The tumultuous race for Thornton Township supervisor took another turn early Tuesday, Feb. 4, as Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark announced he was withdrawing his candidacy.
“My unwavering commitment to the City of Harvey and its ongoing recovery demands my full attention, and I believe that prioritizing this effort is in the best interest of our community,” Clark said in his statement. “Harvey’s revitalization is a long-term effort that requires focused leadership, dedication, and resources. At this time, I cannot, in good conscience, step away from this critical work to engage in the dysfunction that currently plagues Thornton Township.”
The township has been embroiled in controversy since shortly after the township board appointed Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard to the supervisor post in March 2022. Her administration has been accused of financial mismanagement and misuse of power in both Dolton and the township.
Clark said the township has been plagued by “mismanagement and lack of transparency at the leadership level along with a troubling erosion of public civility. When discourse is driven by chaos rather than constructive dialogue, and personal agendas overshadow the greater good, the very foundation of effective governance is compromised. … I believe my efforts are best spent ensuring Harvey continues its path to recovery.”
The conflict escalated at the Jan. 28 township board meeting when a fight broke out between Henyard supporters and opponents. Henyard herself charged into the melee. Videos of the fight went viral nationwide.
It was the first meeting with a full board after a three-month stalemate between Henyard and trustees Chris Gonzalez and Carmen Carlisle.
The turmoil has extended to the race for supervisor in the April 1 election.
In a brief caucus held Dec. 3, 2024, in Homewood, the Thornton Township Democratic Party selected state Sen. Napoleon Harris to head a slate of candidates for the township board, leaving Henyard off the ballot. She sued in Cook County Circuit Court to challenge the caucus result, but the suit was dismissed.
The upheaval has contributed to competition for a seat that was previously held for decades by the late Frank Zuccarelli, whose death mid-term resulted in the appointment of Henyard.
Joining the fray was the Thornton Township Republic Party, which also held a caucus on Dec. 3 and has fielded a slate of candidates for the first time in recent memory.
At one point, there were seven candidates trying to get on the ballot for supervisor, including Harris, Clark, Henyard, Nate Fields Jr., Stafford Owens, Sidney Moore and Republican Richard Nolan. Petition challenges knocked Owens and Moore from the ballot.
It appears Harris, Fields and Nolan are the only remaining candidates for supervisor. Henyard could still be in the running as a write-in candidate.
Clark was running as the head of the Reform Thornton Township Party, which included Corean Davis, Rachel Jones, Dominique Randle-El and Jacinta Gholston. It’s not clear whether the whole party slate is withdrawing or just Clark.
