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It appears that my column in Friday’s Sun-Times might possibly have sparked a bit more coverage of the 3rd Ward aldermanic race featuring embattled incumbent Dorothy Tillman and hard-charging union-backed challenger Pat Dowell. The paper has two stories and a column today that either feature or include the race.
* Laura Washington (who I know was working on her own Tillman piece around the time my column was published)…
Senator and presidential wannabe Barack Obama is stepping into the aldermanic fray to help rescue Ald. Dorothy “The Hat” Tillman from oblivion. Tillman’s got an iron grip on every nickel that rolls into the 3rd Ward and has pulled in the backing of virtually every black big shot in the city.
Ald. Dorothy Tillman (3rd) has made national headlines as a champion for slave reparations and sponsor of a disclosure ordinance that requires city contractors to come clean about past ties to the slave trade.
But the publicity “rings hollow” in Tillman’s South Side ward, according to Pat Dowell, who faces off against the 24-year incumbent in the April 17 runoff.
“Reparations start in your own backyard. She’s not taking care of her own backyard,” said Dowell, who got 38 percent of the vote to Tillman’s 42.9 percent in a Round One field of five Feb. 27.
* And Scott Fornek includes the contest in a broader piece that looks at union involvement in the aldermanic contests…
Based on his union’s polling and the February results, Morrison predicts at least five aldermen should start cleaning out their desks: Madeline Haithcock (2nd), Dorothy Tillman (3rd), Shirley Coleman (16th), Ted Matlak (32nd) and Bernard Stone (50th).
Tillman did not respond to requests for an interview, but the others all dismissed Morrison’s predictions — some with a thumb to the nose.
“Bring it on. Bring it on,” Coleman said. “Their money bought the first election, but it’s not going to buy this one.”
Stone said: “They can stuff their polls because everything I show is exactly the opposite.”
I’m not so sure about Stone, but the others are certainly in deep trouble.
* Back to Spielman’s story on Tillman, commenting on Pat Dowell…
“Pat is owned, bought and paid for by the unions. She’s on a mission to give this community over to the land-grabbers, and she’ll say or do anything to carry that mission out,” Tillman said, identifying one of the land-grabbers as the University of Chicago, where Dowell works.
Tillman is so far behind in the polls that she has to go nuclear negative to win this race. Expect lots more attacks like this.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 8:36 am
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Tillman is a legend. Everyone knows her. She cannot change how she is perceived. She has lived luxuriously off her work, and like most people with her personality, she doesn’t recognize when she is no longer needed. She should have retired a while ago.
But unions are flexing their muscle in Chicago. The number one reason is money. They take from members a “contribution” for political organizations and union leadership decides where that money goes, not union members. This has bought union leadership a disproportionate influence over elected officials in Chicago.
Will union members vote where their leadership tells them? Not really. We haven’t see union power in elections in cases like that for a generation or two. But the money is another situation entirely. By taking union member’s wages for political power plays, union leadership build campaigns and play backroom deals. Their money buys TV ads and mailers. They build up opposition to elected officials or reward incumbants.
This has to stop. We have come to a point where we are seeing what was a good thing going bad. Union members should be able to have some say where their money goes when it comes to elections. No union is monolithic, and should reflect their union membership, not the desires of a few. We cannot get fair representation in our government when deal makers and campaign money power brokers take other’s money to make their deals.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 9:00 am
Matlak had a ton of precinct workers out for the weekend a week ago. There were five workers in my precinct, and I’m pretty sure only one of them lives in the ward. He’s getting support from other ward organizations. They went door to door asking people what they needed taken care of.
This is all going to come down to turnout on the 17th, and Waguespack doesn’t have a ground game. I’m not saying which way it’s going to go, but I wouldn’t write off Matlak just yet.
Comment by Anon in 32 Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 9:47 am
Be real. Unless you are a constituent named Tillman, you get no services in that ward, and the ward is a train wreck. Calls to her office go unreturned, and on top of it all, she has the nerve to be arrogant about her performance.
Maybe she and Matlak can set up shop after April 17th.
Comment by Keeping it real Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 9:48 am
Anon,
I doubt that any amount of southside workers showing up once every 4 years to ask 32nd Ward voters what services they need will make up for an absentee Alderman who probably hasn’t knocked on one door himself.
Comment by Ravenswood Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 9:51 am
Ald. Stone’s comment is not surprising and I wonder if the same people who do his polling are the same folks who are telling us we’re having “isolated” incidents of crime and gang activity in the ward. His level of disconnect as to the level of decline and severity of safety issues in our ward continues unabated. With the recent vandalism of Stone’s office, to which he attributed to some mischevious drunks; the attack on the couple in Emmerson Park; the murder last week at Devon and Francisco, and the increased level of visibility and intimidation of residents by gang members in all parts of the ward, I for one beg to differ that we are seeing “isolated” incidents.
Ald. Stone also can’t seem to be able to get to a debate to square off with Ms. Dolar and answer questions from his constituents. He sent out a letter this past week - using City of Chicago stationary, not campaign letterhead - about how this is a wake-up call for him. Rip Van Stone woke up too late - even my Orthodox Jewish neighbors are quietly saying it’s time for a change of leadership in the ward. They don’t feel it’s safe to let their children go unescorted to friends’ houses or classes. They tell canvassers for Naisy Dolar they are voting for Stone on April 17th but won’t be and neither will I.
Comment by West Rogers Park Resident Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 10:03 am
Ravenswood-
I agree completely. But it does ID who his supporters are, so that they can turn them out on election day, and Matlak will have the workers to run people to the polls. Waguespack doesn’t know who his supporters are, and won’t have the workers.
