A retired clown, an ex-congressman with a checkered past, a Lutheran pastor, a former Chicago cop, a teacher and a college professor are among the challengers seeking to replace area U.S. House members in Washington.
Only one incumbent whose district includes part of the south and southwest suburbs, Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), faces opposition in the March 16 primary. Three others–Republican Jerry Weller and Democrats William Lipinski and Bobby Rush–are unopposed in the primary, but face challengers in the general election.
Incumbent Republican Judy Biggert also has a general election opponent. A potential primary opponent was denied a ballot position and vowed a write-in challenge, but has done little campaigning.
Jackson, 39, the son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, has represented the 2nd Congressional District in the south suburbs and on Chicago’s South Side since 1995. He faces three primary challengers, including the man he succeeded in Washington.
Former Rep. Mel Reynolds, 52, who represented the district for three years before resigning in 1995 amid charges of having sexual relations with an underage campaign worker, wants his old seat back.
Also running are the Rev. Anthony Williams of Dolton, a social activist and pastor of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Chicago’s Englewood community, who is making a second run for the seat, and former Chicago police officer Everett Shumpert of Harvey.
Reynolds, who subsequently was convicted of misusing campaign funds, said he is counting on a groundswell of support to upset Jackson at the polls. He has “paid his debt to society” and wants voters to judge him on his record as a congressman, not on his personal mistakes, Reynolds said.
“The bottom line is no one ever said Mel Reynolds didn’t do a good job in Congress,” he said.
Jackson, by virtue of having been “born with a platinum picket sign in his mouth,” is detached from the district’s rank-and-file residents, Reynolds charged. “In the 8 1/2 years he’s been in Congress, he’s done nothing to improve economic conditions within the district,” Reynolds said.
Jackson defends record
Jackson points out that he has obtained more than $330 million in federal grants and appropriations for district improvements, including $5.8 million in federal assistance to bring fresh drinking water to economically depressed Ford Heights and $2.5 million for suburban police departments.
Jackson, who contends that his political nemesis, Dolton Mayor William Shaw, is behind Reynolds’ campaign, also points to improvements in Metra service and the public-private partnership he has put together in support of building an airport near Peotone.
“The congressman’s record speaks for itself,” said Jackson spokesman Rick Bryant.
No Republicans are running for the 2nd District seat, although a candidate could be slated after the primary.
Among the suburbs partially or entirely within the district are Blue Island, Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Dolton, East Hazel Crest, Flossmoor, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Lansing, Matteson, Midlothian, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Peotone, Phoenix, South Holland, Thornton and Tinley Park.
Biggert of Hinsdale is seeking her fourth term in the 13th District, which takes in parts of DuPage, Will and Cook counties. Her write-in opponent is architect and construction manager Bob Hart of Naperville. His name was scratched from the primary ballot for lack of sufficient valid signatures on his nominating petitions.
The lone Democrat running for the seat is Gloria Schor Andersen, a social science teacher from Naperville.
Focus on November
With no challengers in the primary, Weller, Lipinski and Rush are concentrating on the November election.
Weller, a five-term incumbent whose 11th District includes southern Will County, will take on Democrat Tari Renner, an Illinois Wesleyan University political science professor.
Lipinski, an 11-term incumbent, will face a political unknown, Republican Ryan Chlada of Cicero. His 3rd Congressional District comprises all or parts of 15 southwest suburbs in Cook County, including Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Chicago Ridge, Worth, Willow Springs and Summit.
Rush, a six-term incumbent representing the 1st Congressional District, faces perennial Republican candidate Ray Wardingley of Chicago. Wardingley, who has earned his living as a professional clown and an actor in television commercials, is making his third attempt to unseat Rush.
The district includes Alsip, Calumet Park, Crestwood, Dixmoor, Midlothian, Posen and Robbins and parts of Blue Island, Evergreen Park, Oak Forest and Tinley Park.
