House Majority Leader Barbara Currie
(Chicago, IL) — December 3, 2009. Democratic state representative candidate Ann Williams has scored a major political boost for her campaign to win the 11th district House seat being vacated by John Fritchey on Chicago’s north side.
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago) and Deputy Majority Leader Lou Lang (D-Skokie)–the number two and three leaders respectively in the Illinois House–have endorsed Williams’ candidacy.
“Ann Williams knows how the state legislature works, she knows most current lawmakers, and she knows her voters, “said Lang, who is also the Executive Vice President of the Cook County Democratic Party. “She has knocked on more than 1,500 doors in the district and she knows the number one issue is–jobs.”
In addition to Currie and Lang, Williams has also snagged the support of State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), State Rep. Karen May (D-Highland Park), State Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook), State Senator Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest), State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora), and State Senator Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston).
Ann Williams
Williams, an attorney and a state government lobbyist, is a former staffer to House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
The high-profile endorsements make Williams a powerful contender in the Democratic primary whose other candidates include civil rights attorney Ed Mullen and former Cook County assistant state’s attorney Dan Farley, son of former State Senator Bruce Farley (D-Chicago), who has been endorsed by Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypoll and backed by powerful 47th Ward Alderman Eugene Shulter.
Scott Tucker is seeking the Republican nomination.
Williams is holding a kick-off fund-raiser at John Barleycorn, 658 W. Belden in Chicago tonight, Thursday, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Gov. Pat Quinn
I guess this means she has abandoned her positioning as the “independent” democrat. Do we really need another political insider lobbyist in elected office? I offer a real choice for independence and reform to the voters of the 11th district. http://Www.voteedmullen.com.
Posted by Ed Mullen | December 3, 2009, 4:51 PMEd,
As you know, Currie, Lang, Schoenberg are progressive lawmakers. Being endorsed by incumbent legislators hardly questions “independence”. If you win, you have to work with your colleagues.
David
Posted by David Ormsby | December 3, 2009, 5:42 PMI certainly agree that you need to be able to work with your colleagues and I have been working as a community advocate with legislators for years. But in the speech I heard her give, she said as a badge of honor that she was an outsider who was not being supported by elected officials. She can’t have it both ways depending on which audience she is talking to.
Posted by Ed Mullen | December 3, 2009, 5:52 PMI don’t know Ed Mullen from Adam, but Currie and Lou Lang are loyal foot soldiers of Speaker Madigan (let alone Curie). It’s really hard to envision one of their candidates standing up to Madigan on issues like gerrymandering or truly limiting the power of party leaders (by the way, anyone notice how Madigan has been running multiple “dummy” candidates in contested districts to ensure his guy wins — so much for those campaign finance limits on the party leaders during the primaries).
Posted by Rusty | December 26, 2009, 2:58 PMSorry, I meant let alone May and Nekritz (who like to fly under the radar).
Posted by Rusty | December 26, 2009, 2:59 PM