Giannoulias, Preckwinkle Win

J. Coyden Palmer

La Risa Lynch

Newcomer Cheryle Jackson finished last in her bid to win the Democratic primary in the U.S. Senate race. Jackson lost to state Treasurer and friend of President Barrack Obama Alexi Giannoulias. Jackson received 19.7 percent of the vote; finishing behind former city inspector David Hoffman (33.8 %) and Giannoulias (39%). Giannoulias will face Republican candidate Representative Mark Kirk and Green Party candidate LeAlan M. Jones in the general election in November.

Jackson temporarily left her position as head of the Chicago Urban League to run for the senate seat vacated by President Obama’s election in 2008. Roland Burris was named as the person to serve out the remainder of Obama’s term by former governor Rod Blagojevich. But the circumstances surrounding his appointment caused such a backlash among potential voters that Burris decided not to run for reelection. Jackson is not the lone hope for keeping the seat filled by a member of the African American community, as Jones is an Englewood community resident.

Jackson’s campaign struggled from the start to promote her agenda. Unknown by many throughout the state, Jackson failed to connect with the two bases of which she may have garnered the most support; women and African Americans, according to Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell, despite being the lone woman and African American in the race.

Others say Jackson’s lack of experience as an elected official played a role. Most people only knew Jackson as a former spokes-person for Blagojevich and her work with the Chicago Urban League. Because she had never run for political office, many people did not know her.

“This isn’t the time to elect a person to one of the highest offices in the country who has never served before,” said African American Shawn Newton. “I think what our Black politicians need to understand is that the younger generation of Black voters won’t vote for you just because you are Black, or a democrat for that matter, like our parents and grandparents did. We are more diverse as a people than ever before and that old way of political thinking has to die out before we can move forward.”

Jackson also was hurt by a low voter turnout. Only 25 percent of registered voters in Chicago came out on Election Day, further hampering the efforts of Jackson. Despite the disappointing outcome, Jackson was upbeat during her concession speech.

“Tonight we are here for a different kind of victory,” she told her supporters. “Maybe not the victory we wanted but I view tonight as still a victory because I jumped into this race to give a voice to everyday people. These are the people who are often overlooked by government.”

Jackson also hinted that her foray into politics may not be over. She said who knows what tomorrow may bring and some suspect she could be gearing up for a local run for some sort of city office next year.

Another race too close to call is the state’s comptroller office. David Miller left his post as state representative of the 29th District to run for Dan Hynes’ old seat. Hynes vacated the post to run for governor in the Democratic primary race.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Miller is reported to have more than 8000 more votes than S. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a former state deputy treasurer. Krishnamoorthi decided to concede the win to Miller on Wednesday night.

Miller will be the second African-American to hold the comptroller’s office since U.S. Senator Roland Burris’ 1978 election to that office should he win in November.

Miller is to face Republican nominee Judy Barr Topinka in the November General Election. The comptroller’s office has been under fire lately over its role in the Burr Oaks Cemetery plot re-selling scandal.

Robin Kelly, chief of staff to State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias won her race to succeed him. The former south suburban state representative of the 38th District beat out Justin Oberman, son of onetime city alderman Martin Oberman.

Kelly received 57.9 percent of the vote to Oberman’s 42.1. The treasurer’s office has also been mired in controversy about strategies it took with its college investment plan that lost millions of dollars. The controversy has been a thorn in Giannoulias’ campaign for the U.S. senate race.

Joseph Berrios easily beat out his three opponents for the Cook County’s Assessor Office. Since Assessor James Houlihan opted not to run for re-election, the open seat attracted a bevy of takers including Robert Shaw and Ray Figueroa. Berrios won the seat with 39.9 percent of the votes. Shaw, a former 9th Ward alderman and Board of Review commissioner, garnered 34 percent while Figueroa had 26.9 percent.
Story posted: 2/6/2010

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