An analysis of the split or splits in the Chicago African American community (Moore/Smith, Jackson/Beavers, etc.) and whether they contributed to Brookins poor showing in a wide-open State’s Attorney race.
I agree with wordslinger. This is a natural political story to be told. As I’ve indicated on other threads, the puppeteer here is Jesse Jr., who took on Brookins by endorsing his liberal white opponent, Larry Suffredin, who didn’t come close to winning, but who took huge votes (many of them early votes, produced by Jr.’s operation) away from Brookins. Jr. still looks like a winner because he kept Brookins from moving to a seat that he was unqualified to fill and Jr how has another strong, anti-Stroger ally on the County Board in Suffredin.
But to say that there is an underreported story regarding the State’s Attorney’s race AFTER the election begs the real question: Why did the print media abdicate their responsibility to cover this election in the months before the primary. I have never seen such a paucity of coverage by the Sun-Times or the Tribune for a big race. The race was wide open. It was for an important post. There was no incumbent for the first time in 40 years. And yet, neither paper did anything to inform the electorate of the qualifications (or lack thereof) of the candidates.
To my recollection, there wasn’t a profile of a single candidate in either paper, unless you include Mary Mitchell’s column in which she took a shot at Brookins and blew a kiss at Alvarez. Eric Zorn, the self-appointed liberal “justice beat” columnist not only didn’t write anything of substance on the race, he penned a column in which he admitted that he didn’t know enough about the candidates a week before the election.
This, bluntly stated, is an abrogation of a newspaper’s civic responsibility. The two papers were so busy kissing Obama’s starry behind that they ignored the biggest race in the county. This failure could have resulted in a state’s attorney who had never prosecuted a case and who hadn’t practiced any kind of criminal law in over a decade (Allen) or an anti-death penalty liberal whose lobbying and legal practice was miles away from the Criminal Courts building (Suffredin) or a manifestly superficial scofflaw with no evidence of political integrity (Brookins).
You would think that the editor of each paper would assign their top political writers to the task. Instead, all we got was limp coverage of debates and press conferences and poorly reasoned editorials endorsing questionable candidates who hadn’t been vetted by anybody in the press.
An atrocity, really. But they sure are doing a good job of covering Obama.
Bob Milan taking votes away from Tom Allen and sinking the Allen ship. If Milan gets out of the race when he should have, at least half of his 50,000 votes go to Allen — and Allen wins, ending the political career of shining star Anita Alvarez before it begins.
Some of it’s being covered, but I don’t think anyone’s looking in depth enough on implications of Tuesday’s ballot tallies in relation to suburban races this November.
Madigan may have a supermajority next January if trendlines hold …
That’s a good story and I think Milan did cost Allen the election. And that’s a good thing. Allen can go back to worrying about potholes, garbage collection and to his law practice which consists of getting tax bills reduced. Everybody will be better served.
How about the lack of clout of what used to be the heavy hitter wards like 13, 11 and 19. Basically, they didn’t mean squat.
- Interesting... - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:00 am:
I think that Emil Jones and Rod Blagojevich were big winners. Emil won two big seats and put Munoz and Sandoval in their place. Blago pushed through Jehan Gordon and Patti Hahn. Hynes was pushing Mayer (Madigan Ally) and John Bradley (Madigan Puppet) recruited Lloyed. Madigan may have a super majority, but those candidates owe nothing to the Speaker and wont be your typical house puppets.
- kane county doc - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:00 am:
May not be the MOST overlooked story, but in the top 3 for sure—Jack Roeser and his Family TAXPAYERS Network. He backed candidates for Kane County Board Chairman, Board Member and State Rep. –ALL were smoked!! Go to the state board’s website and see all of the money he and his group gave these 3 losers… he gave Krenz for the 49th House seat over $30,000 (in both donations and in-kind) against a 8 year incumbent who Krenz said wasn’t conservative enough–huh? Schmitz is not exactly liberal. As a dad of 2 kids and still paying back my student loans…it must be nice to have that kind of money. Here in Kane, we have Jack and Jim (oberweis) who keep spending their hard earned money to buy a seat –somewhere–anywhere….gosh what I could do with $30K –pay for 1 year of my kid’s college!
- What the heck?? - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:00 am:
The Froehlich/Moynihan race. Froehlich is NOT a real Democrat with Democrat values or opinions. He is a Democrat of convenience because he believes it benefits HIM to be one. I’m shocked that Dems would vote for a Dem of 6 months and nobody is talking about it. He betrayed the Republicans who got him elected and he shouldn’t and can’t be trusted by the Dems he wishes to represent cuz he’ll betray them as well as soon as it serves him to do so. I guess there’s too much going on throughout the state with the presidential election for anyone to notice this race. What a shame!
The most overlooked stories are the ones where the status quo wins. When voters turn down change, these election results are ignored.
Congressional changes appear to have been greatly exaggerated. The GOP seats being held by retiring GOP Congressmen needed decently successful candidates, and the GOP found them with Baldermann, Oberweis, and Schock. The weakest of the bunch is probably Baldermann because he has shown to be a clumsy campaigner so far. But this Congressional seat is still the GOP’s to lose.
Kirk will see a match-up with Seals once again. If Seals couldn’t win in 2006 with the anti-GOP fervor behind him, 2008 will likely be a wash as well.
On the Democratic side, Lipinski won easily. The Pera revolution didn’t materialize.
Morganthaler and Bean looks fantastic, but once again if Roskam won in 2006, 2008 will be easier.
So on Tuesday, the Illinois primary shown ‘more of the same’.
There are those who believe that Obamamania will create new Democratic seats in Illinois. If this was 1956, this could be a distict possibility.
We have not been seeing ‘coat-tails’ in General Elections for many years. Even if Obama succeeds in getting the nomination and beating McCain, ‘coat-tails’ are highly unlikely.
So Tuesday’s most overlooked story in my opinion is how the Congressional revolution expected for Illinois did not materialize, and doesn’t appear to be materializing.
