A.D. Quig

A.D. Quig covers Cook County government, City Hall and the Obama Presidential Center. She joined the Tribune in 2022 after covering politics for Crain’s Chicago Business and The Daily Line.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle presides over a board meeting on Nov. 20, 2025. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Two incumbents fall, appointees hold on in Cook County Board races

March 19, 2026 at 11:36 a.m.

The contested races for the 17-member Cook County Board ended with two established incumbents toppled, three recent appointees surviving outside challenges, and several familiar political names edging out competitors.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle addresses supporters during her primary election night watch party at the Little Black Pearl in Chicago on March 17, 2026. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Pat Hynes defeats Assessor Fritz Kaegi, as Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle wins Democratic primary

March 18, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi conceded to challenger Pat Hynes in the race for the Democratic nomination, while Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle declared victory against challenger Ald. Brendan...

Cook County Board seats in play, with new faces guaranteed among 17 commissioners

March 14, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Up for grabs in primary elections Tuesday are two suburban districts covering much of the Southland and northwest suburbs, and another on the city’s North Side.

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, left, and Lyons Township Assessor Pat Hynes listen as political correspondent Paris Schutz asks a question during a debate for the Democratic nomination for Cook County Assessor at WFLD-Ch. 32, Feb. 18, 2026. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Cook County assessor candidates grapple over the reasons for skyrocketing property taxes

March 13, 2026 at 10:39 a.m.

Assessor Fritz Kaegi and challenger Pat Hynes are fighting for control of the office that sets valuations of more than 1.8 million parcels across the county.

Incumbent Toni Preckwinkle and challenger Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, prepare for a debate at WTTW-Ch. 11 in Chicago for the next term of Cook County Board president on March 3, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Cook County Board president race hinges on whether voters want steady hand or new course

March 11, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Toni Preckwinkle is running for her fifth term. If she’s ultimately successful, she would equal former President George Dunne as the board’s longest-serving leader.

U.S. Senate contender U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi speaks to anchor Paris Schutz during a debate with U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on Feb. 16, 2026, at WFLD-Ch. 32 in Chicago. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)

US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi raises millions for Illinois Senate bid as fundraising draws scrutiny

March 10, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s prowess at raising campaign cash not only gave him an early, dominant presence in the Senate race but also has made him one of Washington’s most...

The biggest drops in property tax collection countywide were in areas where the median household income was below $50,000. That includes Englewood and North Lawndale, shown here in 2025, where collections fell by just over 3%. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Property tax collection rates drop in Chicago neighborhoods with big bill hikes

March 9, 2026 at 4:18 p.m.

Residential property tax collections fell in 11 of the 13 community areas with the highest tax increases in 2024.

People walk past City Hall in Chicago’s Loop on Feb. 12, 2026. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago credit downgraded, which will mean higher borrowing costs

February 26, 2026 at 4:06 p.m.

Two ratings agencies have downgraded the city of Chicago and kept their negative outlooks intact, citing the city’s back-to-back budget shortfalls since 2023.

Workers finish installing words from from President Barack Obama’s speech marking the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march, on the exterior of the Obama Presidential Center Museum building on Feb. 17, 2026, (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Obama Foundation readies for uncertainty of development near presidential center

February 26, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Can the Obama Presidential Center stick to its guiding principle of attracting investment and helping longtime South Side working-class neighbors build wealth without pushing them out?

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas speaks during the Cook County Democratic Party primary slating at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers hall on July 17, 2025, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

Cook County tech company says it will not talk to Treasurer Maria Pappas due to ‘abuse’

February 25, 2026 at 2:15 p.m.

The decree comes as Tyler Technologies and the treasurer’s office attempt to work through the final stages of a troubled decade-long property tax technology upgrade.

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