Prairie State Wire

Attorney Erika Harold, who is running in the Republican primary for Illinois attorney general, will be on hand for a meet and greet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16,  in Elmhurst.

Harold is set to face off against Gary Grasso of Burr Ridge in the GOP primary, with both candidates having an eye on replacing the retiring Lisa Madigan in the general election.

Harold, a former Miss America who lives in Urbana, will be at the Elks Lodge, 711 W. St. Charles Road, for the meet and greet, where attendees are required to RSVP and where free pizza will be served.

“We are excited to welcome Ms. Harold to York Township,” York Township Republican Committeemen's Organization Chairman Tony Cuzzone said in a press release. “She is a great representative of the values we have long upheld to keep the DuPage area strong, safe and vital.”

The York Township GOP group is sponsoring the event, along with the York Township Republican Women’s Organization, and DuPage Young Republicans.  

“We hope that area residents will take advantage of this opportunity to meet this dynamic candidate and learn about our local grass roots political activity,” Cuzzone said in the release.

Harold first emerged on the public stage as Miss America 2003, with her platform being the prevention of youth bullying and violence. She has also advocated for teenage abstinence and endorsed faith-based initiatives to address society’s ills.

Harold is a Harvard Law School grad, and her current legal work tilts toward civil litigation and civil rights.

“My interest in the law came from being a victim of racial and sexual harassment at ninth grade,” Harold said in the release. “The law then did not require schools to protect students as it does now and at that time, I felt so powerless. It was formative in many ways.”

Email gopyork@gmail.com to RSVP.