With no Republican challenger and having captured the top spot in the primaries, lesbian Debra Shore, who is running for the office of Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District ( MWRD ) , is breathing easy. However, that doesn't mean that she is resting on her laurels.
'For me, I'm in the clear, so it's great,' Shore told Windy City Times. 'I'm pretty confident.' Shore needed to capture one of the top three spots in the primaries, and came out as the favorite among voters.
Shore has now focused her energy on trying to help other Democrats with their races, such as incumbent Congresswoman Melissa Bean, Cook County Board of Review candidate Brendan Houlihan and State Treasurer candidate Alexi Giannoulias.
The candidate, who supports innovative conservation policies, protecting local water resources and providing greater education about the importance of water, runs the chance of becoming one of the most widely elected openly gay candidates in local history.
'I'd be so honored,' Shore said. 'I worked really hard and it paid off. I'm excited about joining the board. It's a venerable agency with a very notable history.'
The MWRD race has garnered a lot of attention for an agency that rarely gets the spotlight. The agency is charged with preserving and enhancing the area's water systems.
'I've been very gratified [ by ] the response gotten since the primaries,' she added. 'Also, [ I've been gratified by ] the folks who ran such a strong campaign.'
Shore has been endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats, the Victory Fund, Personal PAC and Equality Illinois, to name a few organizations.
See www.debrashore.org for more info.