Bonded out

For a while there, it looked like The Hound and state Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest, were the only ones not running for the 10th Congressional District seat being vacated by Mark Kirk as he seeks to return an Illinois Republican to the U.S. Senate. Well, add state Sen. Michael Bond, D-Grayslake, who bonded out of the race on Friday.

For some odd reason, Bond thought he could match up with Kirk, but without the Highland Park Republican in the race, he was going to be one of a gaggle of Democrats hoping to catch lightning in a bottle and head to Washington. Dan Seals is running, state Rep. Julie Hamos, D-Evanston, announced this past week and others are waiting in the wings. The term "crowded field" will apply by the time filing ends in November.

Political historians may remember this is the opposite of what happened in the 10th District in 2000, when Kirk bested an 11-candidate GOP primary field while then-state Rep. Lauren Beth Gash, D-Highland Park, was the lone Dem hopeful. Or so The Hound has been told by geezers here at The Pound.

Meantime, freshman state Sen. Bond waltzes back into a race where he will be facing Lake County Board Chair Suzi Schmidt of Lake Villa, no shrinking violet and a veteran of this county's bruising political clashes. The 31st Senate contest will be the key county race to watch next year, The Hound believes, and will bet a cookie to that effect.
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