Second Democrat to run for west side county board seat

Posted on November 15, 2019
Russo
Nathan “Chiko” Russo, seen here at a Bloomington City Council meeting, is announcing his candidacy for a seat on the McLean County Board. (File photo by Howard Packowitz/WJBC)

 

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – Another primary race is shaping up on the Democratic side for the McLean County Board.

West side Bloomington resident Nathan “Chiko” Russo is announcing Friday at Laborers Local 362 Hall that he’s a candidate for the District 8 county board seat vacated by Democrat Carlo Robustelli, who’s not running for re-election.

Last summer, Russo helped lead a successful effort to convince a slim majority of Bloomington City Council members to reject a packaged liquor license for a South Morris Avenue convenience store, near Miller Park.

Democrat Lea Cline announced her candidacy last month for Robustelli’s seat. Cline chairs the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission and is Associate Professor of Art History at Illinois State University.

Illinois Wesleyan University student Jordan Baker is running as a Republican to represent the district covering the west side, Downtown Bloomington, and parts of the near east side.

The other Democratic primary contest is in District 6, which covers ISU and other parts of Normal. ISU Senior Hannah Beer announced Wednesday she’s challenging long-time incumbent George Gordon, who chairs the county board’s justice committee.

The primary contests come as McLean County Democrats hope to wrestle control from Republicans who hold a 13-7 majority on the county board.

The primary election is March 17.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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