Stroger feeling 'dynamite' about re-election chances
Saying he felt like "160 pounds of dynamite," Cook County Board President Todd Stroger filed for re-election in February's Democratic Primary in the final hour before the deadline today.
The political playbook suggests that the best spots on the ballot for swaying undecided voters in the booth are first and last, and Stroger was not among those filing at the opening of the weeklong declaration period in order to qualify for a lottery for the top spot. Instead, he took the last slot and said he intended to run on his record.
"The county's in great shape," Stroger said. "We use our money wisely. We've streamlined employment ... I run a very good ship."
Other Democratic candidates for County Board president are U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, Hyde Park Chicago Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Terrence O'Brien.
The most 11th-hour jockeying took place in the county assessor's race, where Andrea Raila and Raymond Figueroa of Chicago and Gene Staples of River Forest all filed at the end in the Democratic Primary, with Staples getting the last slot. Joseph Berrios filed earlier in the same race in his bid to move from the Board of Review to the assessor's office.
Other last-day filers in Cook County offices included Chicago's Thomas Tresser and Westchester's Sean Burke, both running for County Board president as Green Party candidates, and Evanston Township Republican Committeeman Linda Thompson LaFianza, also running for the 13th District commissioner's seat occupied by Evanston's Larry Suffredin. Gerald Maher of Orland Park and Mark Thompson of Des Plaines filed to run against incumbent Commissioner Liz Gorman in the Republican Primary in the 17th District. John Maher of Palos Heights and Donna Sanders of Orland Hills entered the same race in the Democratic Primary, and Matthew Ogean of Orland Park filed to be Orland Township Green Party committeeman and in the 17th District race as well.
Democrat Brendan Houlihan of Palos Heights filed for re-election in the suburban 1st District of the Board of Review.
Palatine's Aaron Del Mar and Inverness' Gary Skoien filed for Palatine Township Republican committeeman, Barrington's Paul Pavlus filed for Barrington Township Republican committeeman and Peter Gutzmer of Hoffman Estates filed for Barrington Township Democratic committeeman. Michael Sweeney of Arlington Heights filed for Elk Grove Township Republican committeeman and Rosemary Mulligan of Des Plaines for Maine Township Republican committeeman. Christine Cegelis of Rolling Meadows filed to be Elk Grove Township's Democratic committeeman. Jim Dasakis of Hoffman Estates filed for Hanover Township Democratic committeeman.
Davis, a Chicago Democrat, filed to run both for re-election to Congress and president of the County Board. He has until Nov. 9 to decide which office he'll seek, when a lottery will also be conducted to determine the top spot on the ballot among early filers in contested races.
GOP contestants for county board president are former Illinois State Sen. Roger Keats and Chicago police lieutenant and attorney John Garrido.
Although polls have shown Stroger running last in the Democratic race with about 10 percent support, thanks to his unpopular increase in the sales tax, he said he had no difficulty collecting signatures on his nominating petitions, only small problems getting people to collect them. "It's harder to get people out to ask people for petitions," he said.
He addressed charges that Brown had used workers on government time to collect signatures, but added that he didn't know who might actually challenge her petitions. "I think that's outside of politics," Stroger said, "and the government should step in and say these signatures don't count."
Candidate filings
The following candidates have filed for county and statewide offices, for the primary to be held Feb. 2.
