
Among North Shore residents running for offices and area elections, there are nine contested primaries to select candidates for either the Republican Party, the Democrats or both. In eight races, the fall election is set with one member of each party filing.
Three of the eight candidates for governor are either North Shore residents or represent parts of the area in their current elected position. Gov. Bruce Rauner of Winnetka and state Sen. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton are vying for the Republican nomination for governor.
In the Democratic contest, six candidates seek their party’s nomination. There are JB Pritzker of Chicago, Chris Kennedy of Kenilworth, state Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston), Bob Daiber of Marine, Tio Hardiman of Chicago and Robert Marshall of Burr Ridge.
The primary contests to succeed Attorney General Lisa Madigan are more crowded than those for governor. Eight contenders want the Democratic slot with two from the North Shore and six from Chicago.
Democratic attorney general candidates are state Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago), Renato Mariotti of Chicago, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, state Rep. Scott Drury (D-Highwood), former Gov. Pat Quinn of Chicago, Sharon Fairley of Chicago, Jesse Ruiz of Chicago and Aaron Goldstein of Chicago.
Republicans Have Smaller Attorney General Field
The Republican field for attorney general is smaller with Erika Harold of Urbana going against Gary Grasso of Burr Ridge.
Four Republicans are running for the right to take on Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky (D-Evanston) to represent the 9th Congressional District in Washington. She is unopposed in the Democratic primary. They are Sargis Sangari of Skokie, John D. Elleson of Arlington Heights, Maxwell Rice of Glencoe and Vincent D. Thomas Jr. of Evanston.
In the 10th Congressional District, three Republicans are competing for the right to try to unseat Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield). They are Jeremy Wynes of Highland Park, Sapan Shah of Libertyville and Douglas R. Bennett of Deerfield.
There is also a contested election for the Democratic state central committeeman between William Marovitz of Chicago and Michael Cabonargi of Wilmette. Since this is a party office, it is a general rather than a primary election.
A six-way Democratic primary in the 17th State Representative District in the Illinois General Assembly will determine who will face Peter Lee of Wilmette. Lee is the lone Republican to file nominating petitions.
The six Democrats are Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz of Glenview, Mary Rita Luecke of Skokie, Candace Chow of Evanston, Alexandra Eidenberg of Wilmette, Pete Dagher of Skokie and Theresa R. Coomer of Glenview.
Fine Seeks Biss’ Senate Seat
The 17th District seat is an open race because state Rep. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) is running for the Democratic nomination in the 9th State Senate District to replace Biss. She will compete for the seat in the Nov. 6 general election against Republican Joan McCarthy Lasonde of Wilmette. Both are unopposed in their primary.
Two Democrats—Adam R. Broad of Buffalo Grove and Robin M. O’Conner of Libertyville—are competing in their primary to run against Lake County Clerk Carla Wyckoff of Lake Forest. Wyckoff is unopposed in the Republican primary.
In primaries for eight offices affecting North Shore communities including the race between Fine and Lasonde, candidates are running unopposed freeing them to begin their general election campaigns.
State Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) will defend her 29th State Senate District seat against Barrett Davie of Lake Forest. In the 57th State Representative District, Republican Mary Battinus of Buffalo Grove will face Democrat Jonathan Carroll of Northbrook. In the 58th District Democrat Bob Morgan of Deerfield takes on Republican Cindy Masover of Highland Park.
State Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) will defend her seat against Republican Julie Cho of Wilmette.
Two countywide general elections in Lake County are also set. Treasurer David Stollman, a Buffalo Grove Republican, is running against Democratic challenger Holly Kim of Mundelein. Lake County Sheriff Mark C. Curran Jr., also a Republican, is defending his job against Democratic challenger John Idleburg of Zion.
Fall Race Shapes Up for County Board
Lake County Board member Paul Frank, a Highland Park Democrat, is defending his seat 11th District seat against Rebecca “Becky” Zeidman of Highland Park, the Republican candidate.
For some like Marovitz and Cabonargi March 20 is a general election. That includes four candidates for the Lake Forest City Council who are running unopposed. They are Alderman Prue Beidler (First Ward), Alderman Tim Newman (Second Ward), Jim Preschlack (Third Ward) and Alderman Michelle Moreno (Fourth Ward).
Seeking the state central committeewoman job for the Democrats in the 9th District is Carol Ronen of Chicago. In the 10th District, Lauren Beth Gash and Daniel M. Pierce, both of Highland Park, are running for the state central committeewoman and committeeman posts respectively.
Republicans do not chose their state central committeemen and committeewomen at the ballot box, according to Mark Shaw of Lake Forest. He is the Republican Central Committeeman for the 10th District. He said the post is filled at the party convention.
Information for this story was gleaned from the Illinois State Board of Elections website and the Lake County Clerk’s website. Cook County candidates are not here because the Cook County Clerk’s website did not have a list of the candidates posted by the deadline for this article on December 5.
