* The Tribune has a good story today on why Ald. Dorothy Tillman lost. A few highlights…
While she acknowledged the much-discussed opposition from unions, the alderman best known for her civil rights credentials and her array of hats put more emphasis on the ways in which her core constituency had been whittled away, saying the people who replaced them did not understand her legacy. […]
A remapping in 2001 brought Hispanic voters from the Back of the Yards and whites in the trendy South Loop into Tillman’s 3rd Ward. […]
“Tillman has been a figure in the community, but unfortunately a lot of times we look at the figure and not whether the issues are being addressed,” said Moore, a writer. “I’m of the generation and mind-set of getting and wanting more.” […]
McCain said when she opened last July, she went to Tillman’s office several times to introduce herself and express concerns about drug activity near her business. But she could never reach Tillman.
It would’ve been nice, however, if the Trib had written a story like this before the election. Too often in Chicago aldermanic elections (and legislative races and county board contests), voters are left to fend for themselves, without any help from the media.
* Memo to candidates: If you can’t take the heat of an intense campaign, don’t run. And, for crying out loud, don’t file lawsuits after the fact over goofy stuff like this…
Unsuccessful Springfield Ward 8 aldermanic candidate George Petrilli has sued his opponent, Kris Theilen, former state treasurer Judy Baar Topinka and the Sangamon County Republican Central Committee over campaign literature distributed by the Theilen campaign.
The suit claims they defamed Petrilli when they referred to him in the literature as a “video stalker.” […]
Petrilli once videotaped a Peoria appearance by Topinka, the 2006 Republican candidate for governor, for the campaign of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Petrilli has claimed he did the taping only as a favor to a roommate who worked for Blagojevich.
The taping was the basis for the “video stalker” characterization, which was contained in a letter from Topinka to Ward 8 voters in which Topinka endorsed Theilen.
Look… nobody likes to be called a “video stalker.” And I’m not gonna defend the attack, which was obviously over the top. But them’s the breaks. Get over yourself.
* Perhaps the AP should refrain from political analysis. Get a load of this lede…
Sheila Simon never wanted her famous surname to influence whether people voted for her as mayor of the southern Illinois town of Carbondale.
Please.
And check this one out…
Cole insisted that, despite being the incumbent, he went into the race as an underdog because of the Simon name and her support from political heavyweights, including Illinois senator and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who taped a television campaign spot for Simon.
Once again, no mention that Cole had bigtime monetary and staff backing from the Illinois GOP, House Republican Leader Tom Cross, and even Denny Hastert.
* More campaign reports, compiled by “C” (aka Paul Richardson)…
* Mark Brown: Campaign Managers earn props
* Cook Co. Clerk David Orr: ‘Voting went well’
* Rep. Jackson: ‘The bullies have left the Council”
* Labor a big winner, vows to stick around
* John Kass: Garbage the next thing Daley trashes
* Despite final count, controversy in city races
* Tribune Editorial: Meet the nine new City Council faces
* Tillman ousted after 23 years in office
* Chandler is officially the 8th alderman to be voted out
* Country Club Hills mayor denies remark had racial tones
* Voters decide various mayoral races, bond issues
* Phil Kadner: Harvey Mayor Kellogg can claim victory with 12% support
* Voters have say in school funding in suburban communities
* Voter turnout numbers vary across city and suburbs
* One vote turns a dry village into a wet one
* Bernard Schoenberg: On Davlin win and other Springfield election news
*** UPDATE *** Aldertrack has the transcript from yesterday’s Chicago Tonight interview of the newly elected aldermen. Check it out.
Carol Marin: Let’s talk about the mayor. Has anybody heard from the mayor today to congratulate you on your victory?
Guests: No
Scott Waguespack: I heard from the Mayor’s Office.
Carol Marin: The Mayor’s Office, and what did they say?
Scott Waguespack: Just to set up a meeting to talk about how services work in the city, so that we know a little bit better how we’re going to have to work together to get things done in the ward.
Carol Marin: Any of the rest of you heard from the Mayor’s Office?
Pat Dowell: I haven’t heard directly from the mayor, but I did speak to a representative from his intergovernmental affairs office and the same meeting that Scott’s talking about I will be organizing a meeting for the ward.
Carol Marin: Ms. Dixon?
Sharon Denise Dixon: No, I have not.
Bob Fioretti: Same thing.
Carol Marin: You have not?
Bob Fioretti: No, we have heard.
Carol Marin: You have?
Bob Fioretti: Yes.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Dave Fako’s polling firm looks like it has had a pretty darned good year so far.
*** UPDATE 3 *** This morning’s Eight Forty-Eight program includes a roundtable of journalists discussing the Chicago elections…
[audio:848_20070418.mp3]
[The speculation by one panelist that Ald. Joe Moore could be the leader of the city council’s independent bloc made me laugh out loud.]
