Republican Keats for Cook County Board Chair

Tribune:

Former state Sen. Roger Keats of Wilmette, the slated GOP candidate for County Board president, promised that the slate would “fight the corrupt Stroger-led county government,” a reference to unpopular Democratic incumbent Todd Stroger.

“We are the soldiers who have to take these people on,” said Keats, who opted to run after former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas opted not to make the race. Keats, who served in the legislature from 1976 to 1992, had played a major role in Vallas’ nascent efforts.

“Yes we all know it’s a tough race, but this is 2010, and frankly, with the help of the Democrats, I almost sometimes think the Democrats are our campaign chairmen with the performance they’ve been going through the last few years,” Keats said, referring to a host of city and state corruption indictments and convictions while dubbing his home as “Crook County.”

Keats also repeatedly mentioned he was honored during Black History Month earlier this year by the Illinois Judicial Council, primarily for his role in pushing legislation that created judicial subcircuits in Cook County, which opened the door for more minority judges.

Full slate here. Volunteer here. Anyone to challenge Suffredin?