(Chicago, IL) – April 11, 2012. The March 20 GOP primary races for Chicago Republican Ward Committeemen witnessed four incumbent upsets out of 13 contested seats where incumbents were running, and saw a total of 27 new faces enter the GOP committeemen ranks, plus a jump in GOP voters going to the voting booths in Chicago. Continue reading
(Chicago) – April 11, 2012. Tammy Duckworth today took a third swing at GOP opponent U.S.Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL), calling again on him to sign a pledge to reject Super PAC spending in the general election. Walsh has ignored Duckworth’s challenges. Before she won the March 20 primary, Duckworth challenged the Tea Part’s favorite lawmaker … Continue reading
Low turnout isn’t all bad: no lines to vote, quicker returns, and you get to see where the diehard voters reside in each precinct. It also teaches you some new truths. Lesson 1: Chicago Democrats are not the problem for downstate conservatives, it is apparently all Chicagoans. The conservative leadership in Illinois has been preaching about … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 24, 2012. The March 20, 2012 Illinois primary generated a flood of election news and a gusher of new visitors to THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 21, 2012. Races for Chicago Democratic Ward Committeemen witnessed two incumbent upsets out of ten contested seats where incumbents were running and saw four new faces enter the committeemen ranks. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 20, 2012. In a Cook County 8th subcircuit judicial race on Chicago’s North Side, openly gay candidate John Ehrlich is trouncing his opponents in the contest, including two sitting judges, an ex-state representative, and an another openly gay candidate. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 20, 2012. As of 10:20 p.m., some key Illinois Senate primary race results have been settled, with one senator losing her seat. Incumbent State Senators Annazette Collins (D-Chicago) has lost to challenger Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins. Here are current the results for other key senate races: Illinois Senate 5th Democratic: Patricia Van … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 20, 2012. As of 7:44 p.m., some key Illinois House of Representative primary race results are coming in strong, with one incumbent lawmaker losing at this point. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 20, 2012. Lost in the snore-fest that is the Illinois 2012 Democratic and Republican primary election contests in Chicago, is a Green Party of Chicago primary fight. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – Storming Towards Tuesday – State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) is campaigning furiously like someone who wants to win on Tuesday. She is aiming to defeat her Democratic primary opponent, lesbian activist Paula Basta who has mounted a tough challenge. But can she? At summer’s start, Cassidy’s campaign lurched agonizingly and slowly forward, … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 18, 2012. Republicans in suburban Cook County cast 44 percent more Early Voting ballots for Tuesday’s Presidential Primary than during Early Voting in 2008, Cook County Clerk David Orr announced Friday. Continue reading
(Chicago) – March 17, 2012. Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced yesterday that more than 160 teams of assistant attorneys general and investigators will be working on Tuesday, March 20, to monitor the Illinois primary election 2012. Continue reading
Editor’s Note: In this publication’s nearly five-year history of covering Illinois state government, we have had a policy of offering no election endorsements. For the 2012 elections and beyond, that policy has changed. Last month, THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER launched its “Endorsement Project 2012”. We gathered seasoned observers of Springfield to form an “Editorial Board” and … Continue reading
Editor’s Note: In this publication’s nearly five-year history of covering Illinois state government, we have had a policy of offering no election endorsements. For the 2012 elections and beyond, that policy has changed. Last month, THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER launched its “Endorsement Project 2012”. We gathered seasoned observers of Springfield to form an “Editorial Board” and … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — March 13, 2012. State Rep. Derrick Smith (D-Chicago) was arrested Tuesday on charges of accepting a $7,000 bribe to steer a Illinois grant to a daycare facility. The Chicago Democrat’s arrest comes after a three-month investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois. Smith agreed to write … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 12, 2012. A new poll obtained by THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER reveals that among likely Democratic primary voters in Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. has solidified his support and is walloping ex-Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson by 36 percentage points. Governor Pat Quinn, who was likely tipped to the poll results … Continue reading
Editor’s Note: In this publication’s nearly five-year history of covering Illinois state government, we have had a policy of offering no election endorsements. For the 2012 elections and beyond, that policy has changed. Last month, THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER launched its “Endorsement Project 2012”. We gathered seasoned observers of Springfield to form an “Editorial Board” and … Continue reading
Editor’s Note: In this publication’s nearly five-year history of covering Illinois state government, we have had a policy of offering no election endorsements. For the 2012 elections and beyond, that policy has changed. Last month, THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER launched its “Endorsement Project 2012”. We gathered seasoned observers of Springfield to form an “Editorial Board” and … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) – March 11, 2012. Annoyed by ex-U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson’s public campaign for the job of Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary in an effort to box in Gov. Pat Quinn on the decision, Quinn today returned the favor by endorsing Halvorson’s opponent, Jesse Jackson Jr. in their congressional primary battle. Continue reading
Editor’s Note: In this publication’s nearly five-year history of covering Illinois state government, we have had a policy of offering no election endorsements. For the 2012 elections and beyond, that policy has changed. Last month, THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER launched its “Endorsement Project 2012”. We gathered seasoned observers of Springfield to form an “Editorial Board” and … Continue reading