Rinehart v. Cole: Lake County State's Attorney's Race Among Hottest Local Races Of 2024

WAUKEGAN, IL — As voters head to the polls on Election Day, one of most closely watched local races is the competition for control of the top county prosecutor's office.

Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart, a Highland Park Democrat in his first stint as a prosecutor, faces Republican challenger Mary Cole, a Lake Bluff village trustee and former assistant state's attorney in Rinehart's office.

Rinehart has focused on his efforts to reduce gun violence through investing in preventative initiatives and lobbying for measures like Illinois' assault weapons ban.

"Every crime we prevent is stopping a funeral, is stopping the trauma that is rippling through our communities," Rinehart said last month at a candidate forum. "The United States is the most-resourced country in the world. We must put those resources to help people, and to invest in people."

Cole has pointed to the high turnover under Rinehart and suggested that she left because of how "politicized" the state's attorney's office became after he defeated Mike Nerheim in 2020.

"But also, I think it’s important to point out there’s a very distinct fundamental difference between myself and my opponent. I have the heart of a prosecutor," Cole said. "Compared to somebody who’s literally never prosecuted a case before he got to the office."

Rinehart defeated Nerheim, who was later elected as a judge, by fewer than 14,000 votes out of about 325,000 cast — 52 percent to 48 percent.

More than 100 of the approximately 150 employees in the state's attorney's office have departed since Rinehart took over.

"As a former assistant state's attorney I worked under Eric Rinehart, and saw first-hand how he prioritizes his political reputation over what's best for Lake County," said Marina Diambri, one of those departures, in a video endorsing Cole.

After six years as a Lake County assistant public defender, Rinehart started his own criminal defense firm in 2009, and spent about a decade in private practice before entering politics.

"So, in 2019, I decided to run for State’s Attorney so that I could serve our community by improving a local legal system that cared more about covering up its mistakes and biases than uncovering new and innovative ways to help people," he said on his website.

Read more:

• Lake County State's Attorney Forum: Rinehart Repeats Trump Jab, Cole Calls Out Hawaii Cost
• Republican Mary Cole Runs For Lake County State's Attorney: Patch Candidate Questionnaire
• GOP Challenger Attacks Incumbent Democrat Over 'Sweetheart Plea Deal' For Shorbonia Poole

Rinehart has accused Cole of running a “Trump-like, misleading campaign" and criticized her for lacking stances on certain issues.

“My opponent has never talked about the assault weapon ban. She has never talked about Karina’s Bill," he said in the forum, referencing the proposed state law to require authorities to remove guns from homes if a judge issues an order of protection with the firearm remedy.

Cole has centered much of her platform on accountability, taking aim at Rinehart’s decision to send staff members to a conference in Hawaii, at a cost of nearly $20,000, a move she described as inappropriate government spending.

“As far as budgeting goes, I think being more responsible with our money is important," she said. "I mean, sending people to Hawaii is not an acceptable way to spend government money, period."

Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Election Day, and mail-in ballots postmarked by Tuesday can be counted for the next two weeks.