In case you missed this in Sunday's Chicago Tribune, here is an intersting article on where the current candidates stand.
Would-be Quigley successors want to 'be like Mike'
by Hal Dardick at 5:45 p.m.
There was a rush “to be like Mike” on Saturday by many of those who want to replace a Cook County Board commissioner expected to soon be elected to Congress.
“In that same spirit as Mike Quigley, I’d like to ask for your support in this office,” said attorney Jay Paul Deratany.
He was one of five would-be commissioners who spoke at a public forum “to get to know the potential candidates for the potential opening,” as organizer Bob Bartell put it. Quigley hasn’t the board left yet, but the Democrat expects to win Tuesday’s election to succeed Rahm Emanuel representing the heavily Democratic 5th Congressional District.
The four other potential candidates at the Truman College forum were Bridget Gainer, an executive at Aon Corp. and former City Hall official; Michele Smith, an attorney and 43rd Ward committeeman; Kimberly Walz, Quigley’s chief of staff; and Michael Hickey, a county electrician.
Quigley made a name for himself as a self-styled reformer and critic of Board President Todd Stroger.
As such, Gainer took on the reform mantel by calling herself “a strong voice for reform.” Smith said the county is “crying out for ethical reform.” Walz said the battle started by Quigley is “not done” and described herself as “somebody who nobody sent” when Quigley hired her.
Hickey, by contrast, vowed to do more to communicate with constituents.The candidates did display differences. Smith and Walz were the only two who outright backed splitting the Forest Preserve Commission off from the County Board.Walz, Smith and Hickey support borrowing $104 million to cover an unfunded county pension liability. Deratany does not, and Gainer cast doubt on the wisdom of such a move.
If Quigley wins Tuesday, committeemen from 11 wards will gather next Saturday to hear pitches from the five candidates—and likely others who did not attend the forum put on by the Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization and NorthSide Democracy for America.
Four committeemen will control three quarters of the closed door vote. One of those is Smith, who said Saturday she has not yet decided who she will vote for and suggested future replacements should be elected.
Here are the names and numbers of the Committeemen involved.Make sure they know how you feel about this upcoming vote.After all , THEY WORK FOR YOU AND YOUR INTERESTS.
ward/ alderman/ phone/weighted vote
(44)- Ald. Tom Tunney 773-472-0444 - 20.54%
(48)- Sen. Carol Ronen 773-726-0480 - 19.94% (19.94%)
(46)- Committeeman Tom Sharpe 773-327-4646 (19.10%)
(43)- Committeeman Michelle Smith 773-661-2133 (17.15%)
(40)- Ald. Patrick O'Connor 773-769-1140 - (8.79%)
(39)- Committeeman Randy Barnette 773-736-5594 - (5.77%)
(50)- Sen. Ira Silverstein - 773-761-0050 (3.79%)
(49)- Committeeman David Fagus – 773- 973-4949 - (2.33%)
(32)- Rep. John Fritchey 773-871-4000 (1.9%)
(41)- Committeeman Mary O'Connor 312-208-0821 (.33%)
(45)- Ald. Pat Levar 773-283-8594 (0.33%)
Good Luck to all the Clean Candidates.
Danny Fernandez
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