By Paul Czapkowicz
The Lansing Journal
Dec. 3, 2024
Reposted with permission.
Few by frozen few, people who attended a Thornton Township Caucus of the Democratic Party on Tuesday night were let into the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Auditorium.
The slow process of checking people in left them exposed to the frigid weather, and the proceedings were over before some even entered the building.
A line of people stretched from the front door of the auditorium to the sidewalk that runs along Dixie Highway.
a Democratic Party caucus held in Homewood
on Dec. 3. (Photo: Paul Czapkowicz)
“I think this line is crazy, and it’s a discouragement,” said Dolton resident Craig Bryant, who waited in the cold to support current Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard.
He said Henyard has accomplished much as Supervisor and as Mayor of Dolton.
“She replaced fire hydrants,” Bryant said. “She’s fixed up streets.”
Algie Crivens, of Calumet City, also waited to get in and said the process was not fair because word of the caucus was not properly spread to all voters.
“The caucus process works if you let everybody know,” Crivens said.
Some grew impatient waiting in the cold dark night and started to chant, “Let everybody in.”
Those who were able to enter in time saw a slate headed by former NFL player and current Illinois Senator Napoleon Harris gain nomination to the overwhelming support of a cheering crowd.
Harris is looking to supplant Henyard, who strongly objected to the fairness of the proceedings.
“I think this is going to be opportunity for the voters of Thornton Township to actually vote on the slate versus someone being selectively appointed,” Harris said. “So I think it’s a big win for the Township.”
Harris said if elected he hopes to allocate more funds to Thornton Township and provide relief for taxpayers.
“We know the south suburban communities have been hit hard with property taxes,” Harris said.
for a picture after gaining the Democratic Party
nomination for Thornton Township supervisor.
(Photo: Paul Czapkowicz)
Jermaine Horst, of Calumet City, came to support Harris and said he’d never witnessed anything like the event.
“The energy here is unparalleled to anything that I’ve ever seen politically,” Horst said.
He called Henyard’s tenure as Supervisor “messy” and “unprofessional.”
“I know that Napoleon has a heart for the people,” Horst said.
George Grenchik, of Calumet City, said he arrived a little before 7 p.m. and froze outside only to enter a little too late to experience the caucus.
He called it confusing and not quite as advertised.
Grenchik said he was led to believe “as long as you’re a registered voter and Democratic, registered as a Democrat, you could come in and be part of the process.”
Related
- Dems oust Henyard at rare, thunderous caucus
- There are Republicans in Thornton Township; they held the other caucus Tuesday night
NOTE: The Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle is part of the Local News Alliance (LNA), a group of independent news organizations from the South Suburbs, including Harvey, Lansing and Park Forest. One of the ways Alliance members help each other is by sharing coverage of news that is relevant beyond our individual communities. We are grateful to the Lansing Journal for allowing us to republish this article because of its relevance to Homewood.
