PEORIA, IL -- Four strong Democratic candidates spoke on Jan. 11 at a Peoria Area League of Women Voters event. Only two will win their primaries and are unlikely to face strong opposition in November.
The forum featured two candidates each for Peoria County Clerk and Peoria County States Attorney. The incumbent candidates in both offices were appointed last year by the Peoria County Board when the office holders died.
The States Attorney incumbent is former judge Jodi Hoos, the first female to hold the office. She said she resigned her judgeship because she felt she could make a greater difference in people's lives as a States Attorney.
She talked about her outreach activities, and defended her operation of the office from comments by her opponent Chris McCall. He's an African-American lawyer, the first to seek the office.
McCall cited the 25 murders in Peoria County in 2019, and said the current policies are apparently not working. "We need a change," he said.
Here is a recording of the discussion.
The race for the clerk's office features Rachael Parker, appointed last year by the Peoria County Board, and the first African American woman to hold the office, and Gabe McLeod, the white male who has worked in the office for 12 years, and basically runs the office as its top employee.
They discussed the digital projects for the office, customer service, even the calculation of tax rates.
The recording of their discussion is posted here.
Download Peo Clerk race 2020 (1)
The forum, the first of the 2020 season, shows the diversity of the local elected office holders and the potential power of the African American community as voters.
All four of these candidates are credible and would do well in the offices they seek or hold. The primary is March 17.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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