From the Chicago Sun-Times:
Unknowns run for top spots
December 18, 2001
BY DAVE MCKINNEY SUN-TIMES SPRINGFIELD BUREAU
SPRINGFIELD--Prospects grew Monday for a hotly contested GOP campaign for lieutenant governor and a hard-fought Democratic race for attorney general as the filing deadline for the March primary passed.
Rep. William O'Connor (R-Riverside) officially made his bid for lieutenant governor, while Democrat John Schmidt filed paperwork to take on state Sen. Lisa Madigan (D-Chicago) for the state's top law enforcement post.
While both of those moves had been expected, a flood of last-minute stealth candidates for governor and other statewide offices caught leaders from both parties off guard and created immense logjams at the top of each ticket.
Monday was the last day for candidates to submit signatures to the State Board of Elections for a spot on the March 19 primary, which features contests for governor, other statewide offices and legislative and county races.
The Democratic campaign for governor swelled with the filings of Rebecca A. Sankey of Chicago, Wesley A. Pettifer of Joliet and Sohan P. Joshi of Chicago. They join U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich, former Attorney General Roland Burris, former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas and former Comptroller Michael Bakalis.
A Republican--Lloyd C. Abbott of Bartlett--added his name to that party's list of gubernatorial hopefuls, leaving four candidates in that field. State Sen. Patrick O'Malley (R-Palos Park), Attorney General Jim Ryan and Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood had already filed.
In the lieutenant governor's race, O'Connor--who is Wood's running mate--filed alongside Republicans Chad Koppie of Gilberts and Robert N. Oberg of Chicago. They join a GOP field that already included Jack J. McInerney, Charles G. Owens and Sen. Carl Hawkinson (R-Galesburg), who is Ryan's running mate.
On the Democratic side for that same post, Chicagoans Joyce Washington and Amie Parisi-Blaszynski filed Monday. Democrats already vying for lieutenant governor are Michael Kelleher and former Treasurer Patrick Quinn.
And in the U.S. Senate race, Joseph Martyniuk of Bensenville and E. Johnson-Hunt of Evergreen Park filed as Democrats in a bid to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin.
"This is extremely unusual," Gregg Durham, a spokesman for state GOP chairman and House Minority Leader Lee Daniels, said of the sudden wealth of political unknowns. "A full moon, that's the only thing I can think of.''
There are five days to file objections to nominating petitions, and some of those filing Monday may lack the required 5,000 signatures for a spot on the ballot.
That didn't diminish the political intrigue as Republicans openly questioned whether the cast of newly filed Democratic candidates might include followers of extremist Lyndon LaRouche. "I'm hearing rumors about it,'' Durham said.
Two of LaRouche's disciples pulled off surprise wins in 1986 in the Democratic primaries for secretary of state and lieutenant governor. But Democrats dismissed the possibility of a repeat.
"It's curious how the Republicans know these things,'' said Steve Brown, a spokesman for state Democratic chairman and House Speaker Michael Madigan. "They seem to have their own avalanche of candidates."
A LaRouche party spokesman could not confirm whether any candidates had been placed in statewide races.
For a full list of candidates who have filed, check the Chicago Sun-Times Web site at suntimes.com.
Highlights of the 2002 Illinois primary
U.S. SENATE
Republicans
John Cox, Chicago
State Rep. Jim Durkin, Westchester
James Oberweis, Aurora
David Russell Jacobson, Chicago
Democrats
U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, Springfield
Joseph Martyniuk, Bensenville
E. Johnson-Hunt, Evergreen Park
GOVERNOR
Republicans
State Sen. Patrick O'Malley, Palos Park
Atty. Gen. Jim Ryan, Elmhurst
Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood, Lake Forest
Lloyd C. Abbott, Bartlett
Democrats
U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich, Chicago
Former Atty. Gen. Roland Burris, Chicago
Former Chicago Schools CEO Paul Vallas, Chicago
Former Comptroller Michael Bakalis, Darien
Rebecca Sankey, Chicago
Wesley Pettifer, Joliet
Sohan Joshi, Chicago
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Republicans
State Sen. Carl Hawkinson, Galesburg
Jack J. McInerney, Chicago
Charles Owens, Henry
Chad Koppie, Gilberts
Robert Oberg, Chicago
State Rep. William O'Connor, Riverside
Democrats
F. Michael Kelleher, Normal
Former Treasurer Pat Quinn, Chicago
Joyce Washington, Chicago
Amie Parisi-Blaszynski, Chicago
SECRETARY OF STATE
Republicans
Kris Cohn, Rockford
Kenton Manning, Pawnee
Democrats
Secretary of State Jesse White, Chicago
TREASURER
Republicans
Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, Riverside
Democrats
State Rep. Tom Dart, Chicago
COMPTROLLER
Republicans
Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell, Chicago
Ana Cecilia Velasco, Springfield
Democrats
Comptroller Dan Hynes, Chicago
U.S. HOUSE
Unchallenged
Five incumbents face no primary or general election opponents: Democrat William
O. Lipinski and Republicans Judy Biggert, U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert,
Tim Johnson and Ray LaHood.
Biggest battles
There are two major primary battles, in the 5th and 4th districts. The winner
in these mainly Democratic districts is favored to win the primary.
The open seat in the Chicago-based 5th District is the marquee race and it attracted five Republicans, eight Democrats and two Libertarians.
Candidates who have already been campaigning are Democrats Rahm Emanuel, a former Clinton White House senior adviser, former state Rep. Nancy Kaszak and former Clinton administration staffer Peter Dagher.
The others who surfaced Monday are Democrats Stanley Niziolek, Paul Rauner, Mark Fredrickson and Joseph Slovinec. Republicans are Mark Augusti, Gene Koprowki, Tom Hanson, William Hurley and Eugene Urbaszewski. Libertarians are Frank Gonzalez and Matt Beauchamp.
Second District
The name game is being played among Democrats in the 2nd District where U.S.
Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. faces Yvonne Christian-Williams (fielded by the Shaw
organization, Jackson's nemesis), Anthony Williams and another man by the name
Jesse L. Jackson, no relation to the congressman and who could not be located.
Fourth District
Democrat U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez faces a well-financed challenge from lawyer
and fundraiser Martin Castro. Also running as a Democrat is John Holowinski
and Libertarians Maggie Kohls and Martin Pankau.
Sixth District
U.S. Rep. Henry J. Hyde has a GOP challenger, Tom Rubin.
Seventh District
U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis has no primary.
Eighth District
U.S. Rep. Phil Crane has no GOP primary but faces a contest from Democrat Melissa
Bean.
Ninth District
Incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky has a primary opponent, Richard
Benedict Mayers, but no Republican challenger.
Tenth District
U.S. Rep. Mark Steven Kirk has no GOP primary and will run against Democrat
Henry Perritt Jr. In the 11th, Rep. Jerry Weller has no GOP primary.
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections