State Sen. Thomas Dunn (D-Joliet) said Monday he won’t be a candidate for his party’s nomination for Congress from the south suburban 11th District.
Dunn, who had been considered one of the early favorites for the Democratic bid to replace retiring U.S. Rep. George Sangmeister, a Mokena Democrat, wouldn’t discuss his reasons for not running.
Party sources said Dunn was reluctant to leave his Joliet law practice. Dunn, a three-term state senator who isn’t up for re-election until 1996, also has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Illinois attorney general.
Despite his departure from the race, Dunn predicted “a free-for-all” in the March 15 Democratic primary. State Reps. Clement Balanoff of Chicago and Frank Giglio of Calumet City already have signaled their intentions to run. Grundy County State’s Atty. Dave Neal is considered another possibility as is State Sen. Patrick Welch of Peru.
The contest for the Republican nomination also has narrowed.
State Rep. Larry Wennlund of New Lenox took himself out of the race last week, saying he would run for re-election for his House seat. Will County Circuit Judge Patricia Schneider, who had been touted by some GOP leaders as a possible dark horse, also said last week that she wouldn’t run.
New Lenox attorney Robert Herbolsheimer, who was defeated by Sangmeister last year, has announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination, as has former Will County Recorder of Deeds James O’Connell.
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