Fritchey enters race to replace Emanuel in Congress

State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) jumped into the race to succeed Rahm Emanuel in congress Tuesday.

State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) held her official campaign launch at Northeastern University Tuesday. She has already made hay out of what she says is $300,000 she has raised to become the fund-raising front-runner in the race.

Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley and Ald. Gene Schulter (47th) also say they are in the race, and Ald. Patrick O'Connor -- Mayor Daley's unofficial floor leader -- reportedly is considering jumping in if Mayor Daley will back him.

Schulter said Daley has told him he is staying neutral in the race.

"I'm not endorsing anyone," Daley said Tuesday. "We don't even know who the candidates are as yet. We'll see what happens."

Emanuel's election was secured by Daley's endorsement and the political foot soldiers commanded by the now-convicted former First Deputy Water Commissioner Donald Tomczak.

Asked why he's reluctant to get involved this time, Daley appeared to contradict himself: "First of all, you don't know all the candidates. You have to give them all the opportunity. And also I know all the candidates so well -- each one of 'em," Daley said.

"When I talked to the mayor, the mayor was really emphatic about not getting involved in this race," Schulter aid.

National security expert Justin Oberman, longtime Northwest Side doctor Victor Forys, University of Chicago economist Charlie Wheelan, labor lawyer Tom Geoghegan and others are also in the race.

They all have very little time to raise money and put together a campaign in time for the March 3 primary election.

At her coming-out party at her alma mater Tuesday, Feigenholtz, joined by four fellow state representatives, talked about the projects she had worked on with State Sen. Barack Obama such as insuring children. She did not mention Gov. Blagojevich -- who also championed the cause -- except to complain about the corruption and "Good Ole Boy Network" she said she had to fight in Springfield.

Feigenholtz is the daughter of immigrants from Eastern Europe. Her mother put herself through medical school and impressed upon Feigenholtz the importance of health care as a right, Feigenholtz said.

Fritchey likewise teamed up with Obama to pass ethics legislation. Fritchey is married to a niece of Ald. William Banks (36th) but he is not counting on support from the Banks' ward organization, he said.

Most of these candidates come from the eastern lakefront part of the district which runs from Lincoln Park all the way out to western suburbs such as Melrose Park and Fraklin Park.

Emanuel is leaving to become President-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff.

The district was once represented by Dan Rostenkowski, former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.