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5th CD roundup

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* The past few days have not been kind to Rep. John Fritchey.

For instance, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union allegedly fired a worker for passing around an unflattering letter about Fritchey, whom the union has endorsed…

She passed the letter to her co-worker on Wednesday night and on Thursday morning, she said Union President Ron Powell called her into his office.

“He shoved this in my face and said, ‘Explain this!’” she said. Sobczyk said she told Powell she was concerned about some stories she read about Fritchey and that she thought Forys was a better candidate.

“Then I just stopped talking and said, ‘I’m fired, right?’” she said. “He said, ‘Yes you’re fired.’ I couldn’t believe it. I got nothing but good reviews there.” Sobczyk came to the United States from Poland as a child herself like Forys but that is not why she is supporting him, she said.

Sobczyk is supporting Victor Forys in the campaign. But Fritchey puts on a clinic about how not to respond to this sort of story…

“This sounds like a different version of a candidate throwing a brick through their own window and then calling the press conference,” Fritchey said. “I’ve spent my legislative career fighting for the rights of working men and women. Obviously, I would never condone anything that would hurt anyone’s ability to exercise their free speech.”

A little empathy would’ve been appropriate instead of the overt defensiveness.

* The Service Employees sent out a mailer over the weekend blasting Fritchey for being a “lobbyist” for the payday loan industry. Click the pics for a better view…

This flier is very loosely based on the fact that Fritchey represented a pawn shop in a zoning case.

* Carol Marin goes after Fritchey at the bottom of her latest column…

Fifth Congressional District candidate John Fritchey sent a note of apology.

Fritchey quoted me in a campaign mailer but misspelled my last name in the attribution.

No problem, John.

The problem was the selective use of my words regarding your opponent, Mike Quigley, about whom I have written a lot.

Yes, I did say in March of 2007 that Quigley was being viewed as “the Benedict Arnold of county politics, the turncoat who keeps turning, reform one day, un-reform the next.”

But that’s far from the whole story. The criticism of Quigley at the time was that despite his long history of reform as a commissioner on the Cook County Board, he had tried to find common ground with its hopeless president, Todd Stroger, exacting promises of more transparency in return. It didn’t work out the couple of times Quigley tried, and he quickly went back to being the ferocious voice of opposition.

But make no mistake: Quigley is a reformer.

* The Tribune went after Fritchey for a couple of campaign contributions…

Milan Petrovic, who was listed as Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s top campaign fundraiser at a political corruption trial last year, recently gave $2,400 to the congressional fund of state Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), according to federal campaign finance reports filed today.

Fritchey also reported receiving another $2,400 from Petrovic’s wife, Anne.

Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, who employs a former Blagojevich deputy chief of staff, fired off this press release today…

“In the final hours before voters go to the polls, John Fritchey has accepted the maximum contribution from Rod Blagojevich’s top campaign donor – despite the fact that Mr. Fritchey has based his whole campaign on his supposed opposition to the former governor.

Fritchey responds….

“To the best I am aware of, Milan has not been accused of doing anything improper,” Fritchey said today. “Had he been, I would not have taken the contributions.”

* A Medill reporter recently penned a story which got absolutely no attention, but could’ve harmed Fritchey and Feigenholtz…

In trying to beef up their congressional campaign funds, the campaigns of state Reps. John Fritchey and Sara Feigenholtz violated federal campaign finance law when they transferred money from their state- to their federal-level campaigns.

* Rep. Feigenholtz was running robocalls late last week slamming Mike Quigley for supporting Todd Stroger. The calls tracked closely with Feigenholtz’s TV ad which slams Quigley on the same Stroger issue. The Tribune editorial board stepped in over the weekend to defend their endorsed candidate against the Feigenholtz attacks…

Let’s bring it down to this. If you’re a Democrat and you want a candidate with solid Democratic values, you can almost throw a dart at the ballot. Almost all of them qualify.

If you’re a Democrat and you want a candidate who fights every day against the corruption and ineptitude that plagues state and local government, you have one candidate: Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley.

