Political Strategist Gives Insight on Elections

Delmarie Cobb began her business, The Publicity Works, in 1990, after working on The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Presidential campaign in 1988. Since then, she has worked on Presidential and Congressional Campaigns. Photo provided by Delmarie Cobb.
Delmarie Cobb began her business, The Publicity Works, in 1990, after working on The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Presidential campaign in 1988. Since then, she has worked on Presidential and Congressional Campaigns. Photo provided by Delmarie Cobb.

 Political Strategist Gives Insight on Elections

By Tia Carol Jones
Delmarie Cobb has been working in politics since the late 1980s. Her first campaign was Rev. Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign in 1988. At the time, she served as the National Travelling Press Secretary. She started her business, Publicity Works, in April 1990. Prior to working in politics, she was a television reporter for 10 years.

Cobb believes her work as a reporter was instrumental in the political work she does. It has given her the advantage of knowing how the media thinks. A skill that has been useful in preparing her clients for debates, interviews and news conferences. Cobb’s father worked at the Board of Elections for 30 years, so she grew up hearing about politics.

Cobb also worked on the campaign for David Orr, who prior to running for Cook County Clerk, was the 49th Ward Alderman. After the success of that campaign, she opened her office in 1990. She went on to work on Bobby Rush’s Congressional campaign in 1992. At the time, he was the 2nd Ward Alderman. Her third campaign was Jesse Jackson, Jr. in the special election for Congressman in 1995. She also worked as Hilary Clinton’s Illinois Press Secretary in the 2016 Presidential Election.

Cobb said she worked with those candidates because of two barometers she uses: What have you done for the Black community?  What is your history with the Black community? She added, everybody has a record – a history.

Cobb said as voters, people need to go deep into issues. As for her, she votes her aspirations, what she would love to see the world look like. She considers herself a progressive. “All progressive is, is a reflection of your values that you want everyone to succeed. You want to lift up everyone, you want equity for everyone,” she said.

Cobb always wanted to work on a Chicago Mayoral Campaign. She knows city politics inside and out. She would’ve loved the opportunity to ensure a Mayoral candidate was talking about the right issues and help to shape public policy.

Cobb thinks today’s political landscape has gotten to a point where there is a case of extremes. The Chicago Mayoral Race was a prime example of that, with two Democrats -- one conservative and one progressive – running for office. Nationally, there is the same kind of conservative politics happening. Cobb was hoping to see as many progressive elected officials in Aldermanic seats in the city as possible.

On a local level, Cobb has seen the political landscape change. She said Black people are not voting in the numbers they were previously. She said about 1.5 million people are registered voters, with a 30% voter turnout, and when it comes to Black voters, the numbers are even less.  Unfortunately, the Black middle class that were voting, are the same population that is leaving the city.

Cobb believes that people should connect the dots and understand what is at stake.  “Somebody can’t get elected if everybody doesn’t vote,” she said, adding parents should take their children when they vote so they can see their parents vote.
Cobb founded the Ida B. Wells Legacy Committee, a Political Action Committee, as a result of the 2016 Presidential Election.

 She realized since 2008, Black women have increased in voting and it was important for Black women to be out in front. The goal of Ida’s Legacy is to raise money to get progressive African American women candidates in office.

“We’ve carried everybody else’s water, it’s time for us to start carring our own water,” she said. “If you look at Black women throughout history, we’re the backbone of everything, we’ve been there for everything. There’s not a movement in this country that did not have Black women as the backbone and the infrastructure.”

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