April 27, 2011
"MOTHER'S MILK" FUELS O'CONNOR'S WIN IN 41ST WARD
Onetime California political boss Jesse Unrun famously remarked that "money is the mother's milk of politics." In the heated 41st Ward aldermanic runoff, Democrat Mary O'Connor had more political lactose than loser Maurita Gavin, who was backed by outgoing Republican Ald. Brian Doherty. In the 5-week campaign, O'Connor, the ward's Democratic committeeman, had 8 mailings, three of which were negative, blaming Gavin for the ward's supposedly lousy services, and ripping her for opposing an Inspector General for aldermen. Gavin had only one mailing. O'Connor outraised and outspent Gavin by 2-1. O'Connor ran slightly better in her Edison Park base than did Gavin in Oriole Park. Turnout was down by 6,000 from 2/22. O'Connor won by just 250 votes. The 41st Ward will be reconfigured in the upcoming remap.The Doherty-McAuliiffe machine has been supplanted by the O'Connor-Mulroe machine. Full Article...
April 20, 2011
GARRIDO'S 28-VOTE LOSS ATTRIBUTED TO SLEAZY, NEGATIVE ASSAULT IN 45TH WARD
To lose an election by a minuscule 28 votes, as John Garrido did in Chicago's 45th Ward aldermanic race on April 5, is painful beyond belief. That's a half-a-vote per precinct. But Garrido has one consolation: His adversaries, the SEIU, other Chicago union PACs, and winner John Arena, spent over $450,000 to beat him. And they did it with a sleazy, disingenuous and negative campaign, falsely claiming that he was opposed to collective bargaining rights, supported privatization, and was going to be a "partisan Republican alderman." The result was 6,080-6,052, and Garrido lost because Arena deftly hung the yoke of George Bush around his neck, undercutting his ability to expand his base. Arena claims he will be an "independent alderman" and is "not beholden" to the unions -- who delivered cash for staff and mailings -- that elected him. We'll see. "I won't rule out a rematch" in 2015, said Garrido. Full Article...
April 13, 2011
SPOSATO'S WIN STUNS 36TH WARD'S "B-D BOYS"
Unlike the Spanish Inquisition, Democratic precinct captains in Chicago's 36th Ward, where the "B-D Boys" -- the Banks-DeLeo Machine -- have reigned supreme for a generation, don't need whips, chains or decapitation devices to subjugate and control their voters. They simply make it abundantly clear that a "wrong" vote will not go un-noticed and unpunished. Voters quaked in fear of their precinct captain, who had God-like power over their access to city services. On April 5, the B-D Boys got punished and neutered. In a stunning upset, firefighter Nick Sposato thrashed Banks' ex-driver and appointed successor as alderman, John Rice, and it wasn't even close (56.3%). Sposato won 41 of the ward's 55 precincts, with over 70% in 7, and over 60% in 17. Bye-bye to the B-D's. Rice got 2,365 fewer votes on 4/5 than on 2/22. His 4,378 is half of Banks' 8,291 in 2007. The 36th Ward Democrats' alleged ties to Organized Crime was an issue. The B-D Boys' defeat leaves a huge power vacuum on the NW Side. Sposato will likely challenge Banks for committeeman in 2012. Full Article...
April 6, 2011
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL HORDE EYES 2012 ILLINOIS PRIMARY
Illinois' 2012 presidential primary has been relocated, and possibly revitalized. In 2008, it was set on Super Tuesday, the first Tuesday in February, along with 18 other state primaries. It's now the third Tuesday in March, the customary date for the state's primary. In 2012, the Democratic primary is irrelevant. Ohio U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich may challenge Obama, to no avail. But the later Illinois primary will have a serious, if not profound, impact in the Republican contest. Illinois' Republicans are "moderately conservative," not gung-ho Tea Partiers. A late Illinois victory for a mainstreamer like Romney, Barbour or Pawlenty would be a game-ender, but a triumph by a social conservative like Palin, Huckabee, Gingrich or Trump would be a game-changer. Full Article...
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