Republican challenger Jim Walsh, a Round Lake Beach medical physicist, lacks political experience, but he has an open-minded way about him that’s always refreshing among candidates for public office. He is inquisitive, non-doctrinaire and up for collaboration. He is endorsed.
Among Walsh’s priorities are reforming township codes to check the powers of supervisors, reducing traffic congestion, reducing property taxes by increasing the income tax, and eliminating unfunded mandates. He opposes police “no-knock” policies and favors more police de-escalation training. We’re disappointed, though, that he hasn’t given more thought to what Illinois should be doing to move to a carbon-free future. This should be a critical part of any political candidate’s platform.
Also running is Democratic incumbent Sam Yingling of Grayslake, who did not submit a questionnaire or partake in an endorsement session.
For more information about this race and others, including candidate questionnaires, go to our Illinois primary voting guide. Our newspaper is owned by a group of civic-minded and, in some cases, politically active investors; for details, see our owner information page.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.