Pete DiCianni launches campaign for chairman’s seat on DuPage County Board

Another Republican candidate has announced his bid to become chairman of the DuPage County Board.

Pete DiCianni, a nearly decadelong board member and former Elmhurst mayor, will seek the GOP nomination in the June 2022 primary election. DiCianni joins Greg Hart, a board member in his first full term, in trying to keep the chairman’s seat in Republican hands.

Longtime incumbent Dan Cronin last week said he will step aside next year rather than run for a fourth term, opening the door to what will likely be a heated leadership fight in the state’s second-most populous county.

Both Hart and DiCianni have released lists of endorsements from mayors across the county.

In his campaign announcement, DiCianni cited his role pushing for Brianna’s Law, named after his daughter, to expand health insurance coverage for children diagnosed with autism in Illinois.

He’s also focusing his bid on economic development and public safety. DiCianni founded a graphics and printing company in Addison.

“We must also value and keep in mind the people who helped build our county -- our seniors,” DiCianni said in a statement. “We have a responsibility as government leaders to increase the ways to provide quality services and care for them, as well as for our most vulnerable, especially those with developmental disabilities, mental health and addiction challenges.”

On the Democratic ticket, Liz Chaplin has declared her candidacy. State Rep. Deb Conroy, a Villa Park Democrat, has said she’s considering a run for the county’s top seat.