From the Herald-News’ first Will/Grundy County politics newsletter. Each week, reporter Alex Ortiz (@AJO_35 on Twitter) will provide exclusive content from what he’s been reporting, seeing and hearing from local, county and state politicians.
Campaign season is already upon us and one candidate for local office has already earned a big name endorsement.
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza endorsed Lauren Staley-Ferry, D-Joliet, for Will County Clerk. Staley-Ferry is a current Will County Board member and was first elected in 2014.
“We lose sight and focus on the local races that really make a difference,” Mendoza said. “They’re the ones that most impact what happens day-to-day in our little town or big city.”
Mendoza, who grew up in Will County and graduated from Bolingbrook High School, praised Staley-Ferry as one of the fresh, new candidates around the state whom she wants to highlight.
“We are going to need you to go out and be Lauren Staley-Ferry evangelists,” Mendoza said to the crowd at a fundraiser for Staley-Ferry on Wednesday night. “Even if you’re atheist, I don’t care. You’re all going to evangelize about this next rockstar.”
Staley-Ferry will be up against Laurie McPhillips, a Republican who previously lost to Larry Walsh Sr. for Will County Executive in 2016, and Democrat Denise Mushro-Rumchak, the current Lockport Township Clerk.
Staley-Ferry has also picked up endorsements from the Bolingbrook Firefighters Association and State Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, D-Shorewood.
The candidates are running to replace longtime Will County Clerk Nancy Schultz Voots, who announced in July she would not seek re-election. The filing period for the March 20, 2018, primary election starts November 27 and ends December 4.