01-24-2009, 05:06 AM
Washington joins mayoral heat
Indy candidate would give up House seat
January 24, 2009
By DAN MORAN <!-- e --><a href="mailto
MORAN@SCN1.COM">DMORAN@SCN1.COM</a><!-- e -->
WAUKEGAN -- State Rep. Eddie Washington is in and 6th Ward Ald. Larry TenPas is out as the 2009 race for mayor slowly takes shape.
"I just think people should have an array of choices, and I want to be one of them," said Washington, who plans to be on the April 7 ballot as an independent. "It wasn't any scripted plan, (but) I've been very much surprised with the number of people who support this decision."
Like County Board member Bob Sabonjian, who is also looking to run as an independent, Washington has until 5 p.m. Monday to file petitions with a minimum of 427 signatures and a maximum of 683. Washington added that he would resign his House seat if elected.
Meanwhile, TenPas said Friday that he pulled petitions to run earlier this month after Mayor Richard Hyde was hospitalized with a ruptured appendix, but decided not to file them as Hyde's health improved.
"No, I'm not running," TenPas said. "I was quite concerned about the mayor, but now I can see he's going to make a complete recovery ... I'm backing Dick Hyde 100 percent."
Among the people watching these developments closely are members of the Citizens for the Resurgence of Excellence in Waukegan (CREW), which was formed in October with a mission statement supporting "the establishment of a new mayoral administration."
Toward that end, the 53-member group has been conducting interviews with each mayoral hopeful, planning to issue an endorsement and campaign for a selected candidate.
"We're a group of people who are concerned about Waukegan. (We're) not looking to oust anyone," said CREW co-founder Steve Kolber. "The whole focus behind all of this is identifying the potential of each candidate (and) educate ourselves as to who is the most qualified person to lead the city."
To date, CREW has conducted interviews with Sabonjian, Republican Greg Flesher, and Democratic candidates Sam Cunningham and Jose Guzman, posting reports at <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.waukegancrew.org">www.waukegancrew.org</a><!-- w -->. Kolber said Hyde cancelled a scheduled session, and Washington will be added to the list if he files on Monday.
"We just want to create an awareness among the electorate. The voter turnout has been terrible, and such slim margins have decided elections," Kolber said, adding that his group hopes to connect with "the thousands of registered voters who don't even bother to go out and vote."
Indy candidate would give up House seat
January 24, 2009
By DAN MORAN <!-- e --><a href="mailto
MORAN@SCN1.COM">DMORAN@SCN1.COM</a><!-- e -->WAUKEGAN -- State Rep. Eddie Washington is in and 6th Ward Ald. Larry TenPas is out as the 2009 race for mayor slowly takes shape.
"I just think people should have an array of choices, and I want to be one of them," said Washington, who plans to be on the April 7 ballot as an independent. "It wasn't any scripted plan, (but) I've been very much surprised with the number of people who support this decision."
Like County Board member Bob Sabonjian, who is also looking to run as an independent, Washington has until 5 p.m. Monday to file petitions with a minimum of 427 signatures and a maximum of 683. Washington added that he would resign his House seat if elected.
Meanwhile, TenPas said Friday that he pulled petitions to run earlier this month after Mayor Richard Hyde was hospitalized with a ruptured appendix, but decided not to file them as Hyde's health improved.
"No, I'm not running," TenPas said. "I was quite concerned about the mayor, but now I can see he's going to make a complete recovery ... I'm backing Dick Hyde 100 percent."
Among the people watching these developments closely are members of the Citizens for the Resurgence of Excellence in Waukegan (CREW), which was formed in October with a mission statement supporting "the establishment of a new mayoral administration."
Toward that end, the 53-member group has been conducting interviews with each mayoral hopeful, planning to issue an endorsement and campaign for a selected candidate.
"We're a group of people who are concerned about Waukegan. (We're) not looking to oust anyone," said CREW co-founder Steve Kolber. "The whole focus behind all of this is identifying the potential of each candidate (and) educate ourselves as to who is the most qualified person to lead the city."
To date, CREW has conducted interviews with Sabonjian, Republican Greg Flesher, and Democratic candidates Sam Cunningham and Jose Guzman, posting reports at <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.waukegancrew.org">www.waukegancrew.org</a><!-- w -->. Kolber said Hyde cancelled a scheduled session, and Washington will be added to the list if he files on Monday.
"We just want to create an awareness among the electorate. The voter turnout has been terrible, and such slim margins have decided elections," Kolber said, adding that his group hopes to connect with "the thousands of registered voters who don't even bother to go out and vote."