Democrats return Mike Brown to Lake County Clerk seat
At-large Gary Common Councilman Mike Brown on Saturday will again become Lake County Clerk following a countywide caucus that paid homage to the long career of former judge and outgoing clerk Lorenzo Arredondo, who resigned due to health complications stemming from a January fall.
Brown served as clerk for two terms ending in 2018. Arredondo replaced Brown as clerk in 2018 due to term limits and Brown successfully secured a spot on the Gary Common Council.
“This I know for our organization, and I know for me, this is a bittersweet moment having to fill the vacancy of one of the finest public officials I’ve known my whole life,” Jim Wieser, chairman of the Lake County Democratic Central Committee, said.
Wieser said it will be hard to move forward knowing Arredondo would not be participating in public life after more than five decades of service. He thanked Arredondo’s secretary Nikki Angel and his nieces Juanita Trivunovic and Camila Trevino-Olvera, who all work in the clerk’s office, for helping determine how to handle the succession.
Arredondo was injured following a January fall in his home. He was not seeking reelection. Brown secured the Democratic nomination to run for the seat in the November general election. At this point, he is running unopposed.
Brown, who was the only person to seek the appointment by caucus, was approved by a voice vote.
“I miss him. I thank his family for sharing him with us,” Brown said following the vote. Brown said he has worked closely with Arredondo in the clerk’s office and while he was clerk and Arredondo was judge and will continue to do the work for the office.
“It has been such an honor to work with him,” Brown said.
Brown encouraged the committee members to spread the word of where Democrats stand as they head into the November election.
“It is so important for us as a party to stick together,” Brown said.
Congressman Frank Mrvan and Democratic candidate for secretary of state, Destiny Scott Wells, spoke to the caucus about the importance of election integrity, the role of the secretary of state and the November elections.
“Clearly today is about honoring Judge Arredondo, Clerk Arredondo,” Mrvan said.
He said the first congressional district is being targeted by big oil and big corporations and Republicans look to cement their power. Mrvan accused them of stripping health care rights from women and making it harder for people to vote.
He said party members need to get out and make their voices heard, touting the American Rescue Plan Act, the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law as examples of what Democrats have accomplished
since President Joe Biden took office.
“It is an all hands-on deck situation. Register every neighbor you can,” Mrvan said.
As an Army Reserve Lt. Colonel, Wells said it was unnerving to watch the PACT Act vote as the Republican Party, “the party that thinks it has a monopoly on patriotism,” almost left veterans out to dry. Wells said she was at the Statehouse Friday when the vote was cast to approve the near total ban on abortion in the state.
Wells said elections have consequences and the secretary of state’s office is where that election integrity is ensured.
“It will be maybe a battle of a lifetime,” Wells said.