* Progress Illinois takes issue with the fact that the Democratic candidates have been defined as almost identical on the, um, issues…

Let’s take the issue of taxes. Fritchey is in favor of preserving the estate tax; Feigenholtz, Fritchey, and Quigley all want to let the Bush tax cuts expire; Quigley adds that will not vote for any tax increase during a recession; Wheelan supports phasing out payroll, income, and corporate taxes in favor of a carbon tax; and Geoghegan wants marginal tax rates raised to 1950s levels. […]

What about Social Security? This is a crucial issue for all voters in the district—particularly the elderly—and deserves scrutiny. Wheelan has said he is open to reducing benefits for future retirees; Feigenholtz and Fritchey would consider lifting or adjusting the cap on payroll taxes; Quigley wants to leave it alone for the time being, noting that Medicare is in greater trouble; and Geoghegan wants to increase benefits and turn into a more robust public pension program.

* Democrat Cary Capparelli continues to pile up conservative endorsements. From a press release…

The Illinois Federation for Right to Life Political Action Committee has followed four other major organizations in singling out Cary Capparelli for endorsement. The Illinois Federation Right to Life PAC is endorsing Cary Capparelli in his quest to fill the Illinois 5th Congressional District seat, vacated by Rahm Emanuel.

Cary has added significant momentum to his campaign by uniting the Pro-Family movement – an initiative particularly noteworthy for a first-time candidate

A traditional Democrat, Cary’s other endorsements are from:
• National Right to Life PAC;
• Illinois Citizens for Life Federal PAC, one of the largest pro-life PACs in Illinois;
• National Taxpayers United Illinois, the group that has saved Illinois citizens more than $74 billion in income, property, sales and other taxes – both at the state and local levels;
• Family-Pac Federal, a bi-partisan group that has endorsed Republicans and Democrats who are or have been committed to upholding family values.

* Related…

* Free-for-all: The problem is, there’s no way for the media to effectively cover or for the voters to seriously consider the merits of 23 candidates

* 5th District race in final lap, will be close call

* Dems battle for Rahm’s old seat

* Outsiders take a shot at 5th

* Candidates for 5th District ad it up

* Democrats press the flesh in race to succeed Emanuel in Congress

* Turnout in 5th the Big Question

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 1:37 pm

Comments

John Fritchey led the way to historic payday loan reform in Illinois. Before Fritchey’s leadership, Illinois was the Wild West for ripoff lenders. Fritchey and consumer advocates split the responsible lenders away from the ripoff artists and together passed a strong bill to protect consumers.

This was a textbook example of working against long odds, holding tough principles yet being pragmatic and really getting something done.

It’s why John Fritchey was recognized as legislator of the year by the Monsignor Jack Egan Campaign for Payday Loan Reform.

John Fritchey, Joe Lyons and David Miller led this fight in the House, Kim Lightford in the Senate. Anybody claiming anything else has a real problem with the truth.

Comment by Reality Check Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 1:48 pm
See how much fun a statewide special election could be? We could all get in on this circus.

Comment by Downstate weed chewing hick Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 1:56 pm
Statesmanship, not gamesmanship, Rep. Fritchey….

Comment by Leroy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 1:57 pm
O’Connor is finally campaigning, got two mailers last week, a robocall last night, and two flacks passing out fliers at the Montrose El stop.

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 1:57 pm
I’m working on a post where I categorize four Democrats as “most recommended”:

Victor Forys
Mike Quigley
Tom Geoghegan
John Fritchey

Forys is a smart guy who will lead on immigration.

Quigley can analyze policy and stands against abuses of power.

Geoghegan’s analysis of WTO rules forcing the federal gov’t to give health care as opposed to employers shows he’s a step ahead on the issues.

Fritchey is a capable pol who will do right by the district and pass bills. He will also use the Internet to make himself accessible to constituents.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:04 pm
an army of volunteers have been working the 47th ward this weekend. got a visit from a very experienced pct captain fromt he 47th wd dem party very perusasive and very informed J Fritchey gets my vote

Comment by steamer Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:04 pm
Reality Check, you are over the top about Fritchey and Payday loan industry reform. Plenty of lawyers and electeds were instrumental in the fight before Fritchey and those you list, like, oh, Barack Obama and Tom Dart and another candidate in the race Geoghegan. And lawyers whose names you would not recognize. Other people have won the Egan award re PayDay Loan reform. This battle has been ongoing since the late 90s. And if Fritchey took money from the industry, he’s turning his back on reform. Statesmanship not gamesmanship indeed.

Comment by Amy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:06 pm
““To the best I am aware of, Milan has not been accused of doing anything improper,” Fritchey said today. “Had he been, I would not have taken the contributions.””

Umm, he was named in the subpoenas John. That’s kind of a menu of people to NOT solicit campaign cash from.

