Rudd Will Run for Coroner as Independent

Incumbent Lake County Coroner Dr. Thomas Rudd may have withdrawn from the Democratic primary, but he’ll likely still be an option for voters come November.

Rudd announced recently his intentions of running as an independent candidate, according to the Daily North Shore. Rudd, who now holds the office as a Democrat, had originally filed to run for re-election as a Democrat, but withdrew his name from the ballot after a pair of GOP committeemen challenged his petitions on grounds he had someone else circulate them.

Rudd, of Lake Forest, has called the challenge “a political witch hunt.”

He is now in the midst of gathering 10,000 petition signatures in order to be on the November ballot as an Independent.

Although the presumptive winner of the Democratic primary will be former Deputy Coroner Michael Donnenwirth, who is now running unopposed, the party leader has already agreed to back Rudd.

“Of course I’m going to support him,” said State Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan, the Lake County Democratic chairman. “The two candidates running now are both Republicans.”

Link’s comment refers to Donnenwirth’s unsuccessful run for the Lake County Board District 8 seat as a Republican.

more via the Daily North Shore