Thursday, October 21, 2010

Suzi Schmidt Runs the Table With Endorsements in 31st State Senate Race Against Michael Bond (UPDATED)

This blog is no fan of Michael Bond, who we think unfairly took advantage of the well-respected Senator Geo-Karis at the twilight of her career and health, to maneuver himself into office. Well, he's had four years with not much to show for it, except to busy himself with meddling in local races to build himself up a political army in the style of his mentor, Senator Terry Link.

Well, the ghost of Geo isn't coming back to save Bond, and if she did, she'd probably support County Board Chairwoman Suzi Schmidt.

It seems the local newspapers would also agree, as the 'four local papers that matter,' at least to TA, have all heartily endorsed Suzi Schmidt:

Chicago Tribune: Count us as a longtime fan of Suzi Schmidt of Lake Villa, who first established herself as an open space advocate in Lake County and is now the highly effective chairman of the Lake County Board. She's a hands-on administrator who has held the line on taxes and cut county spending. Case in point: She reduced the number of workers with county cars from 100 to 3.Springfield needs her political skills and her common sense. She is endorsed over Democratic Sen. Michael Bond of Grayslake who narrowly won this seat four years ago.

Daily Herald: The race for the Illinois Senate from District 31 in northern Lake County is a competitive one between two solid candidates — incumbent Democrat Michael Bond of Grayslake and Lake County Board Chairwoman Suzi Schmidt, a Republican from Lake Villa.

Each is a fiscal conservative and each is an advocate of reform essential attributes in Springfield these days.

We like both, and find it difficult to choose between them.

The political process forces us to do so, however, so our slight preference is Schmidt, and she wins our endorsement. We give her the nod because of her strong record of leadership in Lake County government, where she has built consensus, balanced budgets and worked to make government responsive to the taxpayers.

She rightly wants to cut state government costs and encourage job and business growth.

She’ll be a good legislator.

Pioneer Press: Suzi Schmidt of Lake Villa has done a great job as chairman of the Lake County Board, where she has cut costs and made the most of the county's money. She's hard-working and approachable, but most importantly she gets things done.

Schmidt will provide some welcome direction to the State Senate as the state faces huge problems in balancing the budget and reducing its pension obligations.

And just today, the Lake County News-Sun: In the hotly contested 31st Senate District, we heartily endorse Lake County Board Chair Suzi Schmidt of Lake Villa, the Republican, over incumbent state Sen. Michael Bond, D-Grayslake. While Bond has been in office for four years he has spent most of his time and energy working on highway expansion in the western part of the district, ignoring eastern communities such as Gurnee, Zion, and Winthrop Harbor. Schmidt has done an outstanding job on the County Board, working on business development and keeping costs in line. Her county experience means she can ease right in to the Senate post and provide some county perspective on the state's deepening problems of balancing the budget and reducing pension obligations.

The two candidates have also been duking it out on cable TV, but all prognosticators seem to already be calling this one for Schmidt. Good bye, and good luck, Mr. Bond.

UPDATED: Seen this morning at the Lake Forest (west) Train Station: Dan Sugrue and Judge Wally Dunn shaking hands with commuters.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

No comments here because so many real Republicans think Suzi is nothing but a RINO. Those vacations with Terry and Suzi are unforgiveable. She is pro-chioce and anti-gun, and that's enough for me. I got my post card: Bond is endorsed by the NRA, so the DH and the News Sun can go fly a kite! Sorry guys but Bond is the only one in this race trying to REDUCE the size of government.