The Race is On!

Today marked the end of the filing period for the 2010 elections, and it confirmed the good news for my race that I am unopposed in the Democratic primary.

It also confirmed more bad news for my opponent, the incumbent Commissioner Gregg Goslin, that he has not one but TWO challengers from within his own Republican party. And he is a twelve-year, three-term incumbent. Quite a few Republicans have expressed to me and others their deep dissatisfaction with the incumbent's lack of leadership, and his frequent support for Todd Stroger.

He has other challenges as well, as he has said publicly that he believes Cook County government is well run.

I want to extend profound thanks to those who have already been helping me with my campaign. You know who you are, and there aren't words for how deeply it impresses me that there are people willing to volunteer and work so hard just to try to make a change in public office -- to try to genuinely make the world a better place.

I am fascinated by how this race is shaping up in the 14th District for the Cook County Board. There is a somewhat unspoken rule in politics that incumbents are generally left alone in their own party's primary. The battle is usually on the challenging party's side, or if the seat is open.

But the opposite seems to be true for this race. Why?

In the Democratic primary, it certainly was not because there weren't any other Democrats interested in the seat. There were two very fine, highly qualified and talented men. I honor them for their interest in public service, will lean on them for advice, and appreciate very much their choice for party unity behind the candidate they felt had the best chance to win.

We all share a deep love for Cook County, a strong commitment to better government and better ideas, and a committed clarity regarding the need to bring significant change to the County Board. And we all share the strong conviction that 2010 is finally the year for putting the 14th District Commissioner seat into independent, effective, and committed Democratic hands.

In the tradition of former Cook County Commissioner, now Congressman Mike Quigley, I am a reformer who will work tirelessly to clean up the patronage and waste machine, and I will work to bring the best ideas to the diverse residents of this great but all-too-troubled community.

In the Republican primary, the reason this race has taken the course it has seems pretty clear. Many Republicans agree with me that it's time to make a change toward much more competent leadership.

It is time for my opponent, like other incumbents who have had years on this Cook County Board to make some fundamental changes but who have not been able to lead for any significant changes, to retire.

UPDATE: After a ballot petition signature challenge between the two Republican challengers on the ballot against the incumbent, one of them has been removed by a challenge from the other. Now there is only a two-way battle for the Republican nomination.

The incumbent has had a long time to try to make a difference for a better Cook County. Instead, he continues to govern over the status quo, very often supporting Todd Stroger. Goslin has a relatively undistinguished record and has not been able to lead for grossly needed reform. His challenger is young with little experience and represents a fairly extreme political point of view that is out of step with the mainstream of 14th District voters. I welcome this debate.