WurfWhile

The news came out yesterday in the Naperville Sun that City Councilman Doug Krause threw his hat in for Naperville Mayor just before the deadline Monday. The twice mayoral hopeful who has also run for state representative had said he was prepared to run only if Naperville Mayor George Pradel didn’t seek re-election. But, like his fellow challenger, former City Councilman Mary Ellingson, Krause had a change of heart.

Mayor George Pradel’s reaction to the news of Councilman Doug Krause’s entry was typically positive, saying “good” and “I think they’re saying it’s an attractive job.” Former City Councilman Mary Ellingson was reportedly “taken aback” by the news, saying, “It’s a big surprise to me…. I’m surprised because Doug had said he wasn’t going to run if George was.”

Tonight I was at a meeting where a local Republican operative speculated that Krause’s entry into the race reflected a belief that Mayor Pradel had become vulnerable. I’m not so sure - and I’d be surprised if anyone has done polling to establish it. If the Naperville Sun’s reporting is accurate, it sounds like Ellingson’s reaction might reflect Krause’s impact on the race, splitting the votes against the mayor in the primary. Doug Krause makes the argument that Ellingson and the mayor have similar voting records, so his record stands out. Regardless of the merits of the case, my guess is most voters will view this as a referendum on Mayor George Pradel - and not look too deeply into the intricacies of voting records. Whatever the intent, Krause’s candidacy may well put the mayor on top in the primary, and position him well for re-election.