A defection to the GOP

Flanked by some of the state’s most prominent Republicans, Democratic Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran announced Monday he is joining the GOP.
“I am changing parties as a matter of conscience,” Curran said at a news conference at the Lake County GOP headquarters in Libertyville.
U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), former Illinois Atty. Gen. Jim Ryan and state Rep. Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein) joined Curran at the event, where the name of embattled Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich was raised frequently.
Curran, who was elected sheriff two years ago, said he had been contemplating a move to the GOP well before Blagojevich’s arrest last week on corruption charges.
“It was a process,” said Curran, who signaled his changing allegiances last September when he endorsed longtime Republican State’s Atty. Michael Waller for re-election.