Nine years into being the Grundy County State’s Attorney, Jason Helland of Mazon says he’ll run for judge next year. He’s a product of Milton Pope School, Seneca High School, and Joliet Junior College. Helland says people like asking about going to local schools, including a community college, and making it as far as he has.
Audio PlayerThe 45-year old Helland says his family is behind him and that’s important because families often take heat for a candidate running for office. Besides being elected three times in Grundy County, he ran for Secretary of State and lost. But he calls that experience a dream come true.
He says another good experience was working as an assistant prosecutor in Kankakee County. He says the county has a high caseload and he developed a reputation for being good at winning when a case goes to trial. Consequently, he has gone to trial all the way to verdicts 90 times. He says most attorneys don’t come close to that count in entire careers.
Audio PlayerHelland is running as a Republican in the judicial circuit that covers LaSalle, Grundy, and Bureau counties. Democrat Christina Cantlin is also in the race. She’s serving as an appointed judge now to finish the term of Gene Daugherity, who became an appellate judge.
Jason Helland talks about running for judge to a group of local Republicans in Ottawa’s Washington Park Saturday.