Comptroller Susana Mendoza endorses Holly Kim to be her successor

(CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS) – Outgoing Comptroller Susana Mendoza says she wants Lake County Treasurer Holly Kimto succeed her in office, citing Kim’s experience.

Mendoza announced on Monday she is endorsing Kim in the Democratic primary to take over the role of the state’s chief financial officer. Mendoza — the leading vote-getter of all statewide officers in recent elections — is not seeking reelection after holding the job since late 2016.

“Holly Kim is the most skilled and experienced financial professional running for comptroller,” Mendoza said in a statement. “Holly is a proven fiscal watchdog who has maintained a strong sense of independence throughout her career.”

Kim, of Mundelein, is the only person in the four-way Democratic primary not currently serving in the General Assembly. Kim told Capitol News Illinois earlier this year she sees that as an asset because she is the only candidate with experience fulfilling the comptroller’s duties.

“As comptroller for nearly a decade, I wrote the playbook on transparency and accountability,” Mendoza said. “For Holly, transparency and accountability are non-negotiable. The job of comptroller requires proven skills. This office manages billions in taxpayer dollars and the person in this role has a real impact on the state’s credit rating.”

Comptroller Susana Mendoza speaks at an event honoring fallen Illinois firefighters outside the Illinois Capitol on May 9, 2023. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)

Even before Tuesday’s endorsement, Kim has closely aligned herself with Mendoza, as the comptroller has also praised her work in Lake County.

“I’ve long looked up to Comptroller Mendoza as my work mentor,” Kim said in a statement. “Not only have I learned the ins and outs of the Comptroller’s office from her, but I’ve also been inspired by her leadership and her fierce independence on behalf of the taxpayers.

Ads heating up

Mendoza’s endorsement puts her at odds with Gov. JB Pritzker, who is backing Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, in the primary.

The governor’s campaign gave Croke $72,800 earlier this month. She’s released five ads since receiving the contribution, including three featuring Pritzker voicing his support for his longtime close ally.

Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, has also begun flooding screens with an ad that includes attacks on Croke and Kim.

Villa’s ad flashes an image of Kim, saying she is “bankrolled by corrupt crypto interests.” Kim’s campaign invested over $8,000 in campaign funds in cryptocurrency she created a year ago, which the Chicago Tribune reported eventually lost nearly all of its value.

Appearing to respond to Villa’s attack, Mendoza said “there’s a lot of big money pouring into this race. The voters should not allow those with deep pockets to gain control of an office that manages billions in taxpayer dollars. Illinois is open for business, but it’s not for sale.”

The primary is March 17 and also features Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.