Looking for a safe bet in an unpredictable election year?
Illinois Statehouse incumbents who represent the Homewood-Flossmoor area are as close as you’ll get to sure things on the ballot in 2016.
Democrat Toi Hutchinson, who represents Flossmoor in the Illinois Senate’s 40th District, is unopposed in the March 15 primary, and no Republicans have filed to take her on in November’s general election.
That’s also the case for Democratic Illinois Representatives Will Davis and Anthony DeLuca. DeLuca, of the 80th District, represents most of Flossmoor. Davis, of the 30th District, represents most of Homewood and a small portion of Flossmoor. Neither have opposition in the primary or general election.
Voters, of course, will have a number of other choices on next month’s primary ballot. The likely main event is the contest for U.S. president. Six Democrats and 11 Republicans are currently on the Illinois ballot. Voters can also pick convention delegates for their favorite candidates.
Beyond that, the March ballot will include races on the state, county and local level.
In a referendum, Homewood District 153 residents are being asked to approve additional funds for the school system. The H-F Chronicle has already reported extensively on the District 153 referendum and will continue to do so through Election Day.
Two local residents are seeking prominent offices and hope to pass their first test in the primary.
Napoleon Harris, of Flossmoor, is one of three candidates running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. senator from Illinois. Harris is currently a state senator – his district includes Homewood – but he is not running on the state level this year. The other candidates are Andrea Zopp and Tammy Duckworth. Incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk, a Republican, is running for re-election; he is being challenged in the primary by James Marter.
Kim Foxx, also of Flossmoor, is seeking the Democratic nomination for Cook County state’s attorney. Foxx is former chief of staff to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. The other candidates are incumbent Anita Alvarez and Donna More. The only Republican candidate for state’s attorney is Christopher Pfannkuche.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly is facing three challengers in her re-election bid for the 2nd Congressional District seat. They are Marcus Lewis, Dorian Myrickes and Charles Rayburn. John Morrow is the sole Republican candidate seeking the 2nd District seat.
Democratic presidential candidates in the March primary are (in ballot order) Hillary Clinton, Willie Wilson, Martin O’Malley, Roque De La Fuente, Larry Cohen and Bernie Sanders.
Republican presidential candidates are Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, John Kasich and Ben Carson.
Four other presidential primaries – in Florida, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio – are also slated for March 15. Super Tuesday, with primary contests in 14 states, takes place March 1.
Second Congressional District delegate candidates in the Democratic presidential contest are: Timothy Bradford (Clinton), Lisa Dugan (Clinton), Jaylin McClinton (Clinton), Leslie Hairston (Clinton), Al Riley (Clinton), Toi Hutchinson (Clinton), Frank Zuccarelli (Clinton), Donna Miller (Clinton), Michael Holmes (O’Malley), James Patton (O’Malley), Gregory Washington (O’Malley), Kenneth Franklin (Sanders), Linda Jennings (Sanders), Jonathan Williams (Sanders), Tanya Watkins (Sanders), John Willard (Sanders), Ndidi Okakpu (Sanders), Carl Camacho (Sanders), Laura Ortega (Sanders) and Susan Garza (Sanders).
Second District delegate candidates in the Republican contest are: Jamie Boyd (Bush), Michael Bossert (Bush), Jeff Keast (Bush), Pleas Honeywood (Christie), Jeffrey Schimke (Christie), Karen Sommerfield (Christie), David Smith (Cruz), Michael Hildebrand (Cruz), Lance David (Cruz), Taneequa Tolbert (Trump), Rita Gaus (Trump), James Devors (Trump), Douglas Hoekstra (Fiorina), Charon Bryson (Fiorina), Quinton Barton (Fiorina), Judy Diekelman (Kasich), Jayne Raef (Kasich), Joseph Burgess (Kasich), George Pearson (Carson), Desaree Oliver-Pearson (Carson), Ceasar Leflore (Carson), Jay Farquhar (Rubio), Judy Ogalla (Rubio), Kurt Diekelman (Rubio), Anthony Raczek (Paul) and Pedro Solis (Paul).
One state office — the comptroller’s post left vacant by Judy Baar Topinka’s death in December 2014 — is on the primary ballot. At stake are the final two years of Topinka’s term. Republican Leslie Munger, appointed to the post by Gov. Bruce Rauner last year, is seeking the post. Susana Mendoza is running as a Democrat. Both are unopposed on the primary ballot.
Besides the state’s attorney’s race, two other Cook County contests are on the primary ballot.
Three Democrats are vying for the clerk of the Circuit Court nomination: incumbent Dorothy Brown, Jacob Meister and Michelle Harris. Diane Shapiro is unopposed on the Republican side.
Incumbent Karen Yarbrough is seeking another term as county recorder of deeds. She is unopposed on the primary ballot. No Republicans filed for the office.
