JAMES R. THOMPSON will begin his two-year term as governor January 10 following the biggest election win in over a century in the Illinois gubernatorial race. "Big Jim," former chief U.S. prosecutor in Chicago, beat Michael J. Hewlett, who is finishing his term as secretary of state, by more than a 1.3 million vote margin. He won 65 per cent of the vote to Hewlett's 35 per cent in the November 2 general election.
The new Republican governor will have little time to solve Illinois' problems and will have to gain passage of his proposals from a Democratic controlled General Assembly. The Republicans picked up a few seats in the General Assembly, but the Democrats still have strong control in both chambers.
Dixon leads Democrats
The big vote-getter for the Democrats was
Alan J. Dixon, state treasurer, who easily
beat William C. Harris, outgoing Republican leader of the Senate, for the office of
secretary of state. Dixon received 66 per cent
while Harris got only 34 per cent of the vote.
Incumbent Republican Attorney General William J. Scott won reelection over his challenger, outgoing Democratic Senate President Cecil A. Partee, 62 to 38 per cent. But, Scott now takes second spot to Thompson as the top Republican in the state.
Incumbent comptroller. Republican George W. Lindberg, was edged out of reelection by former state superintendent of public instruction, Michael J. Bakalis. Democrat Bakalis received 53 per cent of the vote to Lindberg's 47 per cent in the closest statewide race.
Dave O'Neal, sheriff of St. Clair County, Thompson's GOP running mate, will be the new lieutenant governor. Neither O'Neal nor the incumbent lieutenant governor, Democrat Neil F. Hartigan, had an opportunity to show individual power to get votes, since the governor and lieutenant governor now run as a team in Illinois.
Questions remain
One question that remained after the
election is who would be named to fill the
state treasurer position which Dixon will
leave with two years left in the term. If Dixon
resigns while Dan Walker is still governor, a
Democrat will be chosen and thus give three
executive positions to his party. With the
Democrats filling the secretary of state,
comptroller and treasurer spots, they will
balance the Republicans in the governor,
lieutenant governor and attorney general in
the executive branch.
The 1977-78 term of Thompson as governor is the two-year transition called for by the 1970 Constitution, so that beginning in 1978, Illinois will elect its governor and other executive officers in the year between the presidential election. The change was made so Illinois could concentrate on state issues. It appears that this last year of the state elections being held the same time as the presidential election did not confuse voters. Gerald Ford carried Illinois over Jimmy Carter by a close 51 to 48 per cent, but state offices were split widely in percentages and by party. Carter won the presidency nationwide, and put another theory to rest: that Illinois is a microcosm of the national vote in presidential elections.
Other questions still to be answered are: What happened to Mayor Richard J. Daley's votes and will Walker decide to challenge Thompson in two years?
Statehouse winners
Individual winners in the races for state
representative and senator will be published
in the January Illinois Issues. Other election
results will be included plus a look ahead
at what to expect the issues to be under the
new Thompson administration and the 80th
General Assembly.
In Illinois congressional races, one incumbent, Democrat Tim L. Hall of Dwight (15th District), lost to his Republican challenger Tom Corcoran of Ottawa. The race in the 10th District between incumbent Abner J. Mikva of Evanston, the Democrat, and Republican Samuel H. Young of Glenview was so close it was to be decided by the State Board of Elections' official canvass on November 22. If Mikva wins, the Illinois delegation will put the Democrats ahead 13 to 11; if Young wins the delegation will be evenly split./ C.S.G.
December 1976 / Illinois Issues/5