— The News-Gazette Newspaper | The Editorial Board —
“The News-Gazette endorses Democratic incumbent Susana Mendoza for re-election … Mendoza has been an effective comptroller who has earned a second term in office … Mendoza has shown herself to be an energetic, thoughtful steward of this office.”
Elected in 2016 to fill out the balance of the two-year term created by the death of late Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, Mendoza is seeking a full term in her own right.
She faces Republican Darlene Senger, a former state legislator from Naperville. She has degrees in finance from Purdue and DePaul universities.
Senger, obviously, is qualified to serve in the comptroller’s office, which keeps track of state spending.
But there’s no reason to make a change, because Mendoza has shown herself to be an energetic, thoughtful steward of this office.
As a former state legislator and city clerk in Chicago, Mendoza has a long background in politics.
A protege of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, Mendoza is a hard-worker, who has demonstrated she can be as partisan as she is competent.
Her constant war of words with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner was driven by both policy and political concerns. If a Democrat takes over the governor’s office, Mendoza likely will remain as outgoing, but not nearly as outspoken, as she has been for the past two years.
As noted in our previous endorsement of Democratic Treasurer Michael Frerichs, it would be a substantial step forward if taxpayers had the opportunity to vote on merging the offices of comptroller and treasurer.
Mendoza is opposed to consolidation, stating that the status quo should remain in place because, among other things, she has been so effective in her new duties.
Since consolidation is not an issue now, keeping her in place is the right move for Illinois.
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