Comment by George Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:07 pm
Amy, at the Statehouse, where it counted, Fritchey was a major factor in the passage of that bill.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:08 pm
I’ll be happy when this is over. I am interested in how hurt feelings in this race will affect the politics in the years to come on the northside.Lots of long memories here…

Comment by Belden Ave. Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:18 pm
Amen to that, Belden. I have friends on those top tier campaigns. It’s bizarre to watch them deal with each other now.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:27 pm
The fact that John Fritchey was awarded the Egan/Payday Loan Award in 2005 makes his 2007 betrayal of that important reform legislation all the more disgusting. In 2007 a bill passed the State Senate that would have closed several loopholes in the original payday loan bill. That bill died in a House committee by a single vote. Guess who cast that deciding vote? One Rep. John Fritchey. You can’t be a consumer advocate one day and a slave to the payday loan industry the next. John told Citizen Action that he voted against the bill because it wasn’t strong enough. Makes you wonder though when a guys is taking tens of thousands of dollars from the payday loan indistry, banks and local developers. Whose side is John on anyway? I guess he is a corporate, machine reformer. The first of a new breed.

Comment by Laborguy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:35 pm
Carl your most recommended list is a hoot. None of the qualities attributed to congress will help them legislate in Congress. I’m looking for a leader that will work for my district and have an eye to the direction the Country and the President will go. So many folks will not be voting in this election it is an insiders game. I don’t want the candidate that just represents, immigration issues, bloggers, or someone that does not recognize the direction the President is heading in the next months on healthcare reform, and anyone will stand against “abuses of power” even Fritchey as it would be in their self-interest. Curiously the candidate that has the full package—not on your list.

Comment by I gotta say Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:37 pm
what Laborguy said.

Comment by Amy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:46 pm
Fritchey’s campaign distributed get out the vote flyers this weekend, but the printer or the people passing out the material made some mistakes: the leaflets directed voters to the wrong polling place address for the precinct. It contained the address of another polling location some considerable distance away.

Comment by Honest Abe Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 2:53 pm
Capt Fax’s round-up missed this little ditty……
http://davidormsby.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/quigley-head-and-shoulders-above-blagojevich/
seemed like a good walk down memory lane

Comment by Alive@Five Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 3:00 pm
report from west end pals….Donatelli mailer putting Blago, Burris, Fritchey, Quigley and Feigenholtz on one line in pix as the class of 2009. mailer to women. Committeeman (that’s the title)Mary O’Connor door to door letter for Pat O’Connor.

Comment by Amy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 3:01 pm
Capparelli was on FOX this morning.

Comment by Jackie Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 3:06 pm
Capparelli also did ROBO CALLS to VETS blasting Fritchey for not supporting HR91 - the resolution to keep the Pledge in the classrooms. He says anybody that does not support the Pledge has no business to be in the U.S. Congress. This should of been a hot subject that the media ignored.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 3:11 pm
Belden Ave. and Rich: Amen to that! These people, all of whom have worked together in prior races, are now going at each other as if they were running against Tom DeLay himself!

That is why I am neutral in this thing. No way I was going to get sucked into any of that. The “top tier” would have no noticeable difference in any votes. That’s what makes this as much about the futures of the staffers as it is about the candidates themselves.

It’s great to watch from the sidelines, though!!!!

Comment by "low level paper pusher" Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 3:16 pm
“Laborguy”?????
What a joke. Labor is supporting Fritchey.

Comment by Bill Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 3:49 pm
…his 2007 betrayal…

Betrayal?

Note to self: must use more words like ‘betrayal’. Spicy!

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 3:58 pm
Very active weekend in the 45th. I recieved canvassers from Fitchey, Forys and missed one leaving as I was returning home. Recieved a very nice call on the landline from a Donatelli volunteer, two calls for O’Connor and a Robo call? from Julie Hamos on my cell phone. How do they get those cell numbers.
Leaning to Fritchey and certianly will vote.

Comment by Our Time Has Passed Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:19 pm
Labor is with Fritchey the same way they were with Hynes vs. Obama. If labor is with Fritchey then why are SEIU, UNITE, Steelworkers, UAW, Machinists and the College Professors with Sara? That sounds like a decent chunk of labor to me. At best, labor is split. We will see which side wins. Fritchey’s labor support are all paid workers talking only to labor households. A pretty ineffective strategy in a special election but the only one they can use because none of the Fritchey unions can recruit volunteers. Want to place a bet on who wins tomorrow boys? Or do you have to be paid to do that too?

