The 2020 census resulted in redrawn McLean County Board districts. In McLean County that requires all county board members to run for reelection this year. In our county that also means two seats are open in each district. Major parties may each place two candidates names on the ballot per district for the general election in November. In District Two the Republican Party has three candidates facing each other in the June 28 primary to see which two will get those ballot slots in the fall.
Incumbents Jim Soeldner and William Friedrich are joined in the District Two race by Tyler Bahan. District Two consists of the southeast part of McLean County outside of Bloomington Normal. It includes McLean, Heyworth, Downs, LeRoy, Ellsworth and Saybrook.
Jim Soeldner is a resident of Ellsworth and is retired. He has served on the county board for 14 years and is running for his fifth term. Soeldner has said that he was thinking about not running for reelection but is disappointed that problems at the McLean County Nursing Home continue and he would like to see that situation improved before he leaves public service. He supports programs the county has developed to provide more mental health services and has also been an advocate for wind and solar farms.
Soeldner is currently Vice Chair of the McLean County Board. He is chair of the Land Use and Transportation Committee as well as the Rules Sub-Committee. Soeldner is Vice Chair of the Executive Committee. He also serves on the Liquor Control Commission and the Legislative Sub Committee.
Cities 92.9 contacted Soeldner and asked why District Two residents should vote for him over his opponents. Soeldner replied, “I hope voters take in consideration my years of experience and knowledge of the people in my district.”
William Friedrich resides in Heyworth and is a farmer. He is Vice Chair of the Land Use and Transportation Committee. He also serves on the Finance Committee.
Tyler Bahan lives in Saybrook and works in sales for John Deere in Monticello. As a young adult he hopes to represent that age group on the county board. Bahan believes that the county roads in his district are not in the shape they should be in and would like to see them improved.
Cities also contacted Bahan and asked him why voters should vote for him. He told us, “I think overall the board needs a younger voice. A lot of the board members are over the age of 50, which does not always represent the younger generation who still live in this district.”
