Balich Won't Run For Will County Executive After All

JOLIET, IL — On Thursday, Sept. 19, Will County Board member Steve Balich, a conservative Republican, quietly pulled nominating papers to run for Will County Executive. On Monday, Sept. 23, Joliet Patch broke the news that Balich was angling to replace four-term Democrat Larry Walsh as the next Will County Executive.

Two nights later, on Wednesday, Sept. 25, Joliet Patch received a press release indicating that the Homer-Glen Republican is changing course. Balich won't run for Will County Executive, after all.

Wednesday night's press release indicated Balich has decided to bow out of the Will County Executive's race and throw his support toward Nick Ficarello, the former Braidwood chief of police, who ran unsuccessfully in 2014 as a Republican for sheriff of Will County.

"After careful consideration, I am withdrawing from the Will County Republican Primary for Will County Executive," the press release stated. "I sat with our Republican candidate, Nick Ficarello, and find him more than capable of winning back the County Executive's office.

"Nick Ficarello represents our best values, fiscally and morally. I believe that with his experience as the former Braidwood Chief of Police, Nick possesses the necessary skills and intellect required to hold the top executive position. I am confident that he will help bring about sound bi-partisan legislation, beneficial for our fair County and our residents. I hope voters join me in supporting Nick Ficarello as our next Will County Executive."

According to the Will County Board website, "Steve Balich of Homer Glen was elected to the Will County Board in 2012 to represent the residents of District 7 … Balich was a truck driver for 20 years. He also held a real estate broker’s license as well as sold retirement plans."

On the Democrat side of the aisle, State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant of Shorewood, who already amassed about $410,000 in her campaign war chest, has already announced her intentions to become the next Will County Executive.

However, Larry Walsh Sr., who is not seeking a fifth term as County Executive, wants his long-time chief of staff, Nick Palmer of Bolingbrook, to become his successor.

Walsh and Palmer are not huge fans of Bertino-Tarrant, according to Will County political insiders. At the moment, however, Bertino-Tarrant is considered the front runner on the Democrat side.

Since August, Palmer has only raised about $9,000 for his election campaign, Joliet Patch reported last week.

Meanwhile, Joliet City Councilman Larry Hug, who represents the Plainfield area, confirmed to Joliet Patch in an exclusive story published earlier this week that he is 95 percent sure he will run as a Democrat candidate for Bertino-Tarrant's seat in the Illinois Senate during the 2020 election cycle.

The Illinois primaries will be conducted on March 17.