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WGLT's reporting on the November 2020 election cycle.

Nikita Richards To Run For Chair of McLean County Democrats

Nikita speaks into mic
Jeff Smudde
/
WGLT
Nikita Richards is running for chair of the McLean County Democratic Party.

Nikita Richards says she wants to be the next chair of the McLean County Democratic Party.

Richards ran for McLean County clerk in 2018, losing to Republican incumbent Kathy Michael by 7,970 votes (nearly 12 percentage points) despite high-profile support from U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Rep. Cheri Bustos, and other Democrats. After the loss, Richards advised Gov. JB Pritzker’s transition team on veterans’ issues and was chosen to serve on the Illinois Council of Women and Girls, chaired by Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.

In a statement Monday, Richards said she wants to succeed Erik Rankin as chair of the McLean County Democrats. Rankin is running for circuit clerk and is not seeking re-election as chair.

“As a social equity and election rights advocate, I know firsthand both the challenges and reward of avidly participating in democracy,” Richards said. “I’m seeking the chairwomanship because community members who are willing to put their names on the ballot and do the hard work deserve a party structure that will help them win elections."

Richards is so far the only person to announce a plan to run for chair. Democratic precinct committeepeople will elect their new chair following the March primary election.

Rankin was elected party chair in April 2018, succeeding longtime leader John Penn. Rankin won what was initially a three-person race for chair. The two other candidates, Dorothy Deany and Patrick Cortesi, continued to work in leadership roles with the party.

During Rankin’s tenure, the Democrats have logged strong fundraising numbers, moved into a new headquarters in downtown Bloomington, and fielded a record number of candidates in 2020. That includes three candidates for countywide office.

Yet a majority of McLean County’s elected officials remain Republican, including its entire Statehouse delegation and all current countywide officials.

“I am proud to have played an integral role in the great work that brought us here and I look forward to continuing this great work with our constituents,” Richards said. “As chair, I’ll focus on engaging with all who make up our big tent; increasing voter education and diversity; and strengthening the presence of the Democratic Party throughout the county.”

Richards, a Navy veteran, works in HR for the City of Bloomington.

McLean County Republican Party chair Connie Beard said she is seeking another term. She was first elected in 2018.

Ryan Denham is the digital content director for WGLT.
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