Deiters drops out of race for McDermed’s Illinois House seat

A local Republican candidate for the Illinois House of Representatives in 2020 announced last week she’s ending her campaign.

Patty Deiters, a former member of the Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees, announced she was dropping her bid to succeed state Rep. Margo McDermed, R-Mokena, at a local Republican event and via a Facebook post Thursday.

“I announced tonight at Will County Republican Central Committee that I am ending my campaign,” Deiters wrote. “I believe a strong conservative Republican should be elected to this office, and I am therefore backing Tim Ozinga. I hope that you will join me in supporting Ozinga for IL State Representative in the 37th District.”

Ozinga is a Republican candidate from Mokena who serves as the secretary on the Mokena Community Park District. He also helps run his family’s building materials and logistics company.

The other Republican in the race is New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann. Michelle Fadeley of Joliet is running as a Democrat to flip the seat.

McDermed announced earlier this year that she would not seek reelection.

The 37th District includes parts of Joliet, New Lenox, Mokena, Frankfort, Tinley Park, Homer Glen, Lockport and Orland Park.