MARK KIESLING: Open Lake commissioner seat stirs speculation

There's nothing like an open political seat to generate a lot of speculation about a successor.

And that's apparently what we are going to have in the Lake County commissioner district currently served by veteran Fran DuPey, who has made it clear she does not want to serve another term.

I wasn't sure whether the recent death of her husband Frank, a former police chief in Hammond, would have an effect on her decision.

Now a lady of a certain age, as the French like to say, it appears DuPey has chosen not to seek re-election to the post she has held for five terms.

"I just believe politicians who are in their 70s should decide to retire," she said, although I disagree with that. A lot of wisdom comes with age, although maybe I am the exception.

Now the fight begins. Who's going to go for the 3rd District commissioner seat?

He has said nothing (yet), but if North Township Trustee Frank Mrvan wants the job, I think it's his for the taking. I'm not the only one either, and the others have a lot more political clout than I do.

That being said, there is a plethora of candidates waiting in the wings.

Among them: North Township Advisory Board member Pete Katic; Lake County Councilman Mike Repay, D-Hammond; state Rep. Dan Stevenson, D-Highland; former Councilman John Aguilera, who served four terms as a state representative before deciding not to run again (although he unsuccessfully ran a mayoral campaign this year in East Chicago).

There's also former County Councilman Tom O'Donnell, of Dyer, but talking with county Democratic Chairman Tom McDermott Jr. on Friday, he seemed to think O'Donnell will concentrate on a run for the state House.

Which of course brings up once again the question of whether Chet Dobis, the Merrillville Democrat who is in a tie for the longest serving member of the House, will move to O'Donnell's district and run again.

Dobis would otherwise find himself pitted against Vernon Smith, another veteran legislator, in the newly redrawn 14th House District.

Like it or not, the 14th is majority black, which likely would give Smith an edge, while the 15th, also remapped, is majority white, which could give Dobis a fighting chance to retain his seat.

I don't think O'Donnell will go for commissioner, but I could see Mrvan making a run for it as the existence of township government in Indiana becomes more and more tenuous.

Whatever happens, it's going to be closely watched by folks in Lake County who see politics as a sport.

It's got to be better than the Chicago Bears or the Indianapolis Colts.

At least in Lake County, with McDermott, the Democrats have a quarterback.

The opinions are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at mark.kiesling@nwi.com or (219) 933-4170.