Is there a missing story relating the success of Alvarez with the MWRD candidates with Hispanic names. MWRD elections are practically all about what your name tells about you.
Is there a new wing of the Dem Party that is Not Stroger and Not Jackson/Claypool?
Daley have backed Smith but the 11th warders were pushing Eugene Moore on election day.
- The Milk Dud of Kane County - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:52 am:
However, the FTN and their tribe did help defeat a Kane County board member, Jan Carlson, who was a close confidant of County Board chair Karen McConnaughay, by less than 100 votes. And if you listen to Jon Zahm crow about it, it’s like he singlehandedly won World War II.
Note to Wilmette Willie: It appears you are looking at the vote totals from the County Clerk’s office, which only include the suburban vote (which showed only a one-vote difference between incumbent Cynthia Santos and Mariyana Spyropoulos). Unfortunately for the petrogal candidate, Spyropoulos trailed Santos in Chicago voting by more than 27,000 votes, while finishing fifth in the voting in Chicago.
Of course, you wouldn’t know this if you were reading the newspapers, since I have yet to read a vote total forthe MWRD Board in either the Tribune or the Sun-Times. Talk about disgraceful journalism!
In Southern Illinois, Daniel Davis’ and James Wexstten’s primary wins surprised me. Joe McMenamin had more money and the support of Durbin, and he got smoked by a kid half his age. Judy Cates spent about $750,000 of her own trial earnings and lost to a judge appointment to the appellate court by Justice Karmeier.
Schock’s win can’t be overlooked, either. The kid is a very proficient money-raiser and has the makings of a power player. When people talk about the future of the ILGOP, Schock is it, and there’s not much to dissuade me from thinking he will run for a statewide office and win someday - and perhaps someday soon.
I haven’t heard much about the Hispanic vote turnout in his primary compared to ‘04 or ‘00. If there’s a notable increase (relative to the overall voter increase for this prmiary) that’s an important point worth noting. If Hispanics didn’t have an increase, that’s also worth noting because I’ve heart a bunch about Univision’s campaign to get people registered to vote, and so forth.
That could really come into play, especially with Oberweis running for Congressional open seat that represents Kane County & it’s 100,000 Hispanics.
where can you find the MWRD totals? I see the county numbers on the county site, and the city numbers on the city site, but the county ones don’t seem to include the city ones.
An overlooked story was the GOP U.S. Senate primary. In the 2006 governor primary, the total of the conservative vote (Brady & Oberweis) was about 60%. The 2008 U.S. Senate primary had one conservative, Mike Psak, and he received 12%. 88% of Illinois Republican are moderate or don’t want to learn about the conservative candidate.
I mentioned this in a post yesterday. Peraica put all of his eggs in one basket and hoped that Brookins would win. A head to head against Brookins would have given Peraica a shot. Peraica has absolutely no chance against Alvarez. Peraica’s political career is pretty much over. He barely held on to his commissioner’s spot.
As an aside, I saw where Peraica took a swipe yesterday at Alvarex over the $600,000 loan to herself. Peraica should be careful because he has loaned his campaign committee over $1.4 million. Alvarez will easily take in $2 million in donations going forward while Peraica will have to loan himself over $1 million. What has not been reported is that Peraica’s money does not come from his marginally successful law practice, rather his wife is extraordinarily wealthy.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 12:57 pm:
Phil-
The remarkable story in the GOP Senate primary was that Andy Martin convinced over 200,000 Illinoisans to vote for him (or he had the nicest-sonding name). I think 88% of GOP voters think this race is a lost cause, FWIW.
PhilCollins,
OK the election is over now.You can give it a rest. It is time to start looking for another truck driver to run for the Obama seat in a of couple years.
Moon has it correct, but he omitted one name from the list of losers trying to be a big shot: Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. She was previously checked in her bid to take over the local government in Park Ridge. Now, she was blocked in her efforts to put Larry Suffredin in the State’s Attorney’s office and Jay Paul Deratany on the Board of Review. Joe Berrios could have been taken by a better candidate, but Schakowsky and her gang picked an obnoxious and controversial attorney with baggage of his own. A clean and honest challenger may well have toppled Berrios, but Deratany was not correct choice.
Claypool, Houlihan and Schakowsky look like bozos. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., at least won a few contests on Tuesday.
Almost every “point” you’re all guessing at here is actually explained by the advantages of incumbency in this goofy short campaign. IOW, nice try discrediting reformers (of whatever stripe, north or south side); fact is, they lost more races because they backed more unknowns versus familiar names (better read as fresh challengers against fossilized hacks). Given a tiny post-holiday window for campaigning, though, plus a flood of barely-paying-attention novice voters, there turned out to be little chance for reform types to build the groundswell they need to win.
- Perception; it's the New Reality - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 1:42 pm:
I agree in part with MOON, but take a different perspective, and the winner of that contest may have been seen as the “safe choice”.
While much has been made of Alvarez’s made for TV victory, not much attention has been given to Allen’s (1st up on TV) well funded and union backed defeat in the field.
While some considered him to be the “organization candidate” what happened to the organzation?
seem to suggest something other than a just a mere coincidence at play here and could indcate a double cross ++ or two took place.
Only Banks and Zalewski/Lipinski were able to keep their people on the reservation, and given the number of public payrollers in 11, 13, 14, 32, and 33, despite the woman/hispanc catalysts, you have to believe that this many people all straying off the reservation in one direction didn’t just happen by accident.
While at first blush the tighter margin numbers in the 11th
11th-Alvarez 36%-Allen 34%
would appear to offer some cover; a couple of points of note. Despite two presidential candidates on the ballot with local ties, and higher city and statewide turnouts, the turnout wth respect to both raw votes and percentage in the 11th was about the same as it was in the 2004 Democratic primary.
Despite the Committeeman indicating that he was “staying out of this race” given the tight contest, and the number of choices offered in an “open primary”, you would expect to see more ballots cast in this race in a ward that prides itself on both turnout and voting.
The undervote in the 2004 States Attorney’s race when they were purportedly pushing Devine over Brewer, yet with almost no campaigning taking place was just 10%.