Statewide offices
U.S. Senate
Democrat
Corey Dabney of Aurora
Alexander "Alexi" Giannoulias of Chicago
David Hoffman of Chicago
Cheryle Jackson of Chicago
Robert Marshall of Burr Ridge
Jacob Meister of Chicago
Green
LeAlan Jones of Chicago
Republican
John Arrington of Harvey
Patrick Hughes of Hinsdale
Mark Kirk of Highland Park
Thomas "Tom" Kuna of Jerseyville
Donald (Don) Lowery of Golconda
Andy Martin of Chicago
Kathleen Thomas of Springfield
Robert "Bob" Zadek of Rockford
Governor
Democrat
Daniel W. Hynes of Chicago
Pat Quinn of Chicago*
Ed Scanlan of Oak Park
William "Dock" Walls III of Chicago
Green
Richard Mayers of Chicago
Rich Whitney of Carbondale
Republican
Adam Andrzejewski of Hinsdale
Bill Brady of Bloomington
Kirk W. Dillard of Hinsdale
Andy McKenna of Chicago
Dan Proft of Chicago
Jim Ryan of Elmhurst
Robert J. Schillerstrom of Naperville
Lieutenant Governor
Democrat
Mike Boland of East Moline
Thomas Castillo of Elmhurst
Scott Cohen of Chicago
Rickey R. Hendon of Chicago
Terry Link of Waukegan
Arthur L. Turner of Chicago
Green
Don Crawford of St. Elmo
Republican
Brad Cole of Carbondale
Dennis Cook of Orland Park
Matt Murphy of Palatine
Jason Plummer of Edwardsville
Don Tracy of Springfield
Randy A. White Sr. of Hamilton
Attorney General
Democrat
Lisa Madigan of Chicago*
Green
David Black of Belvidere
Republican
Steve Kim of Northbrook
Secretary of State
Democrat
Jesse White of Chicago*
Green
Adrian Frost of Plano
Republican
Robert Enriquez of Aurora
Treasurer
Democrat
Mark Doyle of Chicago
Robin Kelly of Matteson
Justin P. Oberman of Chicago
Green
Scott Summers of Harvard
Republican
Dan Rutherford of Chenoa
Comptroller
Democrat
S. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Hoffman Estates
Clinton "Clint" Krislove of Wilmette
David E. Miller of Lynwood
Green
Erika Schafer of Chicago
Republican
Jim Dodge of Orland Park
William Kelly of Chicago
Judy Baar Topinka of Riverside
Congressional races
Congressional District 6
Democrat
Benjamin Lowe of Wheaton
Republican
Peter Roskam of Wheaton
Congressional District 9
Democrat
Janice D. Schakowsky of Evanston
Green
Simon Ribeiro of Evanston
Morris "Moe" Shanfield of Chicago
Republican
Susanne Atanus of Des Plaines
Joel Pollak of Skokie
Congressional District 10
Democrat
State Rep. Julie Hamos of Wilmette
Elliot Richardson of Highland Park
Daniel J. Seals of Wilmette
Milton Sumption of Lake Bluff
Green
Richard Mayers of Chicago
Republican
Patricia Bird of Mount Prospect
William J. Cadigan of Winnetka
Robert Dold of Kenilworth
Elizabeth Coulson of Glenview
Arie Friedman of Highland Park
Dick Green of Winnetka
Paul Hamann of Lake Forest
Congressional District 8
Democrat
Melissa Bean of Barrington
Jonathan Farnick of Woodstock
Green
Bill Scheurer of Lindenhurst
Republican
Dirk W. Beveridge of Barrington
John Dawson of Barrington
Christopher Geissler of Barrington
Gregory Jacobs of Mundelein
Maria Rodriguez of Long Grove
Joe Walsh of Winnetka
Congressional District 13
Democrat
Scott Harper of Lockport
Republican
Judy Biggert of Hinsdale
Congressional District 14
Democrat
Bill Foster* of Batavia
James Pistorius of Aurora
Green
Daniel Kairis of South Elgin
Republican
Jeff Danklefsen of Geneva
Ethan A. Hastert of Elburn
Randall M. "Randy" Hultgren of Winfield
James "Jim" Purcell of Batavia
Mark Vargas of Elgin
Congressional District 16
Democrat
George Gaulrapp of Freeport
Green
Terry Campbell of Rockford
Republican
Donald A. Manzullo of Leaf River
State Senate
28th District
Republican
John Millner of Carol Stream
Democrat
Corinne Michelle Pierog of St. Charles
22nd District
Democrat
Michael Noland of Elgin
Republican
Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin
State Representatives
77th District
Democrat
Clint Blezien of Bensenville
