Some districts are blessed with two strong candidates. District 44 is one of them. Voters get to choose between incumbent state Rep. Fred Crespo, 68, and Republican challenger Ralph Black, 64.
Crespo, of course, is not your typical Illinois Democrat. He’s made a name for himself by standing apart from his party, having been cut out by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch over Crespo’s lone-wolf budget efforts. The moderate Democrat has voted against tax hikes when most of his peers have fallen in line. “Illinois needs to control spending, eliminate waste and duplication, and identify savings before considering new taxes or fees,” he told us. He’s also called on Welch to resign over his mishandling of the Harry Benton sexual harassment scandal.
Black strikes us as a thoughtful, reform-minded conservative. “The answer is not to add taxes; the answer is to remove wasteful spending,” he told us, and that seems to sum up his approach. Were he not running against Crespo, we’d be happy to endorse him.
Fred Crespo is endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois general election here.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email [email protected].