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November ballot line-up Republicans Democrats
Governor
*incumbent
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Edgar-Kustra vs. Netsch-Severns; The real surprise for many was the Democratic nomination, which went to Comptroller Dawn dark Netsch, the first female candidate to be nominated for governor by a major party in Illinois' history. She dared to use the dreaded T-word, proposing a raise in income taxes while lowering property taxes. Netsch won over fellow "real" Democrats Atty. Gen. Roland W. Burris, Cook County Board President Richard Phelan and Palos Park attorney James Gierach. The Democrats spent considerable campaign funds declaring that the fifth listed Democrat, Sheila A. Jones, was not a real Democrat, but rather a disciple of political extremist Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr. They are able to claim their money was well spent because no "LaRouchies" won a spot on the ticket, as did Mark Fairchild and Janice Hart in 1986 for lieutenant governor and secretary of state, respectively. While Illinois' governor and lieutenant governor candidates are nominated separately in the primaries, the candidates are a team on the general election ballot. Netsch had indicated no preference among the lieutenant governor candidates, and the winner and Netsch's running mate in November is state Sen. Penny Severns of Decatur, preferred candidate of Phelan. Treasurer Patrick Quinn's statewide name recognition was enough to place him ahead of state Sen. Denny Jacobs of East Moline in the Democratic primary for secretary of state. Republican incumbent Secy. of State George H. Ryan was unopposed in the primary. No longer able to call himself an "outsider" or even the underdog, Quinn has been campaigning against Ryan since last December. For attorney general, it will be Jim Ryan of Bensenville on the Republican side of the November ballot. The DuPage County state's attorney handily defeated Jeff Ladd of Wood-stock, attorney and chairman of Metra, and attorney Themis Anagnost of Chicago. This is Ryan's second try. In 1990 he lost to Atty. Gen. Burris. In November he faces Albert F. Hofeld of Winnetka, a wealthy attorney making his second bid for public office. Hofeld lost to Carol Moseley-Braun in the 1992 primary for U.S. senator. This time Hofeld won in a contest against Chicago attorney Martin J. Oberman for the Democratic nomination. Illinois' next treasurer and comptroller will be women. State Sen. Judy Baar Topinka (R-22, North Riverside) was unopposed in the Republican primary for treasurer, and Nancy Drew Sheehan of Chicago, commissioner for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, soundly defeated LaRouche follower Thomas J. Beaudette of Chicago for the Democratic nomination. For comptroller, the Republican candidate is Loleta A. Didrickson, who was unopposed. She had resigned as Edgar's director of the Department of Employment Security to run for comptroller. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Earlean Collins of Chicago, the assistant minority leader of the Illinois Senate, won in a tight race over Palatine businesswoman Mary Lou Kearns. With a difference of fewer than 9,000 votes, Kearns conceded three days after the election. The other two Democratic candidates for comptroller, Edward Schumann of LaGrange and LaRouche candidate Mark P. Bender, together carried less than 30 percent of the vote. |
Congressional contests:
No incumbent
falls to a primary challenger
In the congressional races, there were few surprises and few upsets. Here are the winners, by district number.
1st District. The nominations were uncontested, and in November Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush of Chicago will face Republican William J. Kelly of Chicago, a small business owner who was arrested last July after heckling President Clinton.
2nd District. In this heavily Democratic district Republicans did not even slate a candidate. Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds of Chicago, who originally won his seat in the 1992 primary by defeating 12-year veteran U.S. Rep. Gus Savage, received nearly 60 percent of the vote over challengers state Sen. William "Bill" Shaw of Dolton, Chicago Alderman Allan Streeter and Irvin Murrell of Chicago.
3rd District. Again, there were no contests. In November, Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. William O. Lipinski of Chicago faces Republican Jim Nalepa of La Grange, owner of a real estate and development firm.
4th District. But in this strongly Hispanic district Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez of Chicago was challenged by former state Rep. Juan M. Soliz of Chicago. Gutierrez won by a 3-to-2 margin; he will face Republican Steven Valtierra, a former Cook County deputy sheriff who most recently worked as an examiner in the Department of Financial Institutions. Valtierra was unopposed in the primary.
