Former Cook County Commissioner John A. Fritchey is apparently planning to seek an 8th Subcircuit vacancy in the 2022 primary.
So far it's a quiet affair -- an announcement has apparently been made on his private Instagram account -- I can verify that Fritchey has an IG account, and that it's private. That means I can't vouch for the announcement personally. The copy of the brief announcement that has been forwarded to me contains the following statement:
I am confident that my experience, background and beliefs would enable me to be an effective judge who can apply the law fairly while never forgetting the impact our system has on all of us. Whether dealing with criminal cases, custody cases or business disputes, our judges have a major impact on our residents and our residents need to put experienced people on the bench.
According to ARDC, Fritchey has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since 1989. ARDC says that Fritchey now works for F4 Consulting Ltd. His LinkedIn profile says that Fritchey serves as Government Relations Director for that firm.
Before his service on the the Cook County Board, from 2010-2018, Fritchey served as a member of the Illinois House (from 1996). Fritchey did apply for associate judge in 2021.
My search of the State Board of Elections website this morning revealed no obvious Fritchey judicial campaign committee. But whether he's begun raising money yet or not, he should automatically be a credible candidate for whichever 8th Subcircuit vacancy he chooses. Name recognition is important for any political candidate, especially for those in down-ballot races, and Fritchey, as a long-time serving elected official, should have significant name recognition right from the start.