State Moves In Right Direction: Elmhurst Candidate

ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst alderwoman running for state representative on Monday praised Illinois' achievements over the last few years.

"Illinois has made progress on important issues in recent years and is moving in the right direction as demonstrated by nine credit rating upgrades since June of 2021," Alderwoman Marti Deuter, a Democrat, said in a news release about her candidacy. "There is more to be done, and we need legislators with a demonstrated ability to bring people together."

A month ago, Patch reported on Deuter's candidacy. That was after Rep. Jenn Ladisch Douglass, an Elmhurst Democrat, announced she would not seek a second term.

The news release called Deuter, who has served on the City Council for a decade, "a policymaker with a practical approach and a reputation for tackling issues that are important to residents."

Deuter, an alderwoman for a decade, is set to run unopposed in the Democratic primary in March. The only Republican candidate is Dennis Reboletti.

The news release was issued by Diane Lans-Kautz, who labeled herself a political consultant. Her LinkedIn page says she was the campaign manager for Kelly Henry, who won her race for the Elmhurst school board in April.

Lans-Kautz also managed the campaign for Elmhurst's Yeena Yoo, a Democrat who prevailed in the November 2022 race for the DuPage County Board, according to the LinkedIn page.

In an email to media, Lans-Kautz said the House District 45 race would be high-profile and close. She's likely right. The district, which includes Elmhurst, Hinsdale, Westmont and Western Springs, is a battleground where hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent during each of the last few elections.

Last year, Ladisch-Douglass narrowly defeated Deanne Mazzochi, an Elmhurst Republican who served four years.

Deuter works for Bridge Communities, a Glen Ellyn-based nonprofit group that provides housing and other services to families experiencing homelessness.

If Deuter becomes a state representative, she cannot legally remain on the City Council. The mayor would appoint her replacement, subject to the council's approval.