5th District. This is still the stronghold of
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Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski — in Congress since 1958. His legal problems stemming from the House Post Office scandal that led to a federal grand jury probe of his finances had five other Democrats kicking at the legs of the throne, and five Republicans vying for the chance to fill the seat should he fall. His biggest challenge came from state Sen. John Cullerton of Chicago, who received 30 percent of the vote. With a little help from the nation's top Democrat, President Clinton, Rosty's popularity (and his ability to bring home the bacon) stood up in the primary. In November the powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee will meet Republican Michael Patrick Flanagan, a young Chicago attorney who has never sought office before. 6th District. Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Henry J. Hyde won his primary overwhelmingly. He will meet Democrat Tom Berry, a railroad conductor from Lombard, who defeated Keith "Jekyl" Petropoulos of Lombard, whose play on names had little effect on voters. 7th District. In November Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Cardiss Collins of Chicago will meet Republican Charles "Chuck" Mobley, a former Chicago policeman who now owns a contracting and development business. |
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8th District. Here the test was to 25-year veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Philip M. Crane of Wauconda, who fought off a serious challenge by state Sen. Peter G. Fitzgerald of Inverness and Palatine businessman Gary Skoien, who lost to Crane in the 1992 primary. Crane will face Democratic nominee Robert Walberg, a stock market analyst from Palatine.
9th District. Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Sidney R. Yates of Chicago won handily over Frank Gardner, vice president of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Observers believe that Yates may find real competition in the November campaign with Republican primary winner George E. Larney of Evanston, a labor mediator with a background in economics.
10th District. Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. John E. Porter of Wilmette again defeated Kathleen M. Sullivan, a conservative Glenview activist who challenged him in the 1992 primary. Democrats had no candidate.
11th District. With Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. George E. Sangmeister's retirement, both parties produced large fields of candidates. Republicans nominated state Rep. Gerald C. "Jerry" Weller of Morris and Democrats chose state Rep. Frank Giglio of Calumet City. State Rep. Clem Balanoff of Chicago and Grundy County state's attorney Dave Neal were close runners-up in the Democratic primary, and New Lenox attorney Robert T. Herbolsheimer came in a close second to Weller.
12th District. In this downstate district, Republican Jan Morris, an attorney from Carbondale, will try to unseat the popular unopposed Democratic incumbent, U.S. Rep. Jerry F. Costello of Belleville.
13th District. In this DuPage County dominated district' Democrat William A. Riley, a businessman and former village trustee in his home town of Woodridge, defeated his LaRouche opponent, George Laurence of Romeoville. Riley will try to unseat unopposed incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Harris W. Fawell of Naperville.
14th District. Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. J. Dennis Hastert of Yorkville had little trouble defeating his challenger, Steven H. Perry of Elgin, in the Republican primary. Unopposed Democratic challenger Steve Denari of Aurora, a management consultant and Perot supporter, has an uphill battle in the strongly Republican district.
15th District. Democrat Paul Alexander, a legislative aide to U.S. Rep. Sangmeister, defeated Gerard Archibald of Urbana and Larry J. Frezek of Champaign to win the right to take on unopposed incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Thomas W. Ewing of Pontiac.
16th District. Without primary contests, in November it's Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Donald Manzullo of Egan against Democrat Pete Sullivan of Roscoe, a personal injury attorney who practices in Rockford.
17th District. Jim Anderson, a salesman for Farmers Grain and Coal in his home town of Aledo, defeated the other Republican candidate, Keith Vollrath of East Moline, farmer and president of a company that manufactures machine tooling equipment. Anderson is challenging unopposed Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Lane Evans of Rock Island in the November election.
18th District. With long-time Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Robert H. Michel retiring, he wants to pass the torch of the Republican stronghold to his chief of staff, Ray LaHood of Peoria. In a race that was predicted to be closer than it was, LaHood won over former state Rep. Judy Koehler of Lacon. Democrats, dreaming of claiming a seat held by Republicans for eight decades, chose G. Douglas Stephens, a Peoria attorney who twice lost to Michel. Coming in a close second for the Democratic nomination was state Rep. Tom Homer of Canton.
19th District. Without contested primaries, the district's November election pits Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard of Marion against Republican Brent Winters of Martinsville, owner of a school curriculum supply business.
20th District. Republican Bill Owens, a construction worker and John Birch Society member, was a surprise winner over Terry Campo, a Springfield attorney who had served as a staff member to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and in various assignments for both Presidents Reagan and Bush. Owens won the right to take on incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Richard J. Durbin of Springfield.
Beverley Scobell
April 1994/lllinois Issues/43
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Sam S. Manivong, Illinois Periodicals Online Coordinator |