John Howard to make primary run against Cloonen

John Howard, a Kankakee County Board member in Pembroke Township's District 4, was set to announce today his intention to run against state Rep. Kate Cloonen, D-Kankakee, in the March 18, 2014 Democratic primary.

"Elections should not be won by handpicked individuals nor those that have the huge money backing," Howard says in a campaign flyer he provided to The Daily Journal. "Elections should not be won by those who make broken promises and enrich family, friends and self."

Howard, of Hopkins Park, won election to the county board in 2012. District 4 also includes Sun River Terrace and small portions of neighboring townships.

"We can make a difference," Howard continues in his release. "On my campaign trail, many folks are quick to remind me that our government enables many able-bodied people not to work by providing them free government benefits with taxpayer money.

"Do they realize we continue to enable do-nothing politicians to stay in office to become career politicians for the same reasons I stated?

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Glenn Nixon to challenge Kate Cloonen again

Seeking a different outcome, Glenn Nixon will announce Thursday he is once again running for the 79th District state representative seat.

According to an email received this morning, Nixon will make the announcement at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Kankakee County Courthouse. State Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Winchester, the House minority leader, is scheduled to attend, and other state Republican leaders could be on hand.

Nixon lost a razor-thin decision to Democrat Kate Cloonen, the current 79th District state representative, in the fall of 2012. They were vying to replace former State Rep. Lisa Dugan, a Democrat who had previously announced her retirement from public office.

More than 42,000 votes were cast in that race, and Cloonen, of Kankakee, won by a mere 91 votes. Nixon, a Bourbonnais resident and former Kankakee County board member, conceded almost three weeks after the election was held.

If neither candidate faces opposition in the March 18, 2014 primary, Cloonen and Nixon will square off in the Nov.

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