Politics & Government
Campaign Manager Launches Own Lake Forest Council Run
Dwight Robinson, who helped propel Councilman Scott Voigts to victory in 2010, is running for election himself in 2012.
He pushed to victory in 2010 as his campaign chairman.
Now, Lake Forest resident Dwight Robinson is taking his own run at a council seat.
Robinson, a third-generation Californian, moved to Lake Forest in 1999 as a newlywed. He and his wife, Holly, have two children and a third on the way this November.
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In 2010, Robinson said, Voigts actually encouraged him to run for the council. But "I turned the tables on him," said Robinson, propelling Voigts to his current position on the city's governing body.
Since then, "I've been approached by [Voigts] and community and business leaders to run," Robinson said. "I felt like this was a good time to get involved and bring some new blood to the council."
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Council Race Opens Early
Two council seats are opening up in 2012 with the expiration of the four-year terms of and , the mayor pro tem.
Tettemer is in his second term on the council. He served as mayor pro tem in 2006 and 2007 and as mayor in 2008 and 2009.
Rudolph first served on council in 1991, the year of the city's incorporation. She held office through 1994, serving as mayor pro tem in 1993 and mayor in 1994. She lost a reelection campaign, then made a comeback in 1996 and was most recently reelected to the council in 2008.
Rudolph's 1996 comeback was the last time a challenger for Lake Forest City Council defeated an incumbent—until Voigts.
Robinson said he decided to kick off his campaign for next year's election months ahead of the usual timeline in order to compete against the natural advantages of being an incumbent.
"I want to make sure people know what I’m fighting for," he said.
Businessman Wants to Take Leadership Role
A business owner, Robinson said one of his goals would be making Lake Forest a more business-friendly city.
He cites a recent attempt by the city staff to deny without the city's say-so as an example of regulations making business more difficult than it needs to be in a bad economy. (The council the denial).
Other campaign issues Robinson plans to focus on are traffic and pushing forward with and .
Organizing wasn't an isolated incident; Robinson said he is also "very involved" in politics at both the local and state levels.
Outside of politics, he is a member of the , a Little League coach, a former board member of and elder in his church, and a former board member of the Kiwanis Club of Lake Forest.
On Aug. 8, Robinson filed preliminary paperwork with the city noting his intent to run. The form he filed also allows him to begin campaign fundraising.
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