Special Election for IL-5

[muon2]

The letter makes it official that Emmanuel is resigning his seat. Blagojevich must now set a date for the special election (A seat that Blago held before Rahm). Here's what Lynn Sweet of the Sun-Times says about the contenders:

Eleven people have filed statements with the Federal Election Commission that they are mulling a run, with more contestants expected. The Democratic primary front-runners so far (the district is heavily Democratic) are state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), Cook County Board member Mike Quigley and former Transportation Security Administration official Justin Oberman.

[Vasall des Midas]

WE WANT BLAGO! WE WANT BLAGO! WE WANT BLAGO!

Rosty would do, too, I suppose.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Blagojevich v. Keyes!

[Gravis Marketing]

Is any of the candidates a true friend of Polonia? (wondering if anyone else remembers that...)

[Keystone Phil]

WE WANT BLAGO! WE WANT BLAGO! WE WANT BLAGO!

Yes. The GOP needs another Cao. 

[So the Heroes Fall]

WE WANT BLAGO! WE WANT BLAGO! WE WANT BLAGO!

Yes. The GOP needs another Cao. 

Cao is another Flanagan. You know the guy who did hold this seat.

And with that, my first post of 2009.

[Lunar]

I have no way of analyzing a House Primary with a dozen different contenders

[Keystone Phil]

Cao is another Flanagan. You know the guy who did hold this seat.

No, I don't know. Enlighten me.

[Nym90]

Cao is another Flanagan. You know the guy who did hold this seat.

No, I don't know. Enlighten me.

The 1994 wave was so big that the GOP actually held a Congressional seat in the city of Chicago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Patrick_Flanagan

[Keystone Phil]

Cao is another Flanagan. You know the guy who did hold this seat.

No, I don't know. Enlighten me.

The 1994 wave was so big that the GOP actually held a Congressional seat in the city of Chicago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Patrick_Flanagan

Oh, how I long for the days of 1994. Flanagan went down pretty hard. So sad that Cao will probably go down just as hard or even worse.

[Vasall des Midas]

Cao is another Flanagan. You know the guy who did hold this seat.

No, I don't know. Enlighten me.

The 1994 wave was so big that the GOP actually held a Congressional seat in the city of Chicago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Patrick_Flanagan

Oh, how I long for the days of 1994. Flanagan went down pretty hard.

The only reason he won in the first place is that Dan Rostenkowski was, well, another Dollar Bill.

[muon2]

Cao is another Flanagan. You know the guy who did hold this seat.

No, I don't know. Enlighten me.

The 1994 wave was so big that the GOP actually held a Congressional seat in the city of Chicago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Patrick_Flanagan

Oh, how I long for the days of 1994. Flanagan went down pretty hard. So sad that Cao will probably go down just as hard or even worse.

And for those that missed it, Flanagan was defeated by none other than Blagojevich. Will Cao draw a challenge with such future notoriety?

[Nym90]

Cao is another Flanagan. You know the guy who did hold this seat.

No, I don't know. Enlighten me.

The 1994 wave was so big that the GOP actually held a Congressional seat in the city of Chicago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Patrick_Flanagan

Oh, how I long for the days of 1994. Flanagan went down pretty hard. So sad that Cao will probably go down just as hard or even worse.

And for those that missed it, Flanagan was defeated by none other than Blagojevich. Will Cao draw a challenge with such future notoriety?

This being N'awlins we're talking about, I wouldn't be surprised.

[muon2]

The election dates are set. The primary is set for Mar 3, and the general on April 7. The Gov followed the suggestions of the Cook Co Clerk and Chicago Board of Elections. April 7 is the municipal election, but it's result is not much in doubt. The letter from Emmanuel was too late to the Gov for them to use the Feb 24 suburban municipal primary date for the primary so that part of the district will have elections on consecutive Tuesdays.

[muon2]

I found a nice page on Prairie State Blue that runs down many of the top contenders.

[muon2]

The Dem committeemen failed to slate anyone for the Mar 3 primary. State Rep. John Fritchey was very close to the needed 50%+1, which suggests some solid ground troop support may be available, even if the endorsement isn't.

[muon2]

An internal poll from Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley gives a look at primary prospects. One big variable is whether or not Alderman Pat O'Connor decides to enter the race. With 55% undecided there's a lot of room for movement.

Without O'Connor:
Quigley: 19%
Feigenholtz: 11%
Fritchey: 8%

With O'Connor:
Quigley: 14%
Feigenholtz: 10%
O'Connor: 8%
Fritchey: 7%

[muon2]

Filing for the special primary closed yesterday. There are 26 candidates before challenges (the link opens a search for the full list). The challenge period runs until next Monday, then those challenges will have to be resolved. There are 15 Dems, 6 GOPs, and 5 Greens at this point.

[Lunar]

http://www.progressillinois.com/2009/1/20/feigenholtz-hit-for-negative-poll

[Holmes]

Kinda sad for the GOP when there's almost as much Green candidates...?

[The Head Beagle]

Is the initial winner immediately the nominee, or is there a runoff if there's no majority?

[cinyc]

The election dates are set. The primary is set for Mar 3, and the general on April 7. The Gov followed the suggestions of the Cook Co Clerk and Chicago Board of Elections. April 7 is the municipal election, but it's result is not much in doubt. The letter from Emmanuel was too late to the Gov for them to use the Feb 24 suburban municipal primary date for the primary so that part of the district will have elections on consecutive Tuesdays.

That doesn't sound promising for primary candidates from the suburbs.  What percentage of the district is in Chicago proper versus the suburbs?

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Is the initial winner immediately the nominee, or is there a runoff if there's no majority?

There is no runoff.

[muon2]

Is the initial winner immediately the nominee, or is there a runoff if there's no majority?

No runoff. The top vote-getter in each party gets the nomination.

[RBH]

like 90% of the IL-5 vote is in Chicago anyways, so it's not a huge loss to hold the primary on 3/3