Supporters of John Dalton's campaign for resident judge of Kane County gathered at Minibar lounge Sept. 9 to raise funds for the candidate as he seeks to become the first openly gay elected judicial official in Illinois outside of Cook County.
Dalton's campaign has been closely watched by area LGBT activists because of its history-making potential. "My campaign represents a step forward for our community," Dalton told an audience of about 50 supporters, adding, "This foray into the collar counties is the direction our movement must go if we are to achieve true LGBT equality for all of Illinois."
Dalton has received a slew of endorsements, including backing from state Sen. Michael Noland and the mayor of Elgin, Ed Schock. One Dalton supporter, law professor Mark Wojcik, told Windy City Times that the candidate is a lawyer "who has years of experience as an arbiter." Dalton, Wojcik said, is "well-respected, intelligent, compassionate, fair and open-minded," adding, "he has exactly the kind of qualifications I'd look for in a judge."
More information about Dalton's campaign can be found at www.johndaltonforjudge.com .