McLaughlin Concedes, Keith Pekau Wins Orland Park Mayoral Race

ORLAND PARK, IL — Former Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin conceded in the race for Orland Park Mayor on Wednesday morning. The loss comes as incumbent Mayor Keith Pekau received 510 more votes, successfully being elected for his second consecutive term in Orland Park.

McLaughlin ran for mayor with the One Orland Party slate of candidates, who were vying to snatch the three open trustee seats and clerk position in Orland. The People Over Politics Slate, backed by Pekau, is projected to win the trustee race, beating the One Orland Party. But the win seems to be close, with just hundreds of votes separating the candidates.

In the clerk race, One Orland's Patrick O'Sullivan appears to have scored the role, being the only member of the McLaughlin-backed slate to win a seat.

Around 9 a.m. Wednesday, McLaughlin released a statement thanking Orland Park voters, adding he is proud of the work his team has done throughout the election.

"After taking a look at the numbers this morning, I’ve called Mayor Pekau to concede the election," McLaughlin said. "Over the last few months, I’ve knocked on over 1,000 of your doors. I’ve talked to you on your front porches and on your phones, I’ve listened to your concerns over Facebook Live and telephone town halls, and I’ve had countless conversations about the future you want to see in Orland Park.

"Our race was about fighting for the residents who told us they didn’t feel welcome at village hall, and this race has always been about you and your voices."

O'Sullivan captured the clerk role with just 300 more votes than Lekas. McLaughlin is happy to see it.

"I’m glad to know our slate mate and Village Clerk-elect Patrick O’Sullivan will continue this fight for Orland Park, and I hope that the next four years will see a return back to the kind and welcoming village we know we truly are," McLaughlin said. "I know I’ll do my part — One Orland was never a tagline, but a promise of the ideals we should strive to uphold in our community."

McLaughlin went on to say that serving as mayor of Orland was his greatest honor, and that he will continue to volunteer his time around town.

"My wife and I call this village our fifth child because we love it dearly, and I’ll never stop fighting for Orland Park. I’ll continue to serve in my volunteer time on several boards to move our community forward, and I’ll still be your neighbor here, fighting for you," McLaughlin said. "Thank you again to everyone who supported us in this fight. Serving as your mayor will always be one of the greatest honors of my life."

With all 50 Orland precincts in on Tuesday night, Pekau was projected to capture nearly 52 percent of the vote to McLaughlin's 48 percent. Pekau score an additional 510 votes than McLaughlin.

Pekau released a statement Wednesday afternoon thanking his supporters:

"Thank you to the residents of Orland Park. It is an honor to lead our village and my hometown. I am humbled that you have put your trust and faith in me to lead our community for another four years. What was accomplished in the first four years proves that there is no limit to success, growth, and opportunity in Orland Park. I’m excited to continue what we started four years ago and making our village one of the best places to live, work, and raise a family.

I’m also looking forward to working with Trustee-Elects Sean Kampas, Joni Radaszewski, and Brian Riordan as they are all devoted to keeping Orland Park moving in the right direction and continuing our forward momentum. This new board is committed to putting the people of Orland Park over politics."

People Over Politics trustee candidates won the race with a slight lead over the One Orland slate. Trustee-elects are Joni Radaszewski, Brian Riordan and Sean Kampus. All three candidates provided the following joint statement:

“We’re humbled to serve alongside Mayor Pekau and fight day-in and day-out to move past the political games of the past and focus on serving our neighbors in Orland Park. We’re excited to bring a fresh perspective to the board and utilize our different areas of professional experience to do what’s best for the families and small businesses of our wonderful community.”

Current Trustees Daniel Calandriello, Kathleen Fenton and James Dodge are stepping down after the election.

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