Dr. Thomas Rudd of Lake Forest tells the Lake County Democratic Central Committee why he is worthy of an endorsement.
In an unprecedented move, the Lake County Democratic Central Committee endorsed write-in candidate physician Thomas Rudd of Lake Forest in the Nov. 8 general election over the party’s designated nominee, Michael P. Donnenwirth of Waukegan.
The Democrats unanimously backed Rudd’s write-in effort with a voice vote during an official meeting of the central committee Oct. 5 in Gurnee, claiming he is the actual Democrat in the race.
“There is only one true Democrat running for this office,” said state Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan), the chairman of the Lake County Democrats. “I don’t care what the title (on the ballot) says there is only one Democrat.”
Link said he cannot remember a time when the central committee has endorsed a write-in or any other candidate over its primary nominee. He has chaired the party in Lake County since 1992.
Rudd was elected as a Democrat in 2012 but said he withdrew his name from consideration as the party’s candidate in the March primary because of problems with his nominating petitions. He sought to run as an independent, Donnenwirth challenged that effort and the courts sided with Donnenwirth.
“I blew it when I ran in the primary and I admit it,” Rudd said while addressing more than 80 people at the meeting.
Donnenwirth said he was surprised by the endorsement both because he feels he is better qualified and Rudd displayed poor ethical judgment when he said he attested to people signing his primary petitions when he was not the circulator.
“It’s unbelievable because Rudd is just not the man for the job,” Donnenwirth said in a DailyNorthShore.Com telephone interview after the meeting. “This is a law enforcement position and he is overqualified.”
Responding to Link’s claim he is not a true Democrat, Donnenwirth said he votes Democrat most of the time. He ran for a Lake County Board seat as a Republican in 2008 challenging Democrat Bob Sabonjian and losing. But he said his reasons were practical.
“I decided to challenge Bob Sabonjian and I thought it would be easier to do as a Republican,” said Donnenwirth.
Both Rudd and Donnenwirth are competing with Dr. Howard Cooper of Bannockburn, the Republican nominee for the job of coroner. Mark Shaw, the chairman of the Lake County Republican Central Committee, was also critical of Rudd’s petition handling and effort to get on the ballot as an independent.
“Obviously, I would prefer not to get in the middle of the Democrat’s civil war, but it greatly disturbs me that Tom Rudd takes a very cavalier attitude toward making sworn statements under oath, then reverses himself on numerous occasions when it is convenient for him,” Shaw said in a statement.
The statement was a response to a DNS request for a comment from the Cooper campaign.
Shaw said Cooper, a dentist, wants to bring operational stability, fiscal responsibility, integrity and youth-focused death prevention education programs to the coroner’s office.
Rudd said he recognized the challenge of running a successful write-in campaign and is thankful for the help the endorsement will mean to his effort.
“I’m extremely pleased to receive the endorsement of the Democratic Party,” said Rudd. “You have to write me in and that’s not easy,” he added during his comments to the audience.