A group of independents announced plans Sunday to challenge the slate of candidates endorsed by the Cook County Democratic organization in the party`s primary next March.
Fielding the alternative slate is a coalition called Citizens for Reform County Government, organized by West Side political activist Richard Barnett. Meanwhile, Cook County Board member Daniel O`Brien announced his candidacy for re-election outside the locked doors of Democratic Party headquarters in the Bismarck Hotel.
The alternative candidates have received the support of Ald. Danny K. Davis (29th), who said the ”slate is not the mayor`s” but he expects the mayor to eventually endorse the candidates.
”The time has come to say enough to the back room deals by a few power brokers who believe the Democratic Party is their private preserve,” Davis said Sunday morning. ”We are here today to say unequivocally that the days of business as usual are over.”
The coalition has slated five candidates for the Cook County Board representing the city–Hyde Park activist Sid Ordower; West Side teacher Bobbie Steele; Jerry Butler, a South Side singer and businessman; Lilia Delgado, a city telecommunications administrator; and Michael W. Scott, deputy director of the mayor`s office of special events.
Current board member Jeanne P. Quinn, of Oak Park, who decided to challenge Cook County Clerk Stanley T. Kusper rather than seek re-election, also will appear on the independent slate.
O`Brien and four other incumbent board members were dumped by organization slatemakers earlier this week and replaced by three incumbent aldermen whose re-elections are endangered by the city`s new ward boundaries. ”I don`t think the Cook County Board should be used as a dumping ground for the Chicago City Council or as a golden parachute for men who can no longer get elected as aldermen,” he said.
Barnett`s group also slated three candidates for seats on the Metropolitan Sanitary District board. They are ErtharinCousins, a West Side lawyer; Lee Botts, a Northwestern University research associate; and David Slavsky, a Loyola University natural science professor and demographer.
Although money to finance the campaign will be scarce, Barnett said,
”This is a real grass-roots group of candidates who will go door to door to the people. That`s what wins a campaign. I`ll take the people over the money any day.”
A group of Hispanic leaders announced plans Sunday to seek the support of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Catholic archbishop of Chicago, for a citywide voter registration drive.
”The influence of Cardinal Bernardin on unregistered Hispanics will be significant in the next election,” said Ron Maydon, a board member of the Mexican-American Political Association. According to Maydon, Hispanics represent only 6.5 percent of all registered voters in Chicago.