The under-vote for this tightly contested State’s Attorney’s race with virtually all the non African American candidates on TV daily in the home stretch, was 18% in the 11th ward.
Considering the under-vote was only 13% city wide, that large of a suppressed vote would seem very highly unlikely unless people were instructed in large numbers not to vote the race at all.
A signifcant under-vote could only benefit one qualified candidate that was different, and stood out from the others; so who could this have been?
The raw vote total differential between Alvarez and Allen in the 11th ward was just 176 votes, and Allen still had 34% of the total.
As they used to say in Monty Python, a nudge is as good as a wink to a blind bat, so even the union households in 11 still do what they are told.
Even in a multi-candidate field in a hotly contested primary, when was the last time that the 19th Ward could not get their endorsed candidate a majority, rather than a very meager plurality? They generated 61% for Vallas in the March 2002 Governor’s primary and Burris pulled 21%, so even with two white (albeit male)candidates splitting the vote they held Blagojevich under 18%. You would have to look to the largely unknown Mangieri to find another example of that happening, and the south side Greek mafia was not about to get screwed twice in such a short time.
Irrespective of Milan’s popularity there, it appears as though the organization effort was either far less than enthusiastic for Allen when you consider Suffredin, Brookins, and Brewer combined for just under 30% of the vote, or the Committeeman is not up to the task at hand.
If the result there was unintentional, then the powers that be down there may be second guessing the annointed/appointed Committeman’s ability to deliver on thier commitments. This could certainly cost them in the bigger picture in the long run, and may not bode well locally in the short run in the event of an aldermanic vacancy.
A (non-rigged)fractious multi-candidate contest for Alderman there could result in a run-off, and given the level of discontent that has surfaced there over the last few election cycles, the last thing they need is to have to spend time and energy on an intramural contest.
I would look for the 19th Ward Alderman ( I can’t recall her name) to step down and “retire” before her term expires and not stand for re-election. Given the Committeman’s performance in this election in comparison to their historic dominant success for their endorsed candidates, they can not afford to have an open seat primary which requires a run-off election.
I hope for his own sake that Allen didn’t sink too much of his own personal money into this race. The rank and file union members who’s dues and contrbutions got tossed overboard here wll certainly be none too happy.
All in all; this looks to me like Allen, the loyal northwest side contingent that stayed with him, and the unions were all played like a fiddle here.
The funny part is that those that may have engineered the “safe choice” must assume that they are all just too stupid to figure it out.
If his goofy persona in those now wasted TV commercials is any barometer on his IQ, then they may just be right.
While he may have been “honored to have my vote”, despite his tenure in the City Council where you may have thought that he would learn, he may have just been taught a valuable lesson for the first time, and that is that that there is no honor among thieves.
The Lakefront Liberals and Jesse Jackson faction losing the Cook County States Attorney race.
Why are people calling Jesse Jackson Jr a winner? Because his wife won against Beavers? Please.
Jackson’s have the best scam going. Daddy supports one candidate and Jr supports another. If one wins their butts are covered. They do it all the time.
This liberal/Jackson faction that planned to take over the City & County just got punched right in the nose.
Good for Alvarez because she doesn’t need any of them!
In Lake county Gentes(senate 26) has a 6 to 1 funding advantage with the support of Sen Link and the dem party aparatus. His opponent just put his name on the balot and got 42%. Gentes is a mayor in Round Lake and is not very well liked. Duffy, the repub, is a campaigning machine. He will sqush Gentes come fall.
In DuPage, many Schillerstrom backed candidates lose. He’s in for big trouble.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 3:08 pm:
Not as big as the Chicago stories, but down C-U way the “union candidate” Dave Tomlinson got his hat handed to him by Shane Cultra by about 3-1. In the end, looks like his own union (Firefighters) was the only one that really stepped up to help him.
- there you go again - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 3:22 pm:
The Quad Cities’ races were the big statewide story.
It does make you wonder … Oberweis couldn’t win with the FTN backing and bankrolling him, but he pulled out a W when going against their candidate. Things that make you go hmmm.
One of the most overlooked things here in McLean county could be that Dems pulled almost as many ballots as Republicans … that is unheard of here, especially in a primary.
Thanks fed up dem for that clarification re: MWRD contest. Seemed like there was much more coverage 2 years ago when media darling Debra Shore was in the race.
I have a single source who was working the polls and befriended some other guys working the polls. My source believes that at least one of the guys working the polls was there at the behest of his parole officer.
I think the Family Taxpayers Network’s three-way failure in Kane County is big news. Would have loved to see a story where the FTN was exposed for their negative campaigning and outright lies.
All the money spent in contested races in the house and senate and only ONE seat changed in both chambers (Jefferies). And that one wasn’t a suprise that she was a gonner.
The disarray of the GOP in Kendall County. Former GOP County Chairman Dallas Ingemunson and the current Chairman losing their races for precinct committeeman. Who’s going to lead? There is so much infighting how are they going to beat the democrats? Could the last bastion for Republicans in the state be gone?
First, everyone who is going wobbly over the difference in the number of D and R ballots taken in the burbs needs to do some analysis. Without straight ticket voting it is relatively meaningless. Also, look historically at some of the Northwest side wards in Chicago. Take 41st as an example. They always have overwhelming majority of Dem ballots in the primary and go GOP (or close to it) in the general. It would be an unwise leap for Dems to think that this sinks any downballot Republicans in the fall.
“One of the 35″ hit on something that the woefully oblivious trolls who cover suburban politics missed entirely. Bob Schillerstrom tried to prove he was the Boss of DuPage by recruiting and funding candidates against board members who dared to question his miserable administration. Not only did each of his challengers lose, an independent candidate beat one of his most reliable rubber stamp board members.
His “machine” spends nearly $150k on a county board race and can’t win? His political operation is as sad as his administration.
Between his board beginning to stand up to his tax and spend, pay-to-play governance, and the rumbles about major conflicts between his law firm and his elected position, Bob is going to have some rough seas ahead.
