The next primary elections, to be held March 18, 2014, feature a number of openly gay and lesbian candidates. The following individuals have publically stated that they were a member of the LGBT community and had filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections by the Dec. 2 deadline.
Kelly Cassidy
Race: Illinois state Representative ( 14th District )
Website: CitizensForKellyCassidy.com
The skinny: Cassidy, who defeated another lesbian candidate, Paula Basta, in March 2014, is this time running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Republican candidate Denis Detzel, a consultant, is also running unopposed in that district. Before taking office, Cassidy was an activist and a staffer for state Sen. John Cullerton.
Sam Yingling
Race: ( 62nd District )
Website: SamYingling.com
The skinny: Yingling, running unopposed in the primary for his second term, is a native of central Lake County and lives in Round Lake Beach. He is the first openly gay House member from outside metropolitan Chicago. The night after SB10 passed, Yingling proposed to his longtime partner, Lowell Jaffe, at a party in the executive mansion. Republican Rod Drobinski of Wauconda is also running unopposed in the race.
Greg Harris
Race: Illinois state Representative ( 13th District )
Website: GregHarris.org
The skinny: Harris, who was chief co-sponsor of SB10, the legislation that will bring about marriage equality in Illinois beginning in June, 2014, has a district that includes Uptown, Ravenswood, Lincoln Square, North Center and Bowmanville. He was first elected in 2006 and is currently running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Republican Jon Joseph Hartmann is running unopposed as well.
Melanie "Mel" Ferrand
Race: Illinois state Representative ( 40th District )
Website: melferrand.org
The skinny: Ferrand is vying for the seat that was this year vacated by lesbian state Rep. Deb Mell, and that is currently occupied by Jaime M. Andrade Jr., who is also running. Ferrand is an elementary school teacher and a longtime activist in LGBT, labor and women's issues. She and Andrade each face a number of other opponents in the Democratic primary, among them Bart Goldberg, Aaron Goldstein, Nancy Schiavone, Wendy Jo Harmston and Mark Pasieka.
James Crawley
Race: Cook County Circuit Court Judge ( Pamela E. Hill Veal vacancy )
Website: crawleyforjudge.org
The skinny: Crawley, a native of Joliet, attended Loyola University Chicago and received his law degree from St. Louis University, where he started doing legal work on HIV/AIDS issues. He has had his own practice for more than 12 years, and has developed a specialty in food poisoning personal injury cases. Also running for the vacancy are Andrea Michele Buford and Kelly Maloney Kachmarik.
Linda Pauel
Race: Cook County Circuit Court Judge ( 10th Subcircuit, additional judgeship A )
Website: pauelforjudge.com
The skinny: A graduate of Chicago-Kent College of Law, Pauel has worked for several years at the City of Chicago's Law Department and served on the boards of LGBT organizations. If she were to be elected, she would be the first open lesbian of color to serve as judge in Cook County. She is running against Anthony C. Kyriakopoulos, Katherine A. O'Dell and Michael O'Malley.
Additional photo spread at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/A-guide-to-gay-lesbian-political-candidates/45482.html .