- Pat Hickey - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 9:26 am:
Labor = SEIU? Come on. Lynn Sweet calls for a sit down with Daley; every news piece makes SEIU be all and end all of the American Labor Movement?
I challenge one - ONE - reporter or hard-hitting columnist to ask ONE hard question of ‘outside - the BOX’ Andy Stern and the Purple Gang!
Andy Stern, Anna Burger and other leaders of SEIU came from the University of Pennsylvania school of social work - they were young ’60’s radicals with real brains - you do not make revolution by assault but by infiltration.
The news media gives these radicals a pass - on everything!. Every action by SEIU is painted as the full canvass LABOR portrait.
$ 1.8 million to unseat The HAT? Rank and fikle dues pay for that? Where’d they get that kind of cabbage to throw around? Any body ask to openthe books on SEIU? The Lefties demanded the Feds do justthat when they took over all the old janitors locals. Come on.
These people are labor’s worst enemy. The most skin-flinted capitalist could not on a full-breakfast undo the American Labor Movement’s success with ease and energy of the Stern Gang.
Here is alink to my response to Lynn Sweet’s call on Mayor Daley for a sit-down with Purple Andy - http://hickeysite.blogspot.com/2007/04/seiu-is-threat-to-american-standard-of.html
- fedup dem - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 9:47 am:
The questions being raised in the 49th Ward Aldermanic Runoff objections on Election Day from pollwatchers that were disregarded en masse by the election judges. The Don Gordon campaign had compiled a list of persons listed on the poll sheets for the 42 precincts that comprise that ward who had moved away, died, were registered from vacant buildings or were registered at addresses that were empty lots. Persons so challenged were supposed to be given a provisional ballot. Reportedly, this was not the case (I was helping out in another ward on tuesday, so I cannot speak as a first-hand witness).
IF this indeed was a case where election judges were part of an effort to permit fraudelent ballots to be cast, then the full measure of the law should be brought against those individuals. Were that to take place, you almost certainly see a number of these judges turn state’s witness against the individuals who instructed them to violate the law.
When that happens, the 49th Ward will most definately be rid of the political plague known as Joe Moore once and for all.
- Drew - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 9:53 am:
Didn’t Blagojevich pull about 21 percent in Sangamon County against Topinka? Hounding Blagojevich’s opponent with a video camera is probably not the best stepping stone to winning office in Springfield.
It’s good to see Republicans being proactive in preempt someone who could cause the Illinois GOP major problems down the road.
- Milorad - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 9:59 am:
Perhaps Tillman should consider her recent run in with the law as thereason she lost?
- No Surprise - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 10:08 am:
Re the Simon/Cole race. Check out the filings with the Bd. of Elections. The only municipal race where the Illinois Republican Party helped anyone, was Brad Cole.
So of all the scores (hundreds?) of Republicans running for school board, mayor, trustee or whatever around the state on Tuesday, the only person the State GOP helped was a member of its own board (Brad Cole is one of the 19 members of the State GOP’s Central Committee).
Not only did the State GOP give Cole a lot of money, they transferred staff from HQ over to the Cole campaign fulltime.
Imagine if a corporation allowed all of its activities to be confined to the pursuits of just its board members.
It will certainly be hard now for Brad Cole to ever go against State Party Chairman Andy McKenna, on anything. Cole is bought and paid for.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 11:57 am:
Petrelli even quit his job as a legislative liaison. Why? And why is he suing without an attorney? Is he going to represent himself?
No surprise, I agree. The GOP dumped tons of $$$ into Cole’s coffers. But I can tell you with the strictest confidence that Brad Cole never does anything to help out candidates in Carbondale. I’m so glad he got $$$ after doing little or nothing to help last year’s ticket.
- Gregor - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 2:49 pm:
It’s not right to call Peterlli a video stalker.
“Political Paparazzo Petrilli” has a better ring to it.
- T.J. - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 5:05 pm:
“It will certainly be hard now for Brad Cole to ever go against State Party Chairman Andy McKenna, on anything. Cole is bought and paid for.”
I love conspiracy theories, too.
- In the Sticks - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 5:27 pm:
Petrilli was dumped by this administration on CDB - but typically didn’t bother to spend much time in contact with the office. Finally after much complaint he was shuffled off to another agency. That agency would not allow him to run a campaign while working for the state (or maybe they just found a way to rid themselves of a poor performer)
However, there didn’t seem to be any problem for Mark Mahoney to work full time for the state and campaign for alderman.
- Southern Illinois Voter - Thursday, Apr 19, 07 @ 11:21 pm:
Did it ever occur to anyone that more than 500 people voted for Brad Cole than Sheila Simon? Evidently they must have thought the man was doing a good job, & it didn’t matter who campaigned for each candidate. The woman, when asked by a reporter at her own press conference, did not even know what the city’s budget was after serving 4 year’s on the city council. You may think he was bought & paid for, but I highly doubt. I live in this area. He’s great at his job….the voters saw this.