Sheriff Tom Dart, 64, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary but is facing a challenge from Libertarian candidate Brad Sandefur, a 66-year-old former long-time employee of the department who also ran against Dart in 2022.
We’ve long been impressed with Dart, well before he stood up against the thuggish overreach of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which had threatened his arrest. We’ve also admired his willingness to become part of the solution to the CTA safety problem, putting teams of officers this summer onto the Red and Green lines where crime had spiked, using his authority under the new Northern Illinois Transit Act.
This office is crucial when it comes to public safety in Cook County, and Dart led it since 2006. Voters would, of course, be foolish to toss him out for Sandefur, who largely is going after Dart from the right but does not compare in terms of experience or record of achievement. Sandefur has a long law-enforcement background, but his campaign is more the latest installment of a long-term protest against Dart than a credible alternative for voters.
Tom Dart is endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois general election here.
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