Illinois gears up for voting

Kim Foxx (pictured) is the incumbent for State’s Attorney. Photo courtesy of Kim Foxx’s campaign
Kim Foxx (pictured) is the incumbent for State’s Attorney. Photo courtesy of Kim Foxx’s campaign

Illinois gears up for voting

Election season is upon us. And, while early voting began on Monday, March 2, the big day for Illinois voters is set for Tuesday, March 17.

The Presidential race on the Democratic side started with 20 candidates. After Super Tuesday, March 3, there were four candidates left, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Tulsi Gabbard and Bernie Sanders. Some speculated that it would be a two-person race, with Biden and Sanders emerging as favorites and that Warren would end her run. By Thursday, March 5, Warren did just that, ending her campaign, leaving Biden and Sanders as front-runners .

Former candidates, Beto O’Rourke, Amy Klobuchar, Michael Bloomberg and Pete Buttigieg threw their support behind Biden. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Marianne Williamson decided to endorse Bernie Sanders.

According to Pew Research, based on a survey conducted January 2020, Biden topped the list for the Democratic nominee.

“In addition to support among older Democrats, Biden continues to receive strong support from black Democrats. Overall, 36 percent of black Democrats name Biden as their first choice,” the survey found.

State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is being challenged by Democrats Bob Fioretti, Bill Conway, Donna More and Republicans Patrick W. O’Brien and Christopher Pfannkuche.

Candidates for Clerk of Circuit Court of Cook County include Richard Boykin, Michael Carbonargi, Iris Martinez and Barbara Ruth Bellar.

Candidates for Supreme Court of Illinois include Nathaniel Howse, P. Scott Neville, Cynthia Cobbs, Sheldon Harris, Daniel Epstein, Jesse Reyes and Margaret Stanton McBride.

Congressional incumbents Bobby Rush and Danny Davis saw newcomers with community activists and organizing backgrounds as challengers. Kina Collins and Anthony Clark are challenging longtime Congressman Davis for the District 7 seat. Ameena Matthews and Robert Emmons, Jr., are challenging Rush for the District 1 seat. Robin Kelly is being challenged by Marcus Lewis for the District 2 seat.

Endorsements

The Citizen is endorsing Joe Biden for President. As Vice President during the Obama Administration, Biden helped formulate policy that assisted in removing the troops from Iraq and worked with Republicans to help the administration pass laws for tax relief and job creation, in response to the Great Recession. Biden has run on a platform of building a middle class, something which has dwindled under the current administration. He has also said he will bring back dignity to America, something needed with the current divisiveness and vitriol that is present.

The Citizen is endorsing incumbents Robin Kelly for the District 2 seat; Bobby Rush for the District 1 seat; and Danny Davis for the District 7 seat.

Robin Kelly has been in Congress since 2013. Prior to that, she was in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2002 to 2007. During her time in Congress, Kelly has advocated for Illinois families. She introduced the Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness Act (MOMMAS), which establishes programs to address maternal mortality in the United States, including expanded coverage under Medicaid for pregnant and postpartum women. And, she continues to encourage people to be counted in the Census 2020.

Bobby Rush has been in Congress since 1993. During that time, he has brought resources to the community and advocated for the rights of citizens. Recently, he introduced the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, which was passed in the House of Representatives. He has also championed science and innovation as part of the House Committee of Energy and Commerce. He was also instrumental in bringing a Congressional Field Hearing to Englewood to discuss Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis in 2019. Rush has been instrumental in The University of Chicago receiving $5 million in National Science Foundation funds.

Danny Davis has been in Congress since 1996. Davis served as Alderman of the 29th Ward and as a Cook County Commissioner. Davis is the chairman of the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee on the House Ways and Means Committee. Davis announced that the subcommittee would hold a hearing on Combatting Child Poverty in America. Davis also announced the tax credit for College Students, the American Opportunity Tax Credit provides up to $2,500 a year of the out-of-pocket cost of tuition. And, qualified education expenses, which includes books, supplies and equipment needed for courses of study. It would be paid during the taxable year for the first four years of college.

The Citizen is endorsing State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. Foxx has been the State’s Attorney since 2016. During her first term, she has championed criminal justice reform and reduced the number of pre-trial detainees. Her reforms have become a national model for other State’s Attorneys to implement. In February, Pastors from the South and West sides gathered to endorse her.

The Citizen is endorsing Richard Boykin for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Boykin, known as the Cook County Commissioner who voted to repeal the sugar tax, is known for being an independent progressive

in the Democratic party. Boykin is an attorney who has worked for Congressman Rush, Congressman Davis and former Senator Carol

Moseley Braun. He wants to expand access to justice by utilizing technology, which includes digitizing files and making documents accessible remotely. He also wants to forgive fees and fines and enact automatic expungement for those who have their charges dismissed.

The Citizen is endorsing Justice Cynthia Y. Cobbs for Supreme Court of Illinois. She was appointed as a justice on the Illinois Appellate

Court by the Supreme Court of Illinois in 2015. Cobbs was the first African American to serve as a senior judicial law clerk on the state’s highest court. In that position, Cobbs reviewed litigation for trial errors committed by attorneys. She was also the first African American and female to serve as Director of the Illinois Courts. In this position, she worked closely with the Supreme Court justices and oversaw all state court operations. She was instrumental in developing E-filing in Trial Courts, E-access to Trial Court Records and Emergency Preparedness Plans in Illinois Courts.

Among other candidates endorsed are: Monica M. Gordon for State Senator of the 40th District; Kimberly Neely Dubuclet, Frank Avila and Deyon Dean for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioners; Sharon

O. Johnson for Judge of the Appellate Court; James T. Derico, Jr. for Judge of the Circuit Court; Tyria B. Walton for Judge of the First Subcircuit; Nichole C. Patton for Judge of the 15th Subcircuit; Sondra Nicole Denmark for

Judge of the Second Subcircuit; and Celestia Mays, Jennifer Patricia Callahan, Teresa Molina, Sheree Disiree Henry and Lloyd James Brooks as Judge of Circuit Court.

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