Mother, son run against each other in Illinois mayoral race
theGRIO REPORT - Wendy Casey, 45, is running against three candidates, including her 27-year-old son Randall, in April's election for the mayoral role of village president in Dixmoor, Illinois...
Wendy Casey, 45, is running against three candidates, including her 27-year-old son Randall, in April’s election for the mayoral role of village president in Dixmoor, Illinois.
Wendy told theGrio that she was the first Casey to decide to run for mayor of the roughly 3,650 person town “four years ago,” on the day of the last village president election.
In response to her son Randall’s decision to run, Wendy “told him, one it was a crazy idea and two, I believed that he wasn’t experienced.”
The mother of two has lived in Dixmoor for all but six years of her life, and feels her son doesn’t have the life experience to lead their community.
Randall, who is currently working as a cable company technician, told the Chicago Tribune in a video interview, “I will not consider her an opponent in this race because politics is ugly and it can divide a family and friends in a heartbeat, and I would hate to lose that mother-son relationship that I have with my mother.”
For the past 10 years, Wendy has been involved with the local Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
“I was vice president of Lincoln School PTA,” Wendy said, noting that she worked with the District 19 PTA too. “That’s where my interest in politics became wider.”
“Our children deserve the best education possible,” stated Wendy. “I would like to have our school systems to have a partnership with the community. We are all in this together. We need to grow together.”
Her top priority, if elected, is “to do an audit. I would like to do an audit on our finances and see where our money is going, and where it is spent.”
Dealing with Dixmoor’s abandoned buildings is another priority. “We are averaging five to six on each block.”
She also said that she would try her best to “apply for every available grant that is available for this community, and that is something that this previous administration has lacked.” The mayoral candidate feels that applying for county, state, and federal grants is a necessity to make positive changes in Dixmoor.
At the age of 27, Randall is the election’s youngest candidate, and said Dixmoor needs a forensic audit and changes to the budget, reports the Chicago Tribune.
While Randall believes he is the best candidate for mayor, Wendy said that “based upon the last 8 years, anyone can do better right now.”
The 45-year-old said her passion for the community makes her the best candidate, and she would like “the diversity we have, I would like to see that type of diversity on our board of trustees.”
Living together while running against each other has not been the easiest. Wendy said tensions “are getting higher as the day goes,” adding that Randall “didn’t even come home last night.”
“We try to keep the election and politics at bay, but if the conversation does arise we do tend to get into an argument,” said Wendy. “We have to learn how to agree to disagree.”
Wendy’s 16-year-old daughter, Randall’s younger sister, is not old enough to vote yet, but is still caught in the middle.
Wendy confirmed that family does come first in the Casey household.
“The relationship that me and my son have, regardless of this election, is love. He was my first born and even though he’s 27, he’s my baby.”
Randall’s campaign slogan is “Casey is the Key.” Wendy said she decided on her slogan yesterday: “Building Dixmoor on a solid foundation.”
In regards to the recent media attention Wendy and Randall have received, Wendy says, “I just do not want this mother, son battle for this particular seat, for residents to lose focus about what this election is really about. This election is for the residents.”
They are both competitive, but Wendy feels they will both be supportive should the other candidate win.
Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.
