By REGAN FOSTER - rfoster@nwherald.com March 20, 2008

WOODSTOCK – Amid applause and cheers Wednesday night, a 39-year-old Woodstock attorney accepted the Democratic nomination for the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Tom Cynor, the treasurer of the McHenry County Democratic Party and a counselor for the judges of the 22nd Judicial Court, unanimously was slated to fill the spot on the Democratic ticket. He will square off against Republican incumbent Lou Bianchi on Nov. 4, as one of four candidates slated to fill vacancies on the ticket during a meeting of the Democratic Central Committee on Wednesday.

Cynor, a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, has 15 years’ litigation experience that he said included time as a county and municipal prosecutor in Livingston County.

He came out swinging in a campaign speech, chiding Bianchi for, in his opinion, failing to keep strong attorneys in the office. He cited a statistic that showed a large turnover in the office in three years.

“What’s most important is the ability to recognize good litigators, hire good litigators, and keep good litigators,” Cynor said.

“That, folks, is where our current state’s attorney falls off.”

Bianchi refuted that statement, saying turnover in the office was a result of sweeping changes he made to the office when he took over four years ago. Those staff members who have left, Bianchi said, were replaced with experienced litigators.

“The voters hired me in four years ago to make the change,” he said. “We currently have a strong criminal team, we have a combined 276 years’ of experience in the office right now … with 31 attorneys.

“That’s pretty outstanding.”

Cynor was one of four candidates for county positions slated during a Democratic Central Committee meeting Wednesday night. Also appointed to the November ballot were:

• Auditor candidate Kerry Julian, 45, of Woodstock.

• District 2 County Board candidate Anita Harmon, 40, of Crystal Lake.

• County Board District 2 hopeful Jill Mawhinney, 40, of Crystal Lake.

Under state law, the party has until April 7 to fill vacancies on its ballot that were left over after this month’s primary. Voters on March 5 advanced six County Board hopefuls and one Democratic candidate for the county auditor’s race.

The party may slate up to 12 candidates for the County Board and one for each of four elected offices. Party spots still remain open for County Board districts one, three, four and five; and for the county recorder and clerk’s seats.

“I’m very happy with the candidates,” McHenry County Democratic Chairwoman Kathy Bergan Schmidt said. “You have to put up a credible candidate for these offices. We’re not just filling up spots.

“I just want to see a strong, two-party system in this county.”

Her plea rang true by all four candidates. Win or lose, both Mawhinney and Harmon said, what matters is that challengers on a ballot give residents a choice.

“For 20 years, I’ve been going to the polling place and there’s never been a Democrat on the ballot for me to have a choice,” said Mawhinney, a retired student development faculty member at Oakton Community College. “We all need a choice.”