Rep. Mike Boland’s defiance against Mike Madigan by contributing almost $12,000 to Sen. Mike Jacobs opponents campaign the day before the election. He waited until the day after the elections to post it. What a snake. The most money Boland has ever doled out before was $500. Sen. Jacobs father, former Senator Denny Jacobs contributed money to Boland’s opponent, as did Boland’s seatmate Pat Verschoor. Mike Jacobs stayed out of the race Boland had and expected the same from Boland. Bolands hatred of the entire Jacobs family is legendary in the Quad
Cities. 2 years ago when Jacobs was up for re-election Boland came out the day before saying he couldn’t support Jacobs. This time he did it in a sneakier way.
Perception; It’s the New Reality 1:42 p.m. Do your research on the Organization. Madigan’s 13th Ward made no endorsement for States Attorney. None, Nada. Had Madigan done so, and even if it was Brookins, that candidate would have carried the day. I don’t know about the other “organization” wards, but for States Attorney in the 13th Ward it was shall I say, THE PEOPLES CHOICE.
Madigan heavily backing and winning Moore and Berrios and Illinois Senate President Emil Jones and Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich running their own Democratic candidates against sitting Democratic incumbents of the Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois. I guess this is supposed to help Madigan trust them better. Madigan may have lost a couple of reps, but overall the rest of his opposed reps won. Madigan clearly came out a winner.
McConnaughay controls the media in Kane County. They ignore huge issues like pay to play and endorsements controlled by her sweetheart relationships with Democrat board members and unions.
Her total lock on the local reporters. A few have gotten plum jobs in the private sector after flattering articles.
That is the story. There is plenty of more revenue to site the detailed public record siting the real story out there. Should be interesting.
I think the results speak for themselves at the 41st Committeeman Race. O’Connor ran a clean campaign, Coconate was drubbed.
- James the Intolerant - Sunday, Feb 10, 08 @ 2:28 pm:
To “Perception It’s the New Reality”, I don’t know if you have something against the 19th Ward committeman or the ward itself, but get your facts straight. Vallas was NOT endorsed by the Ward in 2002. Allen received 38% of the vote in the 19th ward, compared to 43.5% in the 23rd, with a homegrown candidate (Milan) receiving 20% of the vote. Allen, being a northwest side stalwart, received 39% in the 39th ward, 51% in the 36th ward (Banks), 55% in the 45th ward (Levar). Why not talk about how he didn’t carry these wards heavier when they were in his own backyard?
In the long run, K.C. this might be the best thing that has happened to the Kendall Republicans. No more are they led by a Springfield lobbyist. Ingemunson may have won the Oberweis battle and defeated the hated Lauzen, but he lost his own war.
IN a primary story which most of you political wonks probably were not interested, it only being a Cook County Sub-Circuit Jucial race in the 4th sub-circuit, a candidate backed by Supreme Court Justice Burke and the 14th Ward powers , the candidate endorsed by the suburban township committeemen beat the Burkes’ candidate. Pat Rogers won the 5 person primary in spite of numerous mailings and a Billboard that suggested that his opponent was the endorsed democratic candidate because of the Justice’s picture on the literature and the billboard.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:37 am:
An analysis of the split or splits in the Chicago African American community (Moore/Smith, Jackson/Beavers, etc.) and whether they contributed to Brookins poor showing in a wide-open State’s Attorney race.
- MOON - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:40 am:
The drubbing taken by Houlihan, Quigley, Suffredin, Claypool and the “Lake Front Liberals”.
They poured a small fortune into Deratany and Suffredin’s elections and came up with nothing to show for it!
These guys no nothing about grass root campaigns.They think “slick tv ads” (most of which were distortions or outright lies), would carry the day.
They all have placed big targets on their backs, and I hope it comes back to haunt them!
They do not deserve the backing of anybody(voters or the Democratic Party)!
- MOON - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:42 am:
know nothing………..sorry
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:44 am:
good call MOON.
- chiatty - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:51 am:
I agree with wordslinger. This is a natural political story to be told. As I’ve indicated on other threads, the puppeteer here is Jesse Jr., who took on Brookins by endorsing his liberal white opponent, Larry Suffredin, who didn’t come close to winning, but who took huge votes (many of them early votes, produced by Jr.’s operation) away from Brookins. Jr. still looks like a winner because he kept Brookins from moving to a seat that he was unqualified to fill and Jr how has another strong, anti-Stroger ally on the County Board in Suffredin.
But to say that there is an underreported story regarding the State’s Attorney’s race AFTER the election begs the real question: Why did the print media abdicate their responsibility to cover this election in the months before the primary. I have never seen such a paucity of coverage by the Sun-Times or the Tribune for a big race. The race was wide open. It was for an important post. There was no incumbent for the first time in 40 years. And yet, neither paper did anything to inform the electorate of the qualifications (or lack thereof) of the candidates.
To my recollection, there wasn’t a profile of a single candidate in either paper, unless you include Mary Mitchell’s column in which she took a shot at Brookins and blew a kiss at Alvarez. Eric Zorn, the self-appointed liberal “justice beat” columnist not only didn’t write anything of substance on the race, he penned a column in which he admitted that he didn’t know enough about the candidates a week before the election.
This, bluntly stated, is an abrogation of a newspaper’s civic responsibility. The two papers were so busy kissing Obama’s starry behind that they ignored the biggest race in the county. This failure could have resulted in a state’s attorney who had never prosecuted a case and who hadn’t practiced any kind of criminal law in over a decade (Allen) or an anti-death penalty liberal whose lobbying and legal practice was miles away from the Criminal Courts building (Suffredin) or a manifestly superficial scofflaw with no evidence of political integrity (Brookins).
You would think that the editor of each paper would assign their top political writers to the task. Instead, all we got was limp coverage of debates and press conferences and poorly reasoned editorials endorsing questionable candidates who hadn’t been vetted by anybody in the press.
An atrocity, really. But they sure are doing a good job of covering Obama.