Comment by Laborguy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:26 pm
Fritchey has some serious issues regarding accountability and respectability. Is he a State Rep or a Zoning Attorney ?

Just ask the neighbors next to the Rudy Acosta mansion what they think about the man who helped ruin their neighborhood.

Fritchey responded by saying that he didn’t know how big the building was going to be-right.

My zoning attorney insists on seeing the blueprints for the project before representing me.

Fritchey insists on making sure his name is spelled right on the check.

Comment by Maori Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:30 pm
Lie all you want. Labor, the AFL-CIO, is endorsing Fritchey. Sure, there are a few rogue unions going with other candidates but Labor has endorsed Fritchey. We’ll see who is paying who and who has the best strategy tomorrow. Maybe you’ll get lucky and buy one. I doubt it but it is possible, I suppose.
In the meantime you should probably revisit your candidate selection process. It is pretty clear that you need some help in the area.

Comment by Bill Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:39 pm
Bill, you have been a joke this entire election. Not sure why I even bother responding to your endless droning. I will put my electoral record up against anyone here including yours. Would you like to compare for all the bloggers to see? Probably not. I understand.

Comment by Laborguy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:44 pm
what did I lie about Bill? Have all the unions I listed endorsedc Sara or not? It is pretty easy to verify. BTW, the AFL-CIO is not “labor” Bill. It more than likely won’t even exist a year from now. Want to bet on that also?

Comment by Laborguy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:46 pm
I am seriously surprised to find out that everybody competing for this seat is a demon made out of goblins who was initiated into the Russian Mafia by a lobbyist made out of mutilated kittens, and that they all were involved in a Twins-style experiment where they donated genetic material to a host mother to create Todd Stroger and Rod Blagojevich in a petri dish and then later endorsed the infamous Harm Taxpayers Act of 2003 which called for anyone who paid taxes or was a woman or was a non-supervisory employee to be punched in the neck by a pay-to-play warlock who invented George Ryan.

Comment by surprised Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:46 pm
Bill, saying labor endorsed Rep. Fritchey because the AFL-CIO did would be like saying the Cardinals won the Super Bowl because the clinched the NFC title. It doesn’t hurt to be intellectually honest and say that a significant bloc of the state’s labor movement endorsed Fritchey (true), rather than undermine your credibility by stating something that is meaningless.

Comment by surprised Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:50 pm
We’ll see who the joke is. I think you’ve proven that it is you. You wanna call yourself “laborguy” while being an outcast, go ahead. If anyone should be concerned about being around a year from now it should be you. AFL-CIO is organized labor. You wanna be laborguy? Get that lefty goofball that tries to run your outfit to pay your back dues and beg to be let back in. I’ll vote no.

Comment by Bill Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:55 pm
Bill you are starting to sound a bit crazy brother. SEIU is, by far, the largest dues paying member of the AFL and CFL. Go check the books. Goofball or not. How many members in your union Bill? How many have you organized in the past year, five years even the last ten? I bet you don’t know. Because you don’t organize workers anymore brother. Good luck with that strategy.

Comment by Laborguy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 5:01 pm
Frankly, the oddest thing about the back and forth between Fritchey and Feigenholtz is that the Trib decided to focus on Petrovic. Feigenholtz’s campaign finance chair was mentioned in the Sun-Times today as holding a fundraiser for Blagojevich. Quigley’s chair did the same thing. And then there’s SEIU.

Everybody involved, I’m sure, claims they did nothing wrong and are cooperating fully. SEIU has been pretty forceful about that. But the same “I’m honest and I’m cooperating” can be said for Petrovic.

The Feigenholtz release claims that Fritchey accepted money from Blagojevich’s “top campaign donor.” SEIU contributed far more to Blagojevich than Petrovic ever did.

Where should the line be drawn here? It’s a question I’ve been pondering since this post went up.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 5:08 pm
Can’t all the labor get along? Now we are acting like Republicans. After this election is over, we’ll all go back to supporting the Democrat! Duh!

This thing is going to come down to the wire. Now I took my break, BACK TO MAKING CALLS FOR SARA. If the women do not turn out, Sara is done. If they do, we’ll do just fine.

SEIU for Sara!

