Aldermanic races around the city are heating up, with candidates getting kicked off the ballot, charges of intimidation, and packed fields of contenders. With less than six weeks until the municipal election, we check in on some of the races with DNAInfo Chicago reporters Casey Cora, Stephanie Lulay, and Heather Cherone.
11th Ward: Patrick Daley Thompson, nephew of former mayor Richard M. Daley and grandson of Richard J. Daley, is running to represent the ward that includes the family’s Bridgeport roots. He’s facing off against community activist Maureen Sullivan, who’s been hit by a sticker campaign over a personal bankruptcy filing, and law student John Kozlar.
12th Ward: Incumbent Ald. George Cardenas looks set to run unopposed after union activist Pete DeMay got kicked off the ballot. DeMay says he plans to challenge the ruling.
25th Ward: Incumbent Ald. Danny Solis is facing off against four candidates: Robert “Beto” Montano, his former chief of staff, CPS teacher Ed Hershey, community activist and Socialist Jorge Mujica, and UIC instructor Byron Sigcho. Solis was forced into a runoff in his last election, and the large field of challengers’ means that could happen again this time around.
27th Ward: Gabe Beukinga’s run against Ald. Walter Burnett has seen drunken emails, dozens of subpoenas, and involvement from aldermen who once represented the ward. Though Beukinga has been challenged as a candidate, a hearing officer last week recommended that he stay on the ballot.
28th Ward: Ald. Jason Ervin faced seven challengers, but they’ve all been bumped from the ballot after an Austin resident who once worked for Ervin’s campaign challenged their candidacies.
38th Ward: The 38th Ward has a packed field of candidates hoping to replace retiring Ald. Tim Cullerton, whose family has held the seat since the 1970s. He originally said he wouldn’t endorse a candidate, but ended up backing 100 Club of Chicago COO Heather Sattler, who is a family friend.
39th Ward: Ald. Margaret Laurino has been in office for two decades, and her father held the seat for nearly 30 years before her. She’ll face architect Robert Murphy and retired educator Joe Laiacona, after a third challenger was removed from the ballot.
41st Ward: Ald. Mary O’Connor will face Chicago firefighter Anthony Napolitano after a bid to get him off the ballot failed – a bid Napolitano says O’Connor was behind. She’ll also be running against business owner Joe Lomanto.
45th Ward: Ald. John Arena has been a thorn in Mayor Emanuel’s side. Attorney Michael Diaz says though he entered the race at the urging of a consultant who’s advised Emanuel, he’s not running at the mayor’s behest. Diaz is one of three candidates trying to knock off Arena.
