Dentist Drops Out of Village Board Race Over Controversial Facebook Post

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — A Village Board candidate whose attempt at a humorous social media post about the Women's March upset some residents dropped out of the trustee race over the weekend, according to the Arlington Heights Post.

Arlington Heights dentist Dr. Joe Favia announced his decision Saturday on Facebook, the same platform that was the backdrop for his controversial posting, the report stated. On his brother's Facebook page, Favia shared a photo of last month's Women's March with the caption: "In one day, Trump got more fat women out walking, than Michelle Obama did in 8 years." Favia also added his own comment: "Hilarious!!!"

The dentist described the the posting as a personal joke between brothers and said he had no malicious intent. Other residents, however, believed the post disrespected women and was an example of fat shaming.

RELATED: Did Village Trustee Candidate's Facebook Post Mocking Women's March Cross the Line?

Because of the posting, a group of voters had planned to attend Monday's Village Board meeting to ask Favia to withdraw from the trustee race, something he originally said he wouldn't do. Mayor Tom Hayes, who said he found the posting "inappropriate and offensive," also planned to address the issue before Monday's meeting. Hayes is running uncontested in his April re-election bid.

Two write-in candidates — Richard Baldino and Mark Walker — also threw their hats into the board race, filing just under the last week's deadline and turning an unopposed contest into a competitive one for four trustee seats. After filing for his candidacy, Baldino told the Post that Favia's Facebook post prompted him to run as a write-in.

RELATED: 2 Write-Ins Enter Village Board Race; Did Candidate's Facebook Post Prompt Them?

With the two new write-ins and Favia's withdrawal, Arlington Heights Village Board candidates for the April 4 election now include Baldino and Walker, plus three trustee incumbents: Tom Glasgow, Bert Rosenberg and Jim Tinaglia.

WHAT DID YOU THINK? Patch asked readers in an unofficial poll if Dr. Joe Favia should drop out of the village trustee race because of what he posted on Facebook. Here's what people had to say:

• Yes. What he posted crossed the line: 53 percent
• Yes. Not because of the post's content, but because it shows poor judgment for a potential elected official: 37 percent
• No. This is a tempest in a teapot: 9 percent
• Undecided: 1 percent

As of Monday morning, 1,231 people had participated in the poll.

More via the Arlington Heights Post

Dr. Joe Favia (photo via Patch archive)

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