Could Quigley's win be Stroger's as well?

With Cook County Commissioner Michael Quigley's victory in the Democratic primary for the Fifth Congressional District, the Cook County Board could lose a voice that has often served as a vocal opponent to President Todd Stroger and sometimes as the tiebreaking vote against Stroger's legislation.

The question that has political observers scratching their heads, if Quigley wins the general election in April and leaves the county board, is whether Democratic committeemen would appoint another Quigley-like independent to the county board or a Stroger loyalist.

The answer comes down to three ward committeemen who, if they all agree, can nominate the next board member: Chicago Alderman Tom Tunney, 46th Ward committeeman Tom Sharpe and 43rd Ward committeewoman Michele Smith. None could be reached Wednesday.

Quigley will face Republican Roseanna Pulido and the Green Party's Matthew Reichel in the April 7 election.

If he wins, Quigley's county board successor would be chosen by weighted vote of committeemen whose districts fall within Quigley's county district. Although the Democratic Party didn't immediately release those weighted vote totals Wednesday, longtime North Shore politician Jim Houlihan, the Cook County assessor who backed Quigley for Congress, said he estimates Tunney and Sharpe control about 20 percent of the weighted vote each, with Smith providing enough to nudge the three of them over 50 percent.

Where their loyalties lie is difficult to tell. Quigley is friendly with Tunney, but Tunney owes his aldermanic seat to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who is brother to Cook County Finance Chair John Daley, a typical Stroger ally. Smith is a wild card, too. Sharpe likely can be counted on for a regular Democratic vote.

Some possible names being touted for the seat include Quigley's current chief of staff, Kim Walz; his former chief of staff, Jennifer Koehler: former Rahm Emanuel adviser John Borovicka; former state Sen. Carol Ronen, or any of the candidates Quigley defeated for the Congressional seat.

Though the general election looms, the Fifth Congressional District has almost always gone to the Democratic Primary winner. One exception was Dan Rostenkowski's loss, which came only after repeated newspaper stories alleging Rostenkowski mismanaged postage funds for his Congressional office. He later went to jail on related charges.