- KGB - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:51 am:
Bob Milan taking votes away from Tom Allen and sinking the Allen ship. If Milan gets out of the race when he should have, at least half of his 50,000 votes go to Allen — and Allen wins, ending the political career of shining star Anita Alvarez before it begins.
- Rob_N - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:52 am:
Some of it’s being covered, but I don’t think anyone’s looking in depth enough on implications of Tuesday’s ballot tallies in relation to suburban races this November.
Madigan may have a supermajority next January if trendlines hold …
- so-called "Austin Mayor" - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:55 am:
Democratic ballots outnumber Republican in DuPage County — pseudonymous, local blogger was decisive factor. http://tinyurl.com/ytg9vl
– SCAM
Okay — maybe I’ve overstated my role.
- chiatty - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:58 am:
KGB:
That’s a good story and I think Milan did cost Allen the election. And that’s a good thing. Allen can go back to worrying about potholes, garbage collection and to his law practice which consists of getting tax bills reduced. Everybody will be better served.
- Garp - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:00 am:
How about the lack of clout of what used to be the heavy hitter wards like 13, 11 and 19. Basically, they didn’t mean squat.
- Interesting... - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:00 am:
I think that Emil Jones and Rod Blagojevich were big winners. Emil won two big seats and put Munoz and Sandoval in their place. Blago pushed through Jehan Gordon and Patti Hahn. Hynes was pushing Mayer (Madigan Ally) and John Bradley (Madigan Puppet) recruited Lloyed. Madigan may have a super majority, but those candidates owe nothing to the Speaker and wont be your typical house puppets.
- Bill Baar - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:00 am:
Ed Smith losing with the Mayor’s endorsement.
- kane county doc - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:00 am:
May not be the MOST overlooked story, but in the top 3 for sure—Jack Roeser and his Family TAXPAYERS Network. He backed candidates for Kane County Board Chairman, Board Member and State Rep. –ALL were smoked!! Go to the state board’s website and see all of the money he and his group gave these 3 losers… he gave Krenz for the 49th House seat over $30,000 (in both donations and in-kind) against a 8 year incumbent who Krenz said wasn’t conservative enough–huh? Schmitz is not exactly liberal. As a dad of 2 kids and still paying back my student loans…it must be nice to have that kind of money. Here in Kane, we have Jack and Jim (oberweis) who keep spending their hard earned money to buy a seat –somewhere–anywhere….gosh what I could do with $30K –pay for 1 year of my kid’s college!
- What the heck?? - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:00 am:
The Froehlich/Moynihan race. Froehlich is NOT a real Democrat with Democrat values or opinions. He is a Democrat of convenience because he believes it benefits HIM to be one. I’m shocked that Dems would vote for a Dem of 6 months and nobody is talking about it. He betrayed the Republicans who got him elected and he shouldn’t and can’t be trusted by the Dems he wishes to represent cuz he’ll betray them as well as soon as it serves him to do so. I guess there’s too much going on throughout the state with the presidential election for anyone to notice this race. What a shame!
- Wilmette Willie - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:01 am:
The Water Reclamation District Democratic nominations where there is a virtual tie for the third slot.
- MegaGOP - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:03 am:
Family Taxpayers Network and their losses…Lots of money, so little to show for it.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:35 am:
The most overlooked stories are the ones where the status quo wins. When voters turn down change, these election results are ignored.
Congressional changes appear to have been greatly exaggerated. The GOP seats being held by retiring GOP Congressmen needed decently successful candidates, and the GOP found them with Baldermann, Oberweis, and Schock. The weakest of the bunch is probably Baldermann because he has shown to be a clumsy campaigner so far. But this Congressional seat is still the GOP’s to lose.
Kirk will see a match-up with Seals once again. If Seals couldn’t win in 2006 with the anti-GOP fervor behind him, 2008 will likely be a wash as well.
On the Democratic side, Lipinski won easily. The Pera revolution didn’t materialize.
Morganthaler and Bean looks fantastic, but once again if Roskam won in 2006, 2008 will be easier.
So on Tuesday, the Illinois primary shown ‘more of the same’.
There are those who believe that Obamamania will create new Democratic seats in Illinois. If this was 1956, this could be a distict possibility.
We have not been seeing ‘coat-tails’ in General Elections for many years. Even if Obama succeeds in getting the nomination and beating McCain, ‘coat-tails’ are highly unlikely.
So Tuesday’s most overlooked story in my opinion is how the Congressional revolution expected for Illinois did not materialize, and doesn’t appear to be materializing.
- Lance Stevens - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:41 am:
Family Taxpayers.. They got slaughtered in almost every race they took part in.. I would have never imagined that Lauzen would get beat so badly.
- RBD - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:41 am:
Is there a missing story relating the success of Alvarez with the MWRD candidates with Hispanic names. MWRD elections are practically all about what your name tells about you.
Is there a new wing of the Dem Party that is Not Stroger and Not Jackson/Claypool?
- Lance Stevens - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:42 am:
Do you think Lauzen wishes he would have taken those Rose Bowl tickets?
- Anonymous45 - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:42 am:
I agree with Bill Baar…I thought Smith would trounce Moore…I guess Yarbrough underestimated that pesty Moore in this race…
- thomas paine - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:46 am:
Daley have backed Smith but the 11th warders were pushing Eugene Moore on election day.
- The Milk Dud of Kane County - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:52 am:
However, the FTN and their tribe did help defeat a Kane County board member, Jan Carlson, who was a close confidant of County Board chair Karen McConnaughay, by less than 100 votes. And if you listen to Jon Zahm crow about it, it’s like he singlehandedly won World War II.
- Centrino - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:53 am:
1.) How badly former White House staffer Jimmy Lee was trounced by Tim Baldermann and Terry Heenan;
2.) The breakdown of the McHenry GOP - having more Democrat ballots pulled than Republican for the first time in probably 100 years;
3.)Jim Oberweis finally won a race!
