February 27, 2008
"AVILAS' PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF IN MWRD RACE
There are political machines in Chicago, and there are illusions. Outside of the Daley Machine, others are only local. But, by dint of persistence, a machine can be beaten. The quintessential Mr. Persistence is Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who has run 8 times for county and state office, and won four. Quinn is now positioned to be governor if and when incumbent Rod Blagojevich is indicted, convicted and removed. But in Cook County, the Avila Familia has shown remarkable tenacity. An Avila has run in the 7 Democratic primaries since 1998 for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), and won twice. That is a testimony to name familiarity; each showing has been credible. There are now two Frank Avilas. Avila the Elder ran in 1998, 2002, and 2002, winning the third time. Avila the Younger lost in 2004 and 2006, albeit narrowly. 2008 was the rubber match. Young Avila has infuriated the Democratic Establishment by his legal representation of city whistleblowers, and of a Jon Burge tortured defendant, winning a $5 million settlement. But, in a 2008 race of obscurities, in a primary when females dominated, Avila the Elder ran first in the MWRD primary. The Avilas are now a political force to be reckoned with. Young Frank may run for Congress in the 4th District. Full Article...
February 20, 2008
"GRUMPY OLD MEN" LOSE IN 41ST AND 50TH WARDS
There is no glorious end to any political career, even if distinguished or lengthy. There is only an end. For Chicago's Northwest Side durable "Grumpy Old Men" -- Alderman Berny Stone (50th) and former State Representative Ralph Capparelli -- that end came on Feb. 5. Both were ousted as Democratic committeemen in their respective wards -- the 50th and 41st. And it wasn't even close. Stone got an anemic 32.5% in his race against St. Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-8), his former protégé, in the 50th Ward (West Rogers Park). Capparelli got a paltry 34.8% in a four-candidate field, losing to Mary O'Connor in the 41st Ward (Norwood Park, Edison Park, Oriole Park, Edgebrook). For both, their political shelf life had lapsed. Both were ungracious in defeat. Capparelli charged that O'Connor was a pawn of the Republicans, backed by the dominant Alderman Brian Doherty/State Rep. Mike McAuliffe Republicans in the ward. Loser Frank Coconate, who got 12.2% claimed victory. "I beat Capparelli." In the 41st Ward, Capparelli, who has been around since 1970, won just 17 of 57 precincts. Barack Obama won 16 precincts, and 15 of them went for O'Connor. New voters -- whether they were Obama backers or crossover Republicans -- went for O'Connor. In the 50th Ward, which Obama won 5,005-4,654, Stone's Jewish base collapsed. Of the ward's 45 precincts, Silverstein won 41. 2007 aldermanic losers Naisy Dolar ands Greg Brewer backed Silverstein. "Only a blind man couldn't see that he (Silverstein) made a deal with Dolar and (Congresswoman Jan) Schakowsky to beat me in 2011," said Stone. Capparelli and Stone are dinosaurs waiting for extinction. On Feb. 5, they became extinct. Full Article...
February 13, 2008
STATE'S ATTORNEY RESULT IS "DUMB AND DUMBER"
Is it the worst of the worst? The dumbest of the dumb? Howard Brookins' loss in the Democratic primary for Cook County State's Attorney ranks right up there with Pat Levar's disastrous bid for Clerk of Court in 2000 and Maria Pappas' fizzled campaign for U.S. Senator in 2004. In the Year of the Barack Blowout, Brookins got a mere 18% of the vote, while Obama got 71%; Brookins, facing three white opponents, got 542,492 fewer votes than Obama. Even in Chicago's black-majority wards, almost 140,000 blacks voted for Obama but not for Brookins. Why? "It was a matter of face time," said one Democrat. And Brookins failed to get his black face in the face of the voters. A "deadbeat" eruption also hurt: allegations surfaced regarding Brookins' ethical lapses. In an "estrogen election," female voters predominated in the Democratic primary, enabling Anita Alvarez to win for state's attorney, and for women to win 15 of 19 contested judicial primaries. If Mayor Rich Daley had endorsed him, Tom Allen would have beat Alvarez. Larry Suffredin's loss calls into question the clout of Jesse Jackson Jr., Jan Schakowsky and Luis Gutierrez, who endorsed him. But the biggest bustout was Brookins. Full Article...
February 6, 2008
BLAGOJEVICH, REPUBLICANS ON VERGE OF IRRELEVANCE
It's not quite inevitable as the rising sun, but it's likely, if not probable. Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan will boost his Democratic majority in November, and will attain a "super-majority." At present, Madigan has a 67-51 majority -- not quite the 60% he needs to override gubernatorial vetoes, or pass bills in overtime. If Madigan picks up 4 Republican seats, he'll have a 71-seat super-majority. That will enormously frustrate his nemesis, Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But much depends on the outcome of state senate contests. Blagojevich ally Emil Jones, the Senate President, has a 37-22 Senate Democratic super-majority. If Republicans do not chip it away, and pick up at least two seats (which is unlikely), then Illinois will have super-gridlock during 2009-2010. Madigan is targeting 7 Republican districts, including the Park-Ridge-Des Plaines 65th, held by liberal Republican Rosemary Mulligan, and the Mt. Prospect-Elk Grove 66th, which is open. Both could be won by a Democrat. Also, the open 92nd (Peoria suburbs), 17th (Glenview, Morton Grove), 43rd (Carpentersville, Elgin), 104th (Champaign-Urbana suburbs), and 69th (Rockford suburbs) districts could flip. If 2008 turns out to be a bad year for Republicans, Madigan will get his super-majority. Full Article...
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