Leafblad: Schmidt ‘vulnerable next fall’
by Dan Moran dmoran@stmedianetwork.com October 10, 2011 7:18PM
Larry Leafblad of Grayslake announces that he will run in the Republican primary against state Sen. Suzi Schmidt on March 20, 2012, in the 31st District while standing next to his wife Diane at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center on Monday. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: December 10, 2011 1:34AM
ROUND LAKE BEACH — Saying that incumbent state Sen. Suzi Schmidt will “have to run against her own incriminating 9-1-1 tapes” in the 2012 elections, former Lake County Board member Larry Leafblad of Grayslake formally declared his candidacy Monday to face his fellow Republican in the March 20 primary.
“The whole world was watching. Suzi mortally wounded herself,” Leafblad said in an appearance at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center, referring to three domestic incidents between Schmidt and her husband, Robert, between December 2010 and Sept. 26 this year.
While neither Schmidt nor her husband were charged with any offenses in the incidents, Leafblad said he believes they made her “vulnerable next fall” among voters.
“The politicians that are tied to Suzi’s kite, because she’s got connections, (are) kind of circling the wagons around her right now,” Leafblad said following his formal remarks. “But the people are not. I’ve talked to 250, maybe 300 people throughout the last week or so (who) are very concerned that a Democrat could just walk into the position.”
Leafblad acknowledged his personal ties to both Suzi and Robert Schmidt, saying it was “very uncomfortable” to run against a woman he served with on the County Board.
“At the same time, I can see if she wins the primary, which I hope she doesn’t, the fall is going to be the Democrats playing 9-1-1 call after 9-1-1 call after 9-1-1 call for 10 weeks up to the general election,” Leafblad said. “It’s going to be brutal, and I don’t think she can win.”
Democrat Melinda Bush of Grayslake has announced her intention to run for the 31st Senate District seat held by Schmidt. In 2008, Bush toppled Leafblad in the race for Lake County Board’s District 6, winning 56 percent of 11,800 votes cast.
Schmidt declared her intentions last week to both stay in office and seek re-election to a second term, saying in a statement that, “I believe I can and will continue to serve the citizens of Lake County with the same dedication and energy I’ve had for the past 25 years.”
Schmidt’s statement added that she had begun counseling to help resolve “issues in my personal life,” which she said “will not prohibit me from doing the job (citizens of Lake County) elected me to do.”
Nominating papers for the March primary can be filed starting Nov. 28 and are due Dec. 5.
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