- fedup dem - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:57 am:
Note to Wilmette Willie: It appears you are looking at the vote totals from the County Clerk’s office, which only include the suburban vote (which showed only a one-vote difference between incumbent Cynthia Santos and Mariyana Spyropoulos). Unfortunately for the petrogal candidate, Spyropoulos trailed Santos in Chicago voting by more than 27,000 votes, while finishing fifth in the voting in Chicago.
Of course, you wouldn’t know this if you were reading the newspapers, since I have yet to read a vote total forthe MWRD Board in either the Tribune or the Sun-Times. Talk about disgraceful journalism!
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 11:57 am:
In Southern Illinois, Daniel Davis’ and James Wexstten’s primary wins surprised me. Joe McMenamin had more money and the support of Durbin, and he got smoked by a kid half his age. Judy Cates spent about $750,000 of her own trial earnings and lost to a judge appointment to the appellate court by Justice Karmeier.
Schock’s win can’t be overlooked, either. The kid is a very proficient money-raiser and has the makings of a power player. When people talk about the future of the ILGOP, Schock is it, and there’s not much to dissuade me from thinking he will run for a statewide office and win someday - and perhaps someday soon.
- Some Guy - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 12:06 pm:
I haven’t heard much about the Hispanic vote turnout in his primary compared to ‘04 or ‘00. If there’s a notable increase (relative to the overall voter increase for this prmiary) that’s an important point worth noting. If Hispanics didn’t have an increase, that’s also worth noting because I’ve heart a bunch about Univision’s campaign to get people registered to vote, and so forth.
That could really come into play, especially with Oberweis running for Congressional open seat that represents Kane County & it’s 100,000 Hispanics.
- MWRD - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 12:36 pm:
where can you find the MWRD totals? I see the county numbers on the county site, and the city numbers on the city site, but the county ones don’t seem to include the city ones.
- PhilCollins - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 12:44 pm:
An overlooked story was the GOP U.S. Senate primary. In the 2006 governor primary, the total of the conservative vote (Brady & Oberweis) was about 60%. The 2008 U.S. Senate primary had one conservative, Mike Psak, and he received 12%. 88% of Illinois Republican are moderate or don’t want to learn about the conservative candidate.
- Mad as Hell - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 12:48 pm:
I mentioned this in a post yesterday. Peraica put all of his eggs in one basket and hoped that Brookins would win. A head to head against Brookins would have given Peraica a shot. Peraica has absolutely no chance against Alvarez. Peraica’s political career is pretty much over. He barely held on to his commissioner’s spot.
As an aside, I saw where Peraica took a swipe yesterday at Alvarex over the $600,000 loan to herself. Peraica should be careful because he has loaned his campaign committee over $1.4 million. Alvarez will easily take in $2 million in donations going forward while Peraica will have to loan himself over $1 million. What has not been reported is that Peraica’s money does not come from his marginally successful law practice, rather his wife is extraordinarily wealthy.
- BannedForLife - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 12:56 pm:
Chicago alderman overrated as stepping stone to higher office.
Lobbyist overrated as stepping stone to higher office.
- Selene - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 12:56 pm:
Munson is gone. Look at the Dem totals.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 12:57 pm:
Phil-
The remarkable story in the GOP Senate primary was that Andy Martin convinced over 200,000 Illinoisans to vote for him (or he had the nicest-sonding name). I think 88% of GOP voters think this race is a lost cause, FWIW.
- Bill - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 12:59 pm:
PhilCollins,
OK the election is over now.You can give it a rest. It is time to start looking for another truck driver to run for the Obama seat in a of couple years.
- Honest Abe - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 1:02 pm:
Moon has it correct, but he omitted one name from the list of losers trying to be a big shot: Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. She was previously checked in her bid to take over the local government in Park Ridge. Now, she was blocked in her efforts to put Larry Suffredin in the State’s Attorney’s office and Jay Paul Deratany on the Board of Review. Joe Berrios could have been taken by a better candidate, but Schakowsky and her gang picked an obnoxious and controversial attorney with baggage of his own. A clean and honest challenger may well have toppled Berrios, but Deratany was not correct choice.
Claypool, Houlihan and Schakowsky look like bozos. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., at least won a few contests on Tuesday.
- MOON - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 1:07 pm:
HONEST
I was including Schakowsky as a “lake front liberal”. I just didn’t want to take the time to type in her name!
- chiatty - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 1:12 pm:
The lakefront liberals are nice people, they just can’t count. There aren’t that many of them, just like there isn’t enough lakefront.
- Please. - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 1:25 pm:
Almost every “point” you’re all guessing at here is actually explained by the advantages of incumbency in this goofy short campaign. IOW, nice try discrediting reformers (of whatever stripe, north or south side); fact is, they lost more races because they backed more unknowns versus familiar names (better read as fresh challengers against fossilized hacks). Given a tiny post-holiday window for campaigning, though, plus a flood of barely-paying-attention novice voters, there turned out to be little chance for reform types to build the groundswell they need to win.
- Perception; it's the New Reality - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 1:42 pm:
I agree in part with MOON, but take a different perspective, and the winner of that contest may have been seen as the “safe choice”.
While much has been made of Alvarez’s made for TV victory, not much attention has been given to Allen’s (1st up on TV) well funded and union backed defeat in the field.
While some considered him to be the “organization candidate” what happened to the organzation?
Alvarez won 11 (Daley), 13 (Madigan), 14 (Burke), 32 (Gabinski), 33 (Mell).
Other than in the 11th, Alvarez margins over Allen in each Ward:
13th-Alvarez 47%-Allen 27%
14th Alvarez 47%-Allen 38%
32nd Alvarez 32%-Allen 27%
33rd Alvarez 37%-Allen 33%
seem to suggest something other than a just a mere coincidence at play here and could indcate a double cross ++ or two took place.
Only Banks and Zalewski/Lipinski were able to keep their people on the reservation, and given the number of public payrollers in 11, 13, 14, 32, and 33, despite the woman/hispanc catalysts, you have to believe that this many people all straying off the reservation in one direction didn’t just happen by accident.