Comment by SEIU Vol Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 5:15 pm
Rich, why don’t you mention that Blago’s second biggest contributor, AFSCME, is supporting Fritchey? We can play this game allday long and frankly is is intellectually dishonest. Every Democrat and Democratic-leaninig organization in this state suppoted Blago. None of us, including Milan Petrovic, are responsible for Rod Blagojevic’s actions. Everyone supported Rod and they should have. We hadn’t had a Democratic Governor in this state for 25 years when he was first elected. No one could have known what he would become. This game of gotcha has to end and that includes you Rich. Oy ya, the AFL-CIO, which has endorsed Fritchey, was with Balgo also. Let’s stop this indictment through association.

Comment by Laborguy Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 5:44 pm
=== We can play this game allday long and frankly is is intellectually dishonest.===

As usual, you completely missed my point in your desire to frantically and fanatically rebut everything I write without thinking more than a tenth of a millisecond.

In fact, I couldn’t agree more with that top sentence. It was the point of my admittedly rambling comment.

So, why did Feigenholtz pile on to an incredibly goofy story? Short-term gain, perhaps, but longterm trouble. It’s just silly all around.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 5:50 pm
Please read the Russ Stewart column in the Northwest Press and possibly comment. Found it to be very interesting and semed to make a lot of sense.

Comment by steamer Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 6:02 pm
union intimidation like this is why the BS un democratic card check bill is a really bad idea.

Comment by fed up Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 6:03 pm
We hadn’t had a Democratic Governor in this state for 25 years when he was first elected.

Shades of Letterman:-) We wanted a D in the governor’s chair in the worst way:-)

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 6:03 pm
Since this is a congressional seat, even though I am a dowstater, far from the 5th, I would like to weight in. I have met and to a limited sense know Feigenholtz, Fritchey,and Quigley. Each has always ran, rightfully so on being individuals of integrity, class and putting people first. Now, Rich, I have to agree with you (at least what I think you have been saying before)it floors me that these three, each in their own respect and to their own degree, have degenerated into running a race that is far below what I thought they stood for. Tomorrow, the voters of the 5th will choose a new Representative and probably elect one of these three. Sadly, however, when one of the three is elected, they will have established themselves, not as being different, but by being the same as we have always seen.

Comment by south of 74 Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 6:39 pm
Unions can endorse whoever the heck they want, big deal…I can only speak about my AFSCME local, but very few of us pay much attention to them. The only time you hear from them is at Union election time (which occured last week).

And you think there will be low turnout in the 5th CD? You should have seen this election.

I think the unions, while they do some good work at contract time, really get their endorsements and importance overblown by candidates. Sure, they send out mailings and can field some troops, all well and good, but I don’t know of a single collegue who has told me they voted for a candidate because AFSCME endorsed them.

Comment by "low level paper pusher" Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 7:41 pm
Steamer, Russ Stewart is wrong 90% of the time. He just likes to hear himself talk. Thank heaven he never made it to judge. jackie, Capparelli had ROBO calls attacking Fritchey on the Pledge to all VETS in CD-05 and all Seniors on the northwest side and Leydon Township.

Comment by ElectMike Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 8:00 pm
Quigley was a friend of Stroger. He helped him get elected and His Chief of Staff was on Stroger’s transition team. That does not make him bad but its funny how he has turned on a fellow democrat. Quigley is an opportunist whose only way to try to elevate himself is to attack the current administration. Saying he “fought” against something means nothing..What has he accomplished should be the question. and that answer is NOTHING at all. I dont live in the 5th but I would vote for someone who has accomplishements..not wishes.

Comment by blackdem Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 8:16 pm
mike more like 50 % but who is counting his analysis is right on this time it is not difficult to handicap this low turnout election
we will know in 24 hrs good luck

Comment by steamer Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 8:52 pm
Mike Quigley has been a machine Democrat his entire life dating back to his time as the head of the 44th Ward Regular Democratic Organization as the Chief of Staff to Bernie Hansen. Mike Quigley got patronage for people (including his family members)

You may think that the patronage thing was from the 70s or 80s when Quigley’s patron had a gold “29″ pinky ring and he was palling around with Fast Eddie Vrdolyak. But remember while Forest Claypool was neutral in the 2006 general and other Democrats did not do much for Todd Stroger–Mike Quigley got a job for his brother and his chief of staff. Quigley ran the North Side operation for Stroger.

Quigley did not naively try to work with Todd Stroger to build consensus as Carol Marin wrote–Quigley was being Machivellean and making deals for himself. Quigley is an old time Bernie Hansen/Eddie Vrdolyak politician.

