June 29, 2005
NORTHWEST SIDE DEMOCRATS PILE UP CASH ADVANTAGE

California political boss Jesse Unruh once remarked that "money is the mother's milk of politics." Chicago's Northwest Side is literally awash in that dairy product, as local ward bosses pile up humongous cash reserves. Consider these four aldermen: The 33rd Ward's Dick Mell, Illinois' estranged First-Father-in-Law, had $443,029 on hand; the 36th Ward's Bill Banks, the Zoning Committee chairman, had $754,822; the 40th Ward's Pat O'Connor had $365,186; the 47th Ward's Gene Schulter had $393,943. And ex-State Representative Ralph Capparelli, defeated for re-election in 2004, had $910,967 on hand. With that kind of cash availability, these guys could run for mayor or governor. So how does anybody run against them for alderman in 2007? The answer: nobody does...and they win. Incumbent aldermen in the 39th, 41st, 38th and 50th wards also have a large money cache; they're also favored in 2007. Check out the Northwest Side's money tree by clicking on the NORTHWEST SIDE FUNDRAISING CHART (2005). Full Article...


June 22, 2005
ROSKAM'S PERSISTENCE LIKELY TO PREVAIL IN 6TH DISTRICT

If at first you don't succeed, don't try, try again. Just move. Many congressional wannabes have done just that. Veteran Congressman Henry Hyde, a conservative icon, lost a Northwest Side Chicago congressional race in 1962 to Roman Pucinski; Hyde moved to the western suburbs in 1974, won an open seat, and has served since. Hyde is retiring in 2006, and his onetime aide and protégé, State Senator Peter Roskam, is "doing a Hyde." In 1998, Roskam lost a congressional primary in the 13th District, which is south DuPage County, and the southwest Cook County suburbs. Now Roskam is running in Hyde's 6th, which is north and west DuPage, and the lower tier of Cook County's northwest suburbs. Roskam's main primary foe is Carole Pankau. a Roselle state senator. But just as the transplanted Hyde won in 1974, expect the transplanted Roskam (who is really only moving from one part of DuPage to another) to prevail in 2006. Full Article...


June 15, 2005
NW SIDE POLITICS SHAPED BY THREE HUGE BLUNDERS

Call it Blund, Blunder, and Blunderest. In the 33 years that this political column has appeared in print form (and the three that it's been on this blog), I've seen it all: the best and the worst of candidates and of campaigns. But three Northwest Side Chicago campaigns are noteworthy, because had the loser won, politics would have been significantly altered; and, because the loser should have won, had he not blundered badly. In the old 11th congressional district, John Hoellen would have won in 1972 had he blasted Frank Annunzio as a pro-busing, liberal, mob-tied, carpetbagging West Side congressman. Instead, Hoellen blundered and ran on a "Support the President" theme, losing by 15,000 votes. Had he won, Hoellen would have been on the committee that impeached Nixon, and would likely have led the impeachers. In the 45th Ward, Gerry McLaughlin made a deal with Jane Byrne's Streets and San commissioner to back him for committeeman in 1984 if he backed McLaughlin for alderman in 1983. After winning, McLaughlin broke his promise. Tom Lyons kept his job, and had enough strength to oust McLaughlin as alderman in 1987. And, in the 38th Ward, when the Cullerton Dynasty was on the ropes in 1987, the "Candidate for Change" forgot to sign his nominating petition, bungling a golden opportunity to oust Tom Cullerton. Because of that woeful oversight, the Cullertons still reign. Full Article...


June 8, 2005
WILL SALVI BE DEMOCRATS' SALVATION IN 8TH DISTRICT?

To Salvi or not to Salvi? That is the Shakespearian question that Republicans in Washington and in the northwest suburban 8th congressional district are pondering. First-term Democrat Melissa Bean beat decrepit Phil Crane in 2004 by 9,043 votes (52%) in a district won by President George Bush by 55 percent. Is this not a major disconnect? Congressional elections are always a referendum on the incumbent. Crane, ponderous and lazy, lost his 2004 referendum. In 2006, Bean is positioning herself as a "moderate" Democrat, backing court intervention of Terri Schiavo, repealing the death tax, and building border fences. So how do Republicans beat her in this solidly Republican district? Try 7 words: AL SALVI. Salvi lost races for U.S. Senate and Secretary of State, and is tarnished as a loser/extremist. But congressional contests are often won on the basis of turning out one's base. So, like 2004, when Bush made the presidential election a choice, and not a referendum, Salvi can beat Bean if he makes the election a choice, and pumps up his Republican base vote. Full Article...


June 1, 2005
BLACK DEMOCRAT CLAYBORNE PONDERS BID FOR LT. GOVERNOR

Instead of the usual supersized, 1,500-word political column, this week we're offering a more digestible version -- namely: four mini-columns on various and sundry political developments. CLAYBORNE FOR LT. GOVERNOR. With beleaguered Gov. Rod Blagojevich looking weaker by the moment, will a potential Democratic primary challenger (such as Tom Hynes or Dick Devine) opt to embrace Jim Clayborne, a black Downstate state senator, as his Lt. Gov. running mate? If they do, it could be the ticket to victory. DON'T WRITE OFF DALEY. Chicago's mayor is taking a pounding, and Jesse Jackson Jr. is beating him in the polls. But the election is still 21 months away. COCONATE'S BACK. You can't keep a good man down, says Frank Coconate, a Northwest Side Democrat who's lost a bunch of times. He's set to run against so-called "water boy" Pete Silvestri, a Republican county commissioner. DUMB AND DUMBER IN PARK RIDGE. A Republican is elected mayor, and Democrats on the city council immediately move to strip him of power. What was that old saying? Stupid enemies are wonderful allies. Full Article...


 

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