Jenisch might run for county board again

A former state leader may ask for his old job back on the DuPage County Board.

Bloomingdale Republican Roger Jenisch is "considering" running for District 1 in the February primary.

Jenisch served on the county board from 1997 until 2004, when he was elected to the Illinois House.

But he fell out with Bloomingdale Township Republican leaders who ended up throwing support to incumbent state Rep. Franco Coladipietro in 2006.

The heated election generated much bad blood with the two candidates accusing each other of improprieties. The Coladipietro camp called Jenisch out of touch, while he countered that his opponents objected to his independent voting record.

Jenisch said he would make a decision in the early fall. If he moves forward, he would be in a three-way GOP primary race with District 1 incumbents Paul Fichtner of Elmhurst and Yolanda Campuzano of Bensenville.

"I'm concerned with a lack of leadership" in District 1 Jenisch said.

"I loved my time on the county board and got a lot done. I felt I was very effective."

Now, the board "doesn't seem they're going in a direction that's good for the taxpayers," said Jenisch, an insurance agent.

Fichtner said he's not worried about a primary fight and has already wrapped up endorsements from DuPage Republican Chairman Dan Cronin, Addison Mayor Larry Hartwig and Bloomingdale Village President Bob Iden.

"I feel I've accomplished a lot in District 1," Fichtner said. "I've always had competition in the primary; it's part of being elected."

Campuzano was also unfazed by the potential challenge.

"I'll run my own race like I always have," she said. "Everyone has their own opinion about how things should be run at the county. We're all doing our best to come up with new revenues."

Local Democrats have not slated District 1 candidates yet.