In-depth reporting by Illinois Public Media News
Listen to the latest Illinois Public Media Newscast:
Play now:
Winkel Drops Out of Circuit Clerk’s Race
Story date: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 from Illinois Public Media News
Former state legislator Rick Winkel has dropped out of the race for Champaign County Circuit Court Clerk because of a new job he has accepted with the University of Illinois.
Winkel will remain with the U of I’s Institute for Government and Public Affairs, but he is taking up a new initiative called the Center for Public Leadership. This means Stephanie Holderfield will be the lone Republican in the primary race for circuit clerk.
Winkel, who served in the Illinois House and Senate, says he ran for office again to do hands-on public service, but this new job will fulfill that.
“This is going to be a terrific way of really impacting the public interest and promoting the public good, ” Winkel said. “If we can equip new leaders as they rise through a system of state goverment and local government, it’s going to have a tremendous beneficial impact to the state government in Illinois. And we need that now.”
Winkel said the idea behind his new position is to help those in the government and private sector work together. He said the concept has developed quickly in the last few months at IGPA, raising nearly $1 million. Winkel said he to have 40 students in the first class of the program this fall.
“These are not students - not undergrads or graduate students,” Winkel said. “These are middle-level emerging leaders in both the state and local governments and in the private sector. Recruiting that class and putting that program together is going to take a great deal of work, we believe we can achieve it, but that’s why made the decision.”
Although he has withdrawn from the race, Winkel’s name will still appear on the primary ballot.