Republican
Angelo "Skip" Saviano of Elmwood Park
66th District
Democrat
Mark Walker of Arlington Heights
Republican
David Harris of Arlington Heights
65th District
Republican
Rosemary E. Mulligan of Des Plaines
64th District
Democrat
Robert Kaempfe of Crystal Lake
Republican
Michael W. Tryon of Crystal Lake
63rd District
Democrat
Jack D. Franks of Marengo
Republican
John O'Neill of McHenry
60th District
Democrat
Angelo Kyle of Waukegan
Eddie Washington of Waukegan
59th District
Democrat
Elliot Harstein of Buffalo Grove
Cynthia R. Hebda of Vernon Hills
Carol Sente of Vernon Hills
Republican
Mohan Manian of Green Oaks
Dan Sugrue of Green Oaks
57th District
Democrat
Elaine Nekritz of Northbrook
Republican
Richard G. Hamen of Prospect Heights
56th District
Democrat
Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg
Republican
Anita Forte-Scott of Schaumburg
Ryan Higgins of Schaumburg
55th District
Democrat
Gregory C. Brownfield of Bartlett
Republican
Randy Ramey of Carol Stream
54th District
Democrat
Matt Flamm of Palatine
Republican
Suzanne "Suzie" Bassi of Palatine
Thomas R. "Tom" Morrison of Palatine
53rd District
Democrat
Linda Birnbaum of Wheeling
Republican
Sidney H. Mathias of Buffalo Grove
52nd District
Republican
Mark Beaubien, Jr. of Barrington Hills
51st District
Democrat
Steve Riess of Hawthorn Woods
Republican
Ed Sullivan, Jr. of Mundelein
50th District
Democrat
Linda Healy of Aurora
Republican
Kay Hatcher of Yorkville
Bob R. McQuillan of Geneva
Keith R. Wheeler of Oswego
47th District
Democrat
James F. "Jim" Speta of Downers Grove
Green
Bob Mueller of Westmont
Republican
Patricia R. Bellock of Hinsdale
46th District
Democrat
Deborah O'Keefe Conroy of Elmhurst
Republican
Dennis M. Reboletti
45th District
Democrat
Jim Haggerty of Roselle
Republican
Franco Coladipietro of Bloomingdale
44th District
Democrat
Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates
Republican
Billie Roth of Streamwood
43rd District
Democrat
Keith Farnham of Elgin
Republican
Ruth Munson of Elgin 41st District
Democrat
Brian J. Stephenson of LaGrange Park
Republican
Matt Burden of LaGrange Park
Michael Manzo of Oak Brook
Chris Nybo of Elmhurst
Rafael Rivadeneira of Elmhurst
Brien Sheahan of Elmhurst
Cook County
President, Board of Commissioners
Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago, Democrat
Terrence O'Brien, Chicago, Democrat
Danny Davis, Chicago, Democrat
Dorothy Brown, Chicago, Democrat
John Garrido, Chicago, Republican
Roger Keats, Wilmette, Republican
Board of Commissioners
9th District
Peter Silvestri, Elmwood Park, Republican
Carey Capparelli, Chicago, Democrat
Brock Merck, Chicago, Green
12th District
John Fritchey, Chicago, Democrat
13th District
John Michael Keefe, Skokie, Democrat
Larry Suffredin, Evanston, Democrat
14th District
Gregg Goslin, Glenview, Republican
Jennifer Bishop Jenkins, Northfield, Democrat
Patrick O'Donoghue, Northfield, Republican
Kurt "Ike" Eichaker, Barrington, Republican
15th District
Timothy Schneider, Bartlett, Republican
17th District
Victor Forys, Park Ridge, Democrat
Patrick Maher, Orland Park, Democrat
Liz Gorman, Orland Park, Republican
Assessor
Joseph Berrios, Chicago, Democrat
Robert Shaw, South Holland, Democrat
Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall, Evanston, Republican
Clerk
David Orr, Chicago, Democrat
Sheriff
Thomas Dart, Chicago, Democrat
Frederick Collins, Chicago, Republican
Treasurer
Maria Pappas, Chicago, Democrat
Board of Review, 1st District
Dan Patlak, Wheeling, Republican
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Barbara McGowan, Chicago, Democrat
Michael Alvarez, Chicago, Democrat
Mariyana Spyropoulos, Chicago, Democrat
Todd Connor, Chicago, Democrat
Stella Black, Chicago, Democrat
