2018, he faced a strong challenge from Democratic candidate Lynn LaPlante, and narrowly won re-election. Following the 2018 elections, DuPage was no longer a Republican stronghold, and Cronin lamented increased political infighting on the board. In 2020, Democrats won a majority of the seats on the board for the first time since the 1930s. He submitted budgets for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 – his last as chairman – which kept property tax rates unchanged and took advantage of surpluses from rising sales tax revenues. Cronin decided not to run for re-election at the end of his term in 2022; he was succeeded by Democratic state representative Deb Conroy. Early life and legal career Cronin was born on November 7, 1959, in Elmhurst, Illinois. His parents, Richard Cronin and Claire Cronin (), had nine children: five sons and four daughters. The family lived across the street from York Community High School. Cronin graduated from Immaculate Conception Grade School and Fenwick High School. Cronin earned a bachelor of arts degree from Northwestern University and a Juris Doctor degree from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law. From 1985 to 1987, he served as legal counsel to Lee A. Daniels, minority leader of the Illinois House of Representatives, where Cronin helped oversee the movement of legislation presented on the House floor. From 1987 through 1989, Cronin worked as a prosecutor in DuPage County, serving under Jim Ryan, the county state's attorney. He worked alongside Joe Birkett, who would eventually become state's attorney in 1996 and Appellate Court judge in 2010. In 1991, he began to practice law at Cronin & Ruggiero, where he specialized in criminal law, family law, and real estate. He was also associated with Kemp & Capanna Ltd. In 1993, he transferred to Power & Cronin, based in Oak Brook. He eventually became a senior partner at that law firm. Family Dan is married to Juliann Ashley Cronin, owner of A&H Lithoprint, a lithography company in Broadview. Juliann is also a part-time yoga instructor. The couple became engaged in October 1991 and married in May 1992. They have three daughters and one son, and they are members of Immaculate Conception Parish in Elmhurst. Cronin is part of a large, Irish American, Catholic, Republican political family. Most of the family lives in DuPage, several in Elmhurst. Around 50 family members and friends attended his inauguration to the House of Representatives