Champaign County Democrat Party Chair and District 6 County Board member Tony Fabri has received the endorsement of the Champaign County Democrat Party for the vacant County Auditor's position.
The Champaign County Democratic Central Committee voted 2,777 to 506 to support Fabri, the party chair and county board member, over challenger, Kevin Sandefur.
The numbers are so large because each precinct committee member gets a weighted vote, based on population.
The current auditor, Mike Frerichs, is stepping aside to take his seat in the Illinois General Assembly this month.
Since he's a Democrat, that party gets to put forth a candidate for board approval.
Sandefur, who lives in Royal, has had a long career in not-for-profits and labor organizations. He said he'll be pleased to support Fabri.
Sandefur said he hoped the Republicans, who hold 12 of the 27 votes on the board, will respect the Democratic choice.
I originally argued that County Board Republicans should vote against Fabri as a protest for filling the office with another unqualified partisan, but Mark Shelden and Matt Gladney persuaded me that I was wrong.
Fabri is the choice of his party, and he deserves the unanimous support of the County Board. I say that not as an endorsement of Fabri as a candidate for the position, nor as an endorsement of his qualifications. I, for one, sincerely hoped that the Democrats would nominate someone less partisan and more qualified. But now that the Democrats have made their selection, Republicans must recognize that, honor the tradition of filling such vacancies by deferring to the respective Parties, hold their noses, and vote for him.