Wallace Davis III, Chicago, Democrat
Teddy Aguilar, Crestwood, Democrat
Maureen Kelly, Chicago, Democrat
Mary Ann Paolantonio Salemi, Melrose Park, Democrat
Kathleen Mary O'Reilley, River Forest, Democrat
Judge of the Appellate Court, First Judicial District (McNulty vacancy)
Deidre Bauman, Chicago, Democrat*
James R. Epstein, Wilmette, Democrat
Ellen L. Flannigan, Winnetka, Democrat*
Arnette R. Hubbard, Chicago, Democrat*
Mary Katherine Rochford, Winnetka, Democrat*
Jim Ryan, Orland Park, Democrat
Kathleen G. Kennedy, Oak Park, Democrat
Judge of the Appellate Court, First Judicial District (O'Malley vacancy)
Frank Edward Gardner, River Forest, Democrat
Pamela E. Hill-Veal, Chicago, Democrat
Thomas L. Hogan, Chicago, Democrat
Mary Katherine Rochford, Winnetka, Democrat
Aurelia Marie Pucinski, Chicago, Democrat
Don R. Sampen, Lincolnwood, Democrat
Judge of the Appellate Court, First Judicial District (South vacancy)
Diedre Baumann, Chicago, Democrat
Ellen L. Flannigan, Winnetka Democrat
William D. O'Neal, Hazel Crest, Democrat
Sebastian T. Patti, Chicago, Democrat
Mary Katherine Rochford, Winnetka, Democrat
Kevin Rogers, Chicago, Democrat
Arnette R. Hubbard, Chicago, Democrat
Judge of the Appellate Court, Second Judicial District (Callum vacancy)
Ann B. Jorgensen, Wheaton, Republican
Kenneth Moy, Hinsdale, Republican
Judge of the Appellate Court, Second Judicial District (Gilleran-Johnson vacancy)
Mary S. Schostok, Libertyville, Republican
Donna Kathryn Kelly, McHenry, Republican
Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County (Berland vacancy)
Deidre Baumann, Chicago, Democrat
William H. Hooks, Flossmoor, Democrat
Bonnie Carol McGrath, Chicago, Democrat*
Kevin J. Murphy, Palos Heights, Democrat*
Susan Kennedy Sullivan, Chicago, Democrat*
Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County (Bronstein vacancy)
Thomas William Flannigan, Winnetka, Democrat*
James Edward Hanlon, Northbrook, Democrat
Terry MacCarthy, River Forest, Democrat*
Diann K. Marsalek, Chicago, Democrat
Kevin J. Murphy, Palos Heights, Democrat
Sharon Finegan Patterson, Chicago, Democrat
John Patrick Nyhan, Northfield, Democrat*
Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County (Dolan vacancy)
Russell William Hartigan, Western Springs, Democrat*
Kevin J. Murphy, Palos Heights, Democrat
Linda J. Pauel, Chicago, Democrat
Susan Kennedy Sullivan, Chicago, Democrat
John Patrick Nyhan, Northfield, Democrat
Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County (Hayes vacancy)
Carl B. Boyd, Chicago, Democrat*
Thomas J. Carroll, Chicago, Democrat*
Bonnie Carol McGrath, Chicago, Democrat
Raymond W. Mitchell, Chicago, Democrat
Kevin J. Murphy, Palos Heights, Democrat
John Patrick Nyhan, Northfield, Democrat
Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County (Kelley vacancy)
John Patrick Callahan, Jr., Western Springs, Democrat
Thomas J. Carroll, Chicago, Democrat
Kevin J. Murphy, Palos Heights, Democrat
Susan Kennedy Sullivan, Chicago, Democrat
Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County (O'Malley vacancy)
Thomas V. Lyons, Glenview, Democrat
Kevin J. Murphy, Palos Heights, Democrat
Melanie Rose Nuby, Chicago, Democrat
Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County (Riley vacancy)
James Michael Bailey, Western Springs, Democrat
Carl B. Boyd, Chicago, Democrat
Thomas William Flannigan, Winnetka, Democrat
Russell William Hartigan, Western Springs, Democrat
Terry MacCarthy, River Forest, Democrat
Kevin J. Murphy, Palos Heights, Democrat
Sandra G. Ramos, Chicago, Democrat
John Patrick Nyhan, Northfield, Democrat
Edmund Paul Michalowski
*Judicial candidates entered in more than one race, must withdraw from all but one race by Nov. 9.
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