Nygren endorses Regna

WOODSTOCK - After staying neutral in a heated state's attorney's race for about nine months, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren on Thursday gave challenger Dan Regna a potentially major boost by endorsing Regna's campaign with less than a month to go before the election.

"I think he is the right choice for the community, and I think he is the right choice for the sheriff's department," Nygren said.

Nygren said he thought long and hard before deciding to back Regna, a former county prosecutor, over State's Attorney Louis Bianchi. In 2004, when Bianchi was first elected to office, Nygren provided unfettered support to Bianchi.

Nygren wouldn't discuss what he believes are pitfalls of Bianchi's administration.

"I'm not trying to do this with fanfare and it was not designed to make anyone look bad," Nygren said. "I'm only one vote, but if my opinion is important to anyone, they should take that with them when they go in to vote."

Ultimately Regna's support in law enforcement community led Nygren to make an endorsement, Nygren said.

"It's been non-stop that people have asked me to take a stand on it," Nygren said. "It is very difficult to ignore that."

Bianchi and Regna square off in the Republican primary on Feb. 5. No Democrats have filed for the post.