County Clerk Race Updates

Republican Jon Rector picked up a primary endorsement and Kacich highlighted the candidates main backers. Shelden is a staple of Republican partisan politics and county office older, while Hulten is from the more non-partisan and independent conservative camp within the local party. Kacich also highlighted a funding boost of Aaron Ammons, the Democratic challenger for the general. From Tom Kacich in the News-Gazette today:

Former U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, has endorsed Jon Rector in the Republican primary election for Champaign County clerk.

"Because our parents were good friends, I have known Jon since he was young. I have personal knowledge of Jon's exemplary character and work ethic," said Johnson, who served 12 years in Congress after 24 years in the Illinois House. "As a member of the Champaign County Board, he's shown his commitment to conservative Republican principles."

Rector is opposed in the Republican primary by Matt Grandone.

Rector's campaign is being managed by Mark Shelden, the current county recorder who once was county clerk and also served as Johnson's congressional chief of staff from 2011 to 2013.

The current county clerk, Gordy Hulten, is helping to run Grandone's campaign...

Aaron Ammons money

The Democratic candidate for county clerk, Aaron Ammons, got a financial boost this weekend with a $5,000 campaign contribution from the Service Employees International Union Local 73 in Chicago.

Ammons, the husband of state Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, has already raised $11,250 in itemized contributions and at least $3,400 in nonitemized contributions. He has no primary opponent, so everything he brings in goes toward the general election.

His about $15,000 raised (of which $7,500 is from SEIU and $1,500 is from Democratic state representatives) is significantly more than the about $6,800 Rector has raised, but short of the more than $43,000 that Grandone has brought in.

More on the County Clerk candidates on the Cheat Sheet County Offices page.