Obama, Clinton try for top spot on state ballot
FEB. 5 PRIMARY | 7 candidates file to run for Cook County state's attorney
White House hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will qualify for the lottery to have their names first on the Feb. 5 Democratic primary ballot in Illinois.
In Springfield and at Cook County Clerk David Orr's office, candidates or their minions camped out early Monday -- some arriving the day before -- in hopes of being eligible for the lottery to determine ballot order.
(AP)
Some voters in a rush tend to vote for the first names on the ballot automatically, or so the candidates hope.
Obama supporters filed 55,000 signatures and Clinton supporters 15,000.
In Chicago, six candidates filed to succeed Cook County State's Attorney Dick Devine. Democrats Ald. Howard Brookins (21st); Ald. Tom Allen (38th); Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin; Devine's deputies Robert Milan and Anita Alvarez qualified for the lottery. County Commissioner Tony Peraica was the only Republican hopeful waiting, so he automatically goes first on the GOP ballot.
Other candidates have until next Monday to file, but they miss the chance at the first ballot spot.
In Springfield, other Democratic presidential campaigns appeared to largely write off the home state of Obama and Clinton, though North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' campaign expects delegates to register for him in most districts. Illinois will send 100 delegates and 19 alternates to the Democratic convention that chooses the party's nominee. Illinois Republicans will file papers for their party's nominees later this month.
Obama had a massive edge among Illinois elected officials running as delegates pledged to him. Office holders supporting the South Side senator filed in just about every congressional district.
Clinton's slate included just four Chicago-area elected officials: Ald. Danny Solis (25th); Ald. George Cardenas (12th), Ald. Bernie Stone (50th) and County Commissioner Joan Murphy.
Naisy Dolar, who narrowly lost to Stone for alderman in April, is at odds with Stone again, this time running as an Obama delegate.
In Chicago, several of the recently-elected aldermen who beat pro-Daley candidates are now trying to take over the Democratic organizations of their wards.
Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th) filed for the committeeman post held by Cook County Commissioner William Beavers, whose daughter Jackson beat for alderman. Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) filed for the 2nd Ward committeeman post held by U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush. Rush and Beavers hadn't yet filed Monday evening.
Deborah Mell, gay rights activist, daughter of Ald. Dick Mell (33rd) and sister-in-law of Gov. Blagojevich, filed to run for the state House on the Northwest Side.
No big-name challenger filed to run against U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. Three Democrats filed to run against U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) and two Democrats filed to take on U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).