Turnout was 24%, and could be less in the runoff. Having a good GOTV operation in a low turnout election is really important.
Comment by Anon in 32 Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 10:03 am
=== Turnout was 24%, and could be less in the runoff. ===
That’s exactly right. Turnout will almost undoubtedly be miserable. A ground game is all-important.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 10:07 am
The kid needs people to come out. In mass. Ted and his goon squad are most certainly going to bus people to the polls, Scott should do the same. This will be a scramble, where people need to be reminded that it could and likely will come down the votes of one city block.
Comment by Wag is Back Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 10:20 am
It won’t be that hard for Matlak to ID his pluses, they found most all of them the first time around
I hope that ‘his’ operation underestimates Waguespack’s ability to ID and turnout supporters. Isn’t that what Burt did?
Comment by Ravenswood Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 10:21 am
The big difference between Matlak and Natarus is the quality of their opponents. I’m an independent voter who’s never voted for Matlak, but I’ve been totally frustrated by the Waguespack campaign. Rich wrote a really nice analysis of the Reilly campaign and what they did right, and Waguespack can’t hold a candle to it.
Look at his web site, and he’s got nothing other than vague platitudes. He even seems to suggest that reducing city property taxes will increase funding for schools, when they are different tax levies. And this guy is a city administrator? He should know better.
I’m amazed that I haven’t seen anything that says “in my time as Berwyn administrator we did the XYZ innovative program that I will implement in the 32nd ward.” He hasn’t shown a single positive message other than saying he’ll work to reduce property taxes - and that’s why he hasn’t closed the deal.
Both of them are running awful campaigns and it just makes me cringe.
Comment by Anon in 32 Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 10:49 am
Laura Washington thinks the 2nd Ward is 25% white? It wasn’t even that low when the ward map was drawn based on 2000 census data. In case she hasn’t noticed, massive influx of whites in the south and west loop, coupled with demolition of CHA housing in the western portions of the ward have made the 2nd Ward a majority white ward. The Sun Time should get a fact checker for Ms. Washington.
Comment by phocion Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 10:53 am
Someone from Waguspack’s campaign knocked on my door, gave me his card but didn’t push to see who I was voting for. She said she was from around the corner, unlike the Matlak guy who knocked on my door and became aggravated because I did not immediately say I would vote for Matlak. When I asked “which part of the city are you from?” he became even more aggravated. Sounds like Matlak bussed the old HDO in to me. Maybe Al Sanchez will show up on my door next.
Comment by DougsCastle Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 10:55 am
SEIU invades the 49th ward! Response from the 49th ward committeeman. Video included.
http://morsehellhole.blogspot.com/2007/03/neighbors-say-no-to-seiu.html
Comment by The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 10:57 am
Broken heart,
Wow, harrassing canvassers with a video camera! I can only imagine the fury you would have spouted if one of Moore’s supporters did that. I’m sure the SEIU folks can take care of themselves, but keep posting those links - you and the lady look like maniacs.
Comment by Underdog Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 1:26 pm
What’s not to know about 50th Ward’s Bernie Stone last stand? He’s vulnerable and in trouble!
Victory for Naisy Dolar and the 50th Ward residents who are fed up with the current alderman is just Stone throw away…
Comment by kl Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 2:46 pm
Oh jeez, here comes the Dolar cheerleaders again.
Nobody takes Naisy Dolar seriously. That’s why Stone will be allowed to stay in office.
Comment by Oy Monday, Mar 26, 07 @ 4:04 pm
Waguespack doesn’t have the money Brendan Reilly did; Waguespack is running a very grassroots campaign, but is still doing very well with the resources he has. Its more embarrassing for Matlak.
Surprisingly, Alderman Tom Tunney is now going door-to-door for Matlak. Obviously the Mayor is putting pressure on Tunney to leave his ward and try and bring out the progressive vote, but it doesn’t say much for Tunney, a supposed beacon of progressive politics, to come out and go campaigning for Matlak because the Mayor wants him to. In fact, Matlak’s goon squad were making gay slurs at Waguespack’s brother on election day and questioned his right to vote. Is this what Tunney stands for? I live in the 44th ward.. first Tunney supports Todd Stroger… and now this? Tunney is getting too comfortable without any opponent.
Comment by Just Observing Tuesday, Mar 27, 07 @ 12:02 am
tunney even gave 10k to stone.
i guess he didn’t see the poll that had dolar up ten points.
nor that michael bauer was a host at the dolar fundraiser.
oops.
Comment by yikes Tuesday, Mar 27, 07 @ 12:45 am
To my friend “Oy”:
Get over it. Even ABC news reports of Stone’s vulnerability:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=politics&id=5152863
Comment by kl Tuesday, Mar 27, 07 @ 11:48 am
Re Anon’s Monday 10:49 am posting - How does a different tax levy affect the ONE check I write for property taxes? I’d rather the money go to education than government waste & corruption. The $12 million the city is putting in a fund to pay for patronage hiring at City Hall would have been much better spent elsewhere in the city and is exactly what Waguespack has been discussing.
As far as the Reilly campaign, they had over $300k in donations to Natarus’ $700k. The monies available downtown are in a different ballpark than the 32nd ward. $300k buys a lot of campaigning but Waguespack’s grassroots efforts have served him well.
Waguespack did give specifics at the community forums. If you have questions about the Waguespack campaign I’d suggest you contact him and ask the questions directly.
Comment by Scott supporter Wednesday, Mar 28, 07 @ 12:35 pm