Sunday, December 2, 2012
Take the Patch Poll: Does Pat Quinn deserve re-election or would you put another Democrat on the ballot in 2014?
Pat Quinn is so unpopular, according to a recent Public Policy Polling survey, that Lisa Madigan and Bill Daley would easily beat him in a Democratic primary while Kirk Dillard and Dan Rutherford would topple him in the general election. Quinn says he's going to run for re-election in 2014, but as 2012 comes to an end only 25 percent of Illinois voters approve of the job he's doing as governor. Public Policy Polling says 64 percent of voters disapprove of Quinn's performance — "making him the most unpopular governor PPP has polled on anywhere in the country this year." And there seems to be good reason for that. Last week, 24/7 Wall St. published a ranking of all 50 states, and Illinois emerges as the third-worst-run state in America, …
Thursday, November 29, 2012
If the Irish can stack government with family, the Puerto Rican can, too, says Berrios, who has several family members on his assessor's staff and a host of others on county, school and state payrolls.
"In government," says Joe Berrios, Cook County Democratic Party chairman, "people help people." So why shouldn't he help the people named Berrios with government jobs? Berrios believes he's just like President John F. Kennedy — minus the Irish, of course — and entirely justified in putting relatives on the government payroll. The various Berriosi pull in more than $1 million in salary and pension benefits, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. His family members are eminently qualified to hold the various positions he's hired or promoted them into. And, really, you shouldn't question this. As he told the Sun-Times Wednesday: “Look at a great president that we had, President Kennedy. Who’d he appoint attorney general? You know? Same thing…
Sunday, November 11, 2012
A columnist who's covered Jackson since his first days in public office suggests Obama's rise sent Jackson to his downfall.
U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.— who came into Congress bearing the heavy weight of his family name and lofty ambitions — counted Chicago's third airport as a signature issue for the better part of his time in office. And there's been no stauncher advocate for that project than Southtown columnist Phil Kadner. Construction of such an airport would bring much-needed jobs to an area plagued by chronic unemployment, and the airport itself, once realized, would serve as an economic engine for decades to come. So went the mantra. Targeted for a rural area outside the 2nd District until the latest congressional remap put the land into his district, Jackson's pursuit of the airport irritated Democrats and Republicans alike, from Chicago to Will …
Friday, November 9, 2012
Look back on all our Election Day coverage and results.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
South suburban Patch editors published updates and photos from their communities throughout the day Tuesday. Read the transcript to see what went down at polling precincts across the Southland.
Editor's Note: The following is the live blog that ran Tuesday, Nov. 6. You can read the transcript for a look at the updates and photos from Patch editors. Beginning at 10 a.m., Patch will be live-blogging what's happening as voters cast their ballots in the south suburbs, from precincts to parties. At Patch, Election Day isn't just about waiting for results to roll in. Your local editors will be updating this blog throughout the day, posting photos and stories from Southland polling places. Of course, when the polls close at 7 p.m., editors will be monitoring the vote tallies for all the races that matter most to you. The live-blog is also where you can share your thoughts and experiences on Election Day. Tell us what voter turnout is …
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Democrat Kelly Burke tops contest in 36th District State House race against Republican challenger Bob Shelstrom, cruising to second term.
Evergreen Park Democrat Kelly Burke easily cruised to her second term in the Illinois State House, beating Republican challenger Robert Shelstrom of Palos Park. Burke carried Chicago’s 18th, 19th and 21st Ward precincts by 84 percent to Shelstrom’s 15 percent, with all but two precincts counted. In the suburbs, Burke defeated Shelstrom by 64 percent of the vote, with 66 of 72 precincts counted for the Illinois State House’s 36th District seat. Burke, who was headed into Quigley’s South Side Irish Pub in Oak Lawn to celebrate her victory with her family, said she hoped to have the opportunity to continue working to fix the state’s fiscal mess in her second term. “I spent a lot of time on the budget trying to get state’s finances in order,” …
Democrat Fran Hurley defeats her Republican challenger Ricardo Fernandez to win a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives.
Democrat Fran Hurley has emerged victorious in her quest to win the 35th District State House seat against Republican challenger Ricardo Fernandez. Hurley, a longtime 19th Ward aide, bested the Orland Park physical therapist. Hurley won about 83.5 percent of the vote in Chicago and over 54 percent in the suburbs, with just two precincts outstanding. The vote tally stands at 32,256 to 15,218, with 108 of 110 precincts reporting The race has a familiar dynamic seen in many other state legislature races on the Southwest Side: a Chicago Democrat battling it out against a suburban Republican opponent. While she was out campaigning on Tuesday, Hurley told Patch that she was excited about the opportunities the future might hold. "We've been …
Bill Cunningham will move from the Illinois House to the Senate after grabbing more than 20,000 vote over his Republican opponent, according to unofficial numbers Tuesday night.
For the second time in as many years, Democrat Bill Cunningham appears to have defeated Republican challenger Barbara Bellar for a legislative seat downstate. For the 18th District Senate seat, Cunningham took in 55,121 votes, compared to Bellar's 31,741 votes, with 183 out of 192 precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. He currently is the 35th District State Representative. Cunningham thanked the voters, who he believes chose him because of his work in the 35th District. "A number of them were able to look at my record in Spring over the last two years and were pleased with what I did in the House," he said. Cunningham remained largely out of the media spotlight during the primary and general election. When asked by Patch, …
Find out who won and by how much in all your local county and state races.
After what has seemed like an election years in the making, the results are finally rolling in. The above list gives you the results for all your local state and county races. The numbers were complied from the Cook County Clerk's Office and the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Patch has been out and about all day covering area voting and providing updates as the results roll in. Check out our live blog to review all the day's action. Visit our election central page for more information on each candidate and links to all our election stories. Want to keep talking about the election? Like us on Facebook and get the latest local news sent free to your email: Beverly-Mt. Greenwood newsletter and Beverly-Mt. Greenwood Patch on …
McCormick Place is filled with celebration as the race is called.
- ELECTIONS
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Tuesday, November 6, 2012
LIVE from McCormick Place: Patch reports live from the Chicago celebration. Comments on this post are set for pre-publication review.
my opinion
8:50 am on Friday, February 8, 2013
Stop kidding yourselves people. Everyone in Springfield knows that Mike "the maggot" Madigan rules the state. Hey Mike, why won't you let any reporters interview you? Why do you think he got Lisa elected? Smart politics and self preservation, so the State Attorney General's office won't come after him. Lisa must be proud to be his daughter......thanks daddy for making my career. more ›