While at first blush the tighter margin numbers in the 11th
11th-Alvarez 36%-Allen 34%
would appear to offer some cover; a couple of points of note. Despite two presidential candidates on the ballot with local ties, and higher city and statewide turnouts, the turnout wth respect to both raw votes and percentage in the 11th was about the same as it was in the 2004 Democratic primary.
Despite the Committeeman indicating that he was “staying out of this race” given the tight contest, and the number of choices offered in an “open primary”, you would expect to see more ballots cast in this race in a ward that prides itself on both turnout and voting.
The undervote in the 2004 States Attorney’s race when they were purportedly pushing Devine over Brewer, yet with almost no campaigning taking place was just 10%.
The under-vote for this tightly contested State’s Attorney’s race with virtually all the non African American candidates on TV daily in the home stretch, was 18% in the 11th ward.
Considering the under-vote was only 13% city wide, that large of a suppressed vote would seem very highly unlikely unless people were instructed in large numbers not to vote the race at all.
A signifcant under-vote could only benefit one qualified candidate that was different, and stood out from the others; so who could this have been?
The raw vote total differential between Alvarez and Allen in the 11th ward was just 176 votes, and Allen still had 34% of the total.
As they used to say in Monty Python, a nudge is as good as a wink to a blind bat, so even the union households in 11 still do what they are told.
Even in a multi-candidate field in a hotly contested primary, when was the last time that the 19th Ward could not get their endorsed candidate a majority, rather than a very meager plurality? They generated 61% for Vallas in the March 2002 Governor’s primary and Burris pulled 21%, so even with two white (albeit male)candidates splitting the vote they held Blagojevich under 18%. You would have to look to the largely unknown Mangieri to find another example of that happening, and the south side Greek mafia was not about to get screwed twice in such a short time.
Irrespective of Milan’s popularity there, it appears as though the organization effort was either far less than enthusiastic for Allen when you consider Suffredin, Brookins, and Brewer combined for just under 30% of the vote, or the Committeeman is not up to the task at hand.
If the result there was unintentional, then the powers that be down there may be second guessing the annointed/appointed Committeman’s ability to deliver on thier commitments. This could certainly cost them in the bigger picture in the long run, and may not bode well locally in the short run in the event of an aldermanic vacancy.
A (non-rigged)fractious multi-candidate contest for Alderman there could result in a run-off, and given the level of discontent that has surfaced there over the last few election cycles, the last thing they need is to have to spend time and energy on an intramural contest.
I would look for the 19th Ward Alderman ( I can’t recall her name) to step down and “retire” before her term expires and not stand for re-election. Given the Committeman’s performance in this election in comparison to their historic dominant success for their endorsed candidates, they can not afford to have an open seat primary which requires a run-off election.
I hope for his own sake that Allen didn’t sink too much of his own personal money into this race. The rank and file union members who’s dues and contrbutions got tossed overboard here wll certainly be none too happy.
All in all; this looks to me like Allen, the loyal northwest side contingent that stayed with him, and the unions were all played like a fiddle here.
The funny part is that those that may have engineered the “safe choice” must assume that they are all just too stupid to figure it out.
If his goofy persona in those now wasted TV commercials is any barometer on his IQ, then they may just be right.
While he may have been “honored to have my vote”, despite his tenure in the City Council where you may have thought that he would learn, he may have just been taught a valuable lesson for the first time, and that is that that there is no honor among thieves.
- Curious - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 1:43 pm:
The Lakefront Liberals and Jesse Jackson faction losing the Cook County States Attorney race.
Why are people calling Jesse Jackson Jr a winner? Because his wife won against Beavers? Please.
Jackson’s have the best scam going. Daddy supports one candidate and Jr supports another. If one wins their butts are covered. They do it all the time.
This liberal/Jackson faction that planned to take over the City & County just got punched right in the nose.
Good for Alvarez because she doesn’t need any of them!
- Reddbyrd - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 1:54 pm:
Thumping of Hooli has to be story #1
- Just Asking - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 2:14 pm:
In Lake county Gentes(senate 26) has a 6 to 1 funding advantage with the support of Sen Link and the dem party aparatus. His opponent just put his name on the balot and got 42%. Gentes is a mayor in Round Lake and is not very well liked. Duffy, the repub, is a campaigning machine. He will sqush Gentes come fall.
- one of the 35 - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 2:43 pm:
In DuPage, many Schillerstrom backed candidates lose. He’s in for big trouble.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 3:08 pm:
Not as big as the Chicago stories, but down C-U way the “union candidate” Dave Tomlinson got his hat handed to him by Shane Cultra by about 3-1. In the end, looks like his own union (Firefighters) was the only one that really stepped up to help him.
- there you go again - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 3:22 pm:
The Quad Cities’ races were the big statewide story.
- YNM - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 3:52 pm:
It does make you wonder … Oberweis couldn’t win with the FTN backing and bankrolling him, but he pulled out a W when going against their candidate. Things that make you go hmmm.
One of the most overlooked things here in McLean county could be that Dems pulled almost as many ballots as Republicans … that is unheard of here, especially in a primary.
- Wilmette Willie - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 3:55 pm:
Thanks fed up dem for that clarification re: MWRD contest. Seemed like there was much more coverage 2 years ago when media darling Debra Shore was in the race.
- Take It Easy - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 4:02 pm:
Pat Quinn finally picked a winner . . . Anita Alvarez.
- pat quinn - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 4:52 pm:
hey, not fair take it easy, what if blago gets indicted this year?
- Carl Nyberg - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 5:10 pm:
I have a single source who was working the polls and befriended some other guys working the polls. My source believes that at least one of the guys working the polls was there at the behest of his parole officer.
- JakeCP - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 5:16 pm:
The 26th State Rep Race for the Dems, also for the fact that the only candidate running for the Republicans in that race is a homeless man.
The 50th Ward Committeeman Race with Ira Silverstein creaming Bernard Stone.
The fact that Bill “Dock” Walls ran against Bobby Rush for the U.S. Rep Position in the first District.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Race could’ve been talked about a little more.
The Recorder of Deeds Office, Ald. Ed Smith worked very hard to try and defeat Eugene Moore.
