2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumRace on to fill Jesse Jackson Jr.’s seat
A former NFL linebacker and Rod Blagojevich's lawyer are among those possibly chasing the Congressional seat
BY SARA BURNETT, AP
The jockeying to replace Jesse Jackson Jr. began before the ink was dry on the former congressmans resignation letter.
Among those expressing an interest: Chicago aldermen, a former NFL linebacker and a defense attorney who represented R&B singer R. Kelly and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
But as the field of would-be successors grows to a dozen or more names one of whom may be another member of the Jackson family party leaders and political analysts say a stampede of candidates could pose risks for the Democratic stronghold. Spread the field of candidates too thin, they say, and it becomes easier for a more conservative candidate or anyone else party leaders dont want to pull off a win.
The possibility so worried Democratic Congressman Bobby Rush, a close friend of the Jacksons, that within hours of the resignation he had these words for anyone thinking of running: Cool your jets.
My fear is that there is going to be so many wannabes blinded by ambition that we could find a tea party (candidate winning), he said during a news conference. That would be a travesty.
more:
http://www.salon.com/2012/11/23/race_on_to_fill_jesse_jackson_jr_s_seat/
mucifer
(23,558 posts)I hope the right one gets in and we don't have Todd Stroger or Jesse Jr's wife who is on city council and hasn't gone to a city council meeting in months. There is some local ugly stuff that goes on here in Chicago.
I'd love to see Toni Prekwinkle in congress. But, she is the president of Cook County board and she is doing a great job cleaning up some of the mess Todd Stroger and his father left and we need her here in Chicago doing that. Here's hoping that the right person gets the seat. I'm hoping it will be a strong African American voice because that is the makeup of much of the district.
I really don't believe it will go to a tea partier.
former9thward
(32,064 posts)IL-2 is a 85% African-American and a 90% Democratic district and it will never elect a "tea party candidate" no matter how many Democrats run in the primary. There will only be one Democrat who wins the primary and the Republicans will not even field a candidate. I suspect Rush has his own candidate and that is why he wants others to "cool your jets".