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Central Illinois Gazette

There's a race for county Democratic Party chair

Posted by: Tom Kacich

Thursday, April 2, 2009 8:03 AM

Kevin Sandefur, a Democratic precinct committeeman from Royal, said Wednesday he is joining the race to be the chair of the Democratic Party in Champaign County.

County board member Michael Richards of Champaign had already anounced his candidacy. Interim party chair Al Klein of Urbana said he'll announce his intentions after Tuesday's municipal elections.

In an e-mail to precinct committeemen (who will choose the new party chief) Sandefur wrote that he believes "I may be uniquely positioned to help our party finally get past the divisiveness that has occupied so much time and energy in recent years, so that we can move forward together to accomplish those goals that we have always agreed upon."

He asked committemen to keep an open mind and make a decision "only after you have had the opportunity to hear from all of the potential candidates for the chair."

The new party chair will be chosen either in April or May, replacing Tony Fabri, who resigned last week.