Home

Search

Browse

About IPO

Staff

Links

Chicago                      

Daley among March winners by backing Stroger and Rosty By MANUEL GALVAN

Just as Chicago has always been critical for statewide and county elections, the city's primaries have usually been reliable tout sheets for the November races. Dawn dark Netsch won or placed in every city ward, making her Republican Gov. Jim Edgar's toughest possible opponent from the field of Democratic candidates. Cook County Board President nominee John Stroger captured a majority of city votes against two popular opponents in the Democratic contest, promising a charge to victory this fall.

Although his name wasn't on the ballot, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley was also a big winner in the March primary. He backed the winning candidates for county board president and the 5th congressional district. In doing so, he shored up his support in the city's African American community and proved that he still has plenty of clout at election time. Black mayoral contenders will have difficulty finding fault with Daley since he came out, so early and sincerely, for Cook County Commissioner Stroger, who in all likelihood will be the first African American president of the Cook County Board. And while it's rarely a surprise when a powerful congressman wins, Daley's support for Rep. Dan Rostenkowski helped make an impressive showing. Not only did the House Ways and Means chairman snare 50.2 percent of the Chicago vote in easily beating three opponents, "Rosty" carried all the city wards in his northwest side district.

Early in the gubernatorial campaign, Illinois Atty. Gen. Ronald Burris had the momentum and Cook County Board President Richard Phelan had the money. But well into the game, Netsch's now famous TV commercial showing her shooting pool like "a regular person" helped launch her past her opponents. Her campaign staff worried that people weren't listening to the state comptroller's message of being "fiscally responsible" and only talking about her shooting pool. The aides weren't as troubled when the last round of polls on the Democratic primary showed that Netsch had taken a commanding lead.

Burris actually won Chicago, carrying 21 wards with 46 percent of the city vote. He lost Cook County by more than 2 to 1 and the state by 10 percent. Phelan, who ran third at all three levels, won only two, Chicago wards, the southwest side 13th and 14th. His biggest humiliation, however, may have been his struggle to get more votes than Lyndon LaRouche candidate Sheila Jones in several African-American wards. Jones beat Phelan in five wards where African Americans are at least 97 percent of the population; the south side 3d, 17th and 34th, and the west side 24th and 28th. Jones' margin of victory ranged from 16 votes in the 17th ward to 64 votes in the 3d. As expected, Burris carried all 20 of the city's African-American wards, where blacks make up at least 55 percent of the population. In addition, he won the Hispanic 22d ward on the southwest side. Netsch took 27 wards, including the Hispanic 25th on the southwest side and the 26th, 31st, 32d and 33d on the northwest side. Phelan, who had made the most concerted effort to win the support of Hispanic elected officials, took second place in the 25th, 31st, 32d and 33d, and third in the 22d and 26th. Netsch's strong showing in the Hispanic community and in African-American wards, where she placed second in every one, signals a very tough race for Edgar in the city.

And while it's rarely a surprise when a powerful congressman wins, Daley's support for Rep. Dan Rostenkowski helped make an impressive showing

34/May 1994/Illinois Issues

In the county board presidential primary, Stroger won 30 wards, including all the African-American ones. Circuit Court Clerk Aurelia Pucinski took 16 wards, including the Latino 26th, 31st, 32d and 33d. County Commissioner Maria Pappas, captured only 4 wards, including the Hispanic 25th. Stroger's only Hispanic win was the 22d ward. He came in third in the remaining five wards, indicating that he needs to build his Latino support for a wide city margin in November.

Rostenkowski, shadowed by a federal investigation for several months, saw nothing but sunshine in his congressional race. State Sen. John Cullerton ran second with 30 percent and former Ald. Dick Simpson ran third with 14 percent. Under the recent redistricting, Rostenkowski's city wards are largely, non-minority ethnic wards, such as the northwest side 36th and 38th, where "whites" account for at least 80 percent of the population. In those two wards, Rostenkowski beat Cullerton by nearly 4,000 votes and outpolled Simpson by more than 6 to 1

In the neighboring 4th congressional district, incumbent Rep. Luis Gutierrez held off a challenge by his old-time ally turned rival, Juan Soliz for a 64 to 36 percent showdown. The pair's pre election debate on Spanish language television was not one of the finer moments in Latino politics, with the two resorting to name calling. Gutierrez, a Puerto Rican, won the majority of wards in his district, including the Puerto Rican and Mexican-American 26th, 31st, 32d and 33d wards. Soliz, a Mexican American, held on to his lead in the Mexican-American 22d and 25th wards.

If you're marking your tip sheet for the November races, look for Edgar to try and win Latino support in the city by reminding voters that he has hired, appointed or promoted some 100 Hispan-ics to state positions, boards and commissions, since taking office. As for Stroger, Rostenkowski and Gutierrez, pencil them in the "sure win" column.

Manuel Galvan is a Chicago-based writer and marketing consultant.

May 1994/Illinois Issues/35