Bogusz Wins Election To Become Youngest Mayor Of Des Plaines
DES PLAINES, Ill. (CBS) -- Voters in northwest suburban Des Plaines have elected 26-year-old Matt Bogusz as their next mayor, the youngest person ever to serve in their city's highest elected position.
"I'm humbled by their trust," Bogusz said Wednesday, after easily defeating 75-year-old former Des Plaines mayor Tony Arredia and fellow alderman Mark Walsten. Arredia left the mayor's office in 2009, due to Des Plaines' limit of no more than two consecutive terms.
WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports Bogusz, a freshman Des Plaines alderman, took nearly 55 percent of the vote in Tuesday's election. Arredia got nearly 32 percent, and Walsten got 13 percent.
26-Year-Old Elected Des Plaines Mayor
As you might expect from someone his age, Bogusz made great use of social media in his campaign.
"We got a lot of attention for our social media," he said. "I don't believe that campaigns are won on Facebook. We still knocked on doors, we still made phone calls, but it was a great new layer."
Des Plaines calls itself "The City of Destiny," and Bogusz said, with revenue from the new Rivers Casino, the suburb's future is bright.
"The story of Des Plaines is all opportunities. For the last four years, we've worked hard to reverse our financial picture, and we're now a lot healthier than we used to be," he said.
Bogusz said his focus will be using casino revenue to improve city infrastructure, and pay down government debt.
He joked the real achievement of his campaign was finishing while staying engaged to his college sweetheart. They'll be getting married in August.