The fact that Jesse Jackson Jr. endorsed Larry Suffredin but yet Jesse Sr. endorsed Howard Brookins.
Oh also the 7th Ward Committeeman Race with Sandi Jackson defeating William Beavers.
- Juniper - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 6:06 pm:
I think the Family Taxpayers Network’s three-way failure in Kane County is big news. Would have loved to see a story where the FTN was exposed for their negative campaigning and outright lies.
- anon - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 8:49 pm:
All the money spent in contested races in the house and senate and only ONE seat changed in both chambers (Jefferies). And that one wasn’t a suprise that she was a gonner.
- K.C. - Thursday, Feb 7, 08 @ 10:56 pm:
The disarray of the GOP in Kendall County. Former GOP County Chairman Dallas Ingemunson and the current Chairman losing their races for precinct committeeman. Who’s going to lead? There is so much infighting how are they going to beat the democrats? Could the last bastion for Republicans in the state be gone?
- Adam Smith - Friday, Feb 8, 08 @ 11:14 am:
First, everyone who is going wobbly over the difference in the number of D and R ballots taken in the burbs needs to do some analysis. Without straight ticket voting it is relatively meaningless. Also, look historically at some of the Northwest side wards in Chicago. Take 41st as an example. They always have overwhelming majority of Dem ballots in the primary and go GOP (or close to it) in the general. It would be an unwise leap for Dems to think that this sinks any downballot Republicans in the fall.
“One of the 35″ hit on something that the woefully oblivious trolls who cover suburban politics missed entirely. Bob Schillerstrom tried to prove he was the Boss of DuPage by recruiting and funding candidates against board members who dared to question his miserable administration. Not only did each of his challengers lose, an independent candidate beat one of his most reliable rubber stamp board members.
His “machine” spends nearly $150k on a county board race and can’t win? His political operation is as sad as his administration.
Between his board beginning to stand up to his tax and spend, pay-to-play governance, and the rumbles about major conflicts between his law firm and his elected position, Bob is going to have some rough seas ahead.
- JC - Friday, Feb 8, 08 @ 11:20 am:
Rep. Mike Boland’s defiance against Mike Madigan by contributing almost $12,000 to Sen. Mike Jacobs opponents campaign the day before the election. He waited until the day after the elections to post it. What a snake. The most money Boland has ever doled out before was $500. Sen. Jacobs father, former Senator Denny Jacobs contributed money to Boland’s opponent, as did Boland’s seatmate Pat Verschoor. Mike Jacobs stayed out of the race Boland had and expected the same from Boland. Bolands hatred of the entire Jacobs family is legendary in the Quad
Cities. 2 years ago when Jacobs was up for re-election Boland came out the day before saying he couldn’t support Jacobs. This time he did it in a sneakier way.
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 8, 08 @ 8:01 pm:
Perception; It’s the New Reality 1:42 p.m. Do your research on the Organization. Madigan’s 13th Ward made no endorsement for States Attorney. None, Nada. Had Madigan done so, and even if it was Brookins, that candidate would have carried the day. I don’t know about the other “organization” wards, but for States Attorney in the 13th Ward it was shall I say, THE PEOPLES CHOICE.
- anon - Friday, Feb 8, 08 @ 8:12 pm:
Madigan heavily backing and winning Moore and Berrios and Illinois Senate President Emil Jones and Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich running their own Democratic candidates against sitting Democratic incumbents of the Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois. I guess this is supposed to help Madigan trust them better. Madigan may have lost a couple of reps, but overall the rest of his opposed reps won. Madigan clearly came out a winner.
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 8, 08 @ 10:49 pm:
McConnaughay controls the media in Kane County. They ignore huge issues like pay to play and endorsements controlled by her sweetheart relationships with Democrat board members and unions.
Her total lock on the local reporters. A few have gotten plum jobs in the private sector after flattering articles.
That is the story. There is plenty of more revenue to site the detailed public record siting the real story out there. Should be interesting.
- Dem Insider - Saturday, Feb 9, 08 @ 10:06 am:
I think the results speak for themselves at the 41st Committeeman Race. O’Connor ran a clean campaign, Coconate was drubbed.
- James the Intolerant - Sunday, Feb 10, 08 @ 2:28 pm:
To “Perception It’s the New Reality”, I don’t know if you have something against the 19th Ward committeman or the ward itself, but get your facts straight. Vallas was NOT endorsed by the Ward in 2002. Allen received 38% of the vote in the 19th ward, compared to 43.5% in the 23rd, with a homegrown candidate (Milan) receiving 20% of the vote. Allen, being a northwest side stalwart, received 39% in the 39th ward, 51% in the 36th ward (Banks), 55% in the 45th ward (Levar). Why not talk about how he didn’t carry these wards heavier when they were in his own backyard?
- Monday morning quarterback - Sunday, Feb 10, 08 @ 5:54 pm:
LOSERS:
Cong Schackowsky
Cong Jackson
Larry Suffredin
Deratany
Petrogal Spyropolous
Ricky Hendon
Rich Bradley
WINNERS:
The Hispanic community
Anita Alvarez
Frank Avila
Eugene Moore
Speaker Madigan
Iris Martinez
- Truthful James - Monday, Feb 11, 08 @ 7:14 am:
In the long run, K.C. this might be the best thing that has happened to the Kendall Republicans. No more are they led by a Springfield lobbyist. Ingemunson may have won the Oberweis battle and defeated the hated Lauzen, but he lost his own war.
- Casual Observer - Monday, Feb 11, 08 @ 4:02 pm:
IN a primary story which most of you political wonks probably were not interested, it only being a Cook County Sub-Circuit Jucial race in the 4th sub-circuit, a candidate backed by Supreme Court Justice Burke and the 14th Ward powers , the candidate endorsed by the suburban township committeemen beat the Burkes’ candidate. Pat Rogers won the 5 person primary in spite of numerous mailings and a Billboard that suggested that his opponent was the endorsed democratic candidate because of the Justice’s picture on the literature and the billboard.