Entering its last legs of its race the 2012 Illinois Primary Election is anything but predictable. Sure, on the Democratic ballot there’s more local offices with no candidates than there are contested races but who knows who will emerge from their caucus for the November general election. Local Republicans are slugging it out (Smith vs Campbell) much like at the state and federal levels (Johnson vs Syverson), (Kinsinger vs Manzullo), (Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, Paul). There are few sure predictions including what impact a relevant presidential contest in an Illinois primary will have on historically anemic voter turnout. (more…)

If you scroll through the sample ballots for area Democrats you won’t see many contested races. In fact, in DeKalb County, there are two. Dennis Anderson and Jonathan Farnick are squaring off for their party’s nomination to challenge Randy Hultgren (R) in the 14th Congressional District. The other contested race is for District 6 on the DeKalb County Board. Three Democrats are seeking the two seats open for election. The two incumbents seeking re-election are Ruth Anne Tobias and Bob Brown. Craig Roman is challenging for one of those seats. (more…)

One of the more interesting primary races in DeKalb County is that between Republicans, Clay Campbell, the incumbent and Sean P. Smith. That’s in part because the Democrats have no candidates running in the primary elections which leads to speculation as to who their caucus might select to face the winner of the Republican primary. Since no Democratic candidates are running in the March 2012 primary election for the States Attorney office the DeKalb County Democrats have until Monday, June 4, 2012 to nominate (or not) a candidate. (10 ILCS 5/7-61, 8-17) (more…)

The 14th U.S. Congressional District in Illinois was redrawn to include McHenry County and parts of DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, and Will counties (see map below). Republican Randy Hultgren, who was first elected to represent the 14th district in 2010, will run for re-election. For a time it looked like a lively campaign between Hultgren and Joe Walsh, who had planned to challenge Hultgren. Walsh will instead seek re-election in the redrawn 8th district. Hultgren will be unopposed in the Republican primary.

Dennis Anderson, a public health researcher and trustee of the International Breast Cancer Research Foundation; and Jonathan Farnick, a computer support technician, will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Hultgren.  (more…)

The 35th District was redistricted to pit two Republican incumbents against each other. There are no candidates from the Democratic Party in the 2012 Primary for the 35th District.

It includes areas of Boone, DeKalb, LaSalle, Ogle and Winnebago counties in northern Illinois and is comprised of all or parts of Belvidere, Caledonia, Capron, Cherry Valley, Clare, Cortland, Creston, Davis Junction, DeKalb, Earlville, Genoa, Hillcrest Village, Hinckley, Kingston, Kirkland, Lee, Leland, Lindenwood, Loves Park, Malta, Maple Park, Monroe Center, Poplar Grove, Rochelle, Rockford, Roscoe, Sandwich, Shabbona, Somonauk, South Beloit, Stillman Valley, Sycamore, Timberlane and Waterman. (more…)