Remember it was Mike Quigley who at the bidding of Rich Daley and Skinny Sheehan ran for Alderman in 1991 against Alderman Helen Schiller in the 46th ward with help from patronage workers. Mike Quigley has been the last minute vote putting Stroger’s projects and budgets over the top when Forest Claypool and Tony Peraica were fighting it. You may not like Tony Peraica but he certainly can give you a perspective of who was really for and against Todd Stroger and before that John Stroger.

Quigley has a politically connected army of fundraisers, and operators who all were connected to Rod Blagojevich.

Sara Fiegenholtz used to work for Al Ronan.
So, when she is talking about reform–she was one of the last to start criticizing Rod Blagojevich.

Everyone wants to link John Fritchey, not to his own family, but the family of his wife. They want to criticize by association even though most of the associations are tenous. Milan Petrovich may have given money to Fritchey but out of this pack Fritchey has been the most anti-Blagojevich.

Cary Capparelli’s move to the right in a crowded field may be a good idea. First, on the west end most of the Democratic State Senators and State Reps are pro-life–Pro-Life Dems include Senator Jimmy DeLeo, State Rep Joe Lyons, former State Rep Bugielski, former State Rep Miguel Santiago, former State Rep Ralph Capparelli, current Republican Michael McAullife, former State Rep Tony Laurino among others–lots of Catholics and pro-lifers in 41, 45, 39, 38 and 36 and the western suburban areas–lots of Catholics. Again, not a majority of the district-most polls have 65-35 pro-choice to pro-life and some as high as 70% pro-choice–but many pro-lifers are stronger single issue voters and east of Ashland or certainly Western it is not a real issue. The strong abortion for any reason and gay marriage is not a sell–although O’Connor without taking any sides on issues–is also trying to get the Catholic vote.
Cary Capparelli if properly funded could of won the 5th District with this many people (or a candidate like Cary Capparelli)
Quigley, Fiegenholtz, Geoghan, and Fritchey among others all are pro-choice and pro-gay and split that base up–while the District is not gay bashers–there are plenty of people who do not believe in gay marriage–plenty of Catholics, Protestants and socially conservative Muslims. Many do not vote on these issues–but it could get interesting.
Cary Capparelli hurts O’Connor and Fritchey.

All are machine candidates with roots, the most reformer is Fritchey–but Chicago aint ready for reform. Quigley is a phony reformer and a hypocrite. Quigley is also a genius for using Stroger as a negative issue while having benefited from Stroger–brilliant.
SEIU has very little political capitol and plenty of members who make $20,000 a year don’t want a $200,000 donation in a District that is Democrat and pro-union anyrate. Jerry Morrison and his dirty tricks are just reminiscent of their support for now discredited Rod Blagojevich.

The polls indicate Quigley will win.
BUT Sara can win if the women vote for her.
Fritchey can win if he keeps his ground game tight like Kobe on game night.
O’Connor people think they are in the game but I don’t see it.

Comment by Michael Mackey Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 9:54 pm
I’m clueless on this election (as are everyone else). But I suspect the harder you’re getting whacked, the better the others think you’re doing. So good for you, Fritchey.

What’s your problem with the Trib, anyway? Is Paul Lis working a candidate?

I had the occasion this weekend to make some stops in Park Ridge, Edison Park and Norwood Park. Love those bungalows, love those bungalow belt neighborhoods. Salt of the earth.

At the bars by the train station in Edison Park, and at the Mr. Beef on Harlem, any questions about the election were met with a dull stare. The few yard signs I saw in the area were Fritchey, O’Connor, Annunzio and Forys.

I have to say, the Fritchey signs were of a terrible design. White background with a blue serif “John Fritchey for Congress.” Hard to read.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:28 pm
= - surprised - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 4:46 pm:

I am seriously surprised to find out that everybody competing for this seat is a demon made out of goblins who was initiated into the Russian Mafia by a lobbyist made out of mutilated kittens, and that they all were involved in a Twins-style experiment where they donated genetic material to a host mother to create Todd Stroger and Rod Blagojevich in a petri dish and then later endorsed the infamous Harm Taxpayers Act of 2003 which called for anyone who paid taxes or was a woman or was a non-supervisory employee to be punched in the neck by a pay-to-play warlock who invented George Ryan. ==

Surprised,

This is the finest and funniest post I’ve read on the whole 5th CD race. Well done!

Comment by And the Pulizer Prize Goes To . . . Tuesday, Mar 3, 09 @ 5:52 am