Stroger woos churchgoers as Peraica works the streets
Todd Stroger spent Sunday tapping into the power of the pews.
Church after church -- seven in all -- provided the base for the Democrat's final day of campaigning in hopes of being elected Cook County Board president Tuesday.
Tony Peraica, meanwhile, took his word to the street, as the Republican challenger walked Milwaukee Avenue, shaking hands with shoppers and those on bar stools watching the Bears game.
Sunday's activities were a symbolic close to a campaign that has shown two vastly different candidates: Stroger relying on organized support from churches, labor unions and political machines to lead him to victory, while Peraica is primarily self- funding his campaign and receiving scant help from pastors, politicians or machines.
Still, polls have shown it could be the closest big race in the state.
"We're on the cusp of an historic victory here in Cook County," Peraica said.
The crowd at Salem Baptist Church said otherwise.
The Rev. James Meeks, who also is a state senator, invited Stroger, Gov. Blagojevich and Democratic state treasurer nominee Alexi Giannoulias to his church Sunday. Applause for Stroger began even before Meeks could say his name.
"I can see the finish line, I can see the light," Stroger said, "and I feel good about it."
Many voters believed him and nominated his father, John Stroger, over Forrest Claypool in the Democratic primary, though John Stroger later resigned, and party leaders picked his son to replace him on the ballot.
Peraica hopes to tap into the voter anger over that process.
"This is our chance to have a second bite of the apple," Peraica said. "It didn't work out with Forrest Claypool. Here we go again."
Stroger, meanwhile, is relying on big guns to power him over the finish line, as Democratic U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama are set to rally for Stroger tonight.