A Democrat with past ties to the Republican Party has announced a run for McLean County Board.
Ryan "RJ" McCracken of Bloomington said Tuesday he's running in District 3, which includes south and far west Bloomington and many rural areas, including Danvers, Stanford, and McLean. Republican George Wendt currently holds that seat.
McCracken serves on the Bloomington Cultural Commission and was the campaign manager for Bloomington City Council member Jeff Crabill's 2019 campaign.
McCracken said he worked on a congressional campaign for retired U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, a Republican. He said he comes from a "very politically active Republican background."
“I’m running because in a rather turbulent time in American politics, I believe the level-headed minds of the world need to be able to discuss and work through our problems rather than seek to divide us further. It’s time to end the polarized partisan politics that have plagued our political system,” McCracken said in a statement.
McCracken is events director for Let's Party Rental in Bloomington.
McCracken is the eighth Democrat to announce a run for County Board in 2020. Republicans currently hold a 13-to-7 majority on the board.
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