Almost 24 years after former Kane County Sheriff George Kramer stepped down in November of 1986, his son Donald Kramer has a chance to win his dad’s old seat.
With Kramer ahead by less than 200 votes, L. Rob Russell decided to concede the race when Kane County Clerk John Cunningham told him it would be nearly impossible for him to make a comeback. Kramer said he’s very pleased with the results and he thanked Russell for his graciousness in conceding.
With both Aurora and Kane County Election Commissions votes combined, Kramer remains ahead of Russell by 198 votes going in to the final count and Cunningham’s certification. The count stands at 15,893-15,695.
Russell said in a press release that it was a great privilege to run for the seat, and he congratulated Kramer on the win and for running a “clean and issues-based campaign.”
“I wish him success in the election,” Russell said.
Kramer said that growing up under his father’s watch, he learned not only about how to run a sheriff’s office, but how to be a man.
“First and foremost, myself and my sisters and brothers were brought up to respect others and respect authority,” Kramer said. “I came to appreciate the way my father treated people, how kind and generous he was.
“I found out directly and indirectly from many people I knew how much he helped them,” Kramer said.
Kramer said that while he wouldn’t be able to be on the first line all the time as sheriff, he wants to try to help people with his policies and programs, including a domestic violence unit that he wants to see implemented. The unit would make sure officers know of problem households and how to get the families in trouble the help they need.
“There’s a lot of services out there,” Kramer said. “We as officers need to be empathetic toward people and know what their situation is so we can help them.”
Kramer said he also wants to try and share resources with other local police departments in an effort to save money. He wants to be able to put more officers out on the streets and have a better strategy toward helping quell gang violence and drug use.
Although there are budget woes, Kramer said he wants to be able to look through the budget and analyze where they can save and get money for grants.
Kramer said he wouldn’t comment on Sheriff Pat Perez’s performance, but instead said he will let the public “come to their own conclusion on what his performance has been the last couple of years and especially the last six months”
Perez said he had no comment about Kramer as his opponent, but said he would campaign on what he has done as sheriff and the direction he has taken the agency.
“We’ve worked together for many years,” Perez said. “But I’m not going to say anything about Mr. Kramer, I just want to talk about what I have done as sheriff ... and the promises I’ve kept coming into the office.”
While Russell has conceded, Kramer said he is aware that anything can happen before the votes are tallied.
“I’m still not 100 percent celebrating,” Kramer said. “I will wait for the clerk’s final results and for him to certify the ballots. You just never know what might happen.”
Kramer will go on to challenge Perez in the Nov. 2 primary election.
