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Chicago Gets Googled
Just yesterday we were speculating over who would replace outgoing Senator Barack Obama who has a new job. Now we turn our attention to the departing Rahm Emanuel, who even though he was just reelected to his U.S. House seat on Tuesday, is leaving Congress to become Chief of Staff in the Obamistration. Governor Blagojevich, who seems to have plenty on his plate already, will have to set a special election to fill Congressman Rahm's seat (unlike with the Senate seat, where Blago is allowed by law to name a successor). FYI - Rahm holds the same seat (5th District reprezent!) Blago did before he bolted in '02 to become governor. The law requires the special election be held if there is more than 180 days until the next election (in this case, it is - 2 years, actually) and the election must be set within 5 days of the official vacancy.
So who is lining up to take Rahm's place? Early contenders look to be:
- Ald. Thomas Allen (38th)
- State Rep. John Fritchey
- Deborah Mell (daughter of Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) and Blagojevich's sister-in-law) even though she was just elected to the State House of Tuesday
- Red Wings hater Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley
- Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool
- My dog, Franklin Roosevelt
Seeing as how I live in the 5th District and therefore have a vested interest in who is elected to replace Rahm, I'd like to invite anyone who officially declares their candidacy (i.e., secures his/her name on the ballot) to stop by Chicagoist HQ for an interview and to tell us why you'd be the best person for the job.
Image from Rahm Emanuel's website
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When are Tony Paraica and Jim Oberweis throwing their names in the running?
Actually, I swear i saw somewhere that Oberweis says he's done running for office.
Tom Allen. Imagine getting aced out of State's Attorney when a bunch of other white guys decide to run, then stumbling into a Federal spot. That would be insane.
Oh no! Cutest dog ever! However, I don't know if he's qualified for federal office. That picture is so sad with the head gear.
He's my Rep as well. I heard a Tammy Duckworth rumor - i'm actually OK with that. I dig her - Rahm moved in from out of state for this seat, she can move in from the burbs.
My nominee is Kathy the waitress from LeSabre. She also works for Greg Harris and at the farmers market on the weekends. The woman knows the 'hood. She's good people.
I nominate a rabid wolverine on some bad meth after being kicked in the jimmies.
Sure, it would be a more relaxed congressman, but we'd get used to it.
Daley. Just to see him work it out somehow where he can be mayor AND a congressman.
Oh, and your dog looks like a good listener. He would feel my pain, I believe. So, yeah, I second the nomination. Do I hear a third?
Franklin's strength is his thorough knowledge of tax code; weakness is a lack in foreign policy experience and a tendency to chew things he shouldn't.
That said, he's running on a controversial pro-cats platform.
Yes We Canine.
Interestingly, Franklin and Sarah Palin have the same weaknesses.
(Sorry ... I know it's over, but I had to get in one more somewhere.)
Anyone know if the Greens are gonna take another shot? Looks like Augustson's already moved on after his loss--he's trying for FEMA Administrator--after moving on from his Presidential campaign.
I was going to vote for Franklin until I heard about his pro-cat stance...
Come on, Joe. He's pro-steak!
Forrest Claypool looks like Kevin Spacey. Or Kevin Spacy looks like Forrest Claypool.
Okay, I haven't head anyone mention the Green Party's candidate, Alan Augustson - http://augustson2008.us/, in the mix to contest for this office in the special election.
Surely, some chicagoist readers are one of the 9,000 people that voted for the only candidate in the 5th who supports guaranteed healthcare coverage for 100% of the people living in the U.S. (via a Canadian style Single Payer system) - something by the way that will cost the economy a fraction of the costs of our current private system.
What are the views about seeing Alan win this race?
-Dorian Breuer
@dbreuer
Look up the page a bit and you'll see that I mentioned him. At that point, when I checked his page, it no longer mentioned anything about the campaign for the 5th. Instead, it featured a banner and pitch to be FEMA Administrator. It appears that now that the 5th post is back up for grabs he has switched back to the banner for the House seat.
I really can't see him winning when he was only able to pull 9K and noone appears to know he's out there.
Oops, missed your comment, sorry bunnybear!
I agree, as with all Green Party candidates, his major task is to make himself known to all the voters - and eligible but non-voters (still the majority) - in the district. A huge task.
It is the task that any principled, grassroots campaign must accomplish - electoral or issue campaign.
Alan and Green Party candidates refuse to cozy up to extremely wealthy private interests in their districts (or states, or the nation) and so with out easy campaign resources, they rely on dedicated patriots to see through the media blackout and work towards real, structural and substantive change (rather than mostly just the sentiment of change).
But there are two questions we can talk about here: 1, who is likely to win or 2, who should win based on the public interest of the people in the district being talked about.
If your conversation is just about who may win, I don't think you're engaging in important public discourse and dialog. That conversation is more like what horse will win the Arlington Cup.
But discussing who would be the best candidate for the people of the 5th district, that, to me, would be engaging in truly helpful public dialog.
And in that vein, for example, I would ask: isn't it true that for the likely thousands of residents in the 5th district who suffer not having any or enough health care coverage, isn't the best candidate for them the one that will push for their interests in guaranteeing quality, effective health care, such as with a Single Payer system?
And I can virtually guarantee you that the only candidate in the special election that will be pushing for that will be the Green Party candidate.
I doubt any of the Democratic Party candidates thus far offered will push for a Single Payer system when the Party and most candidates receive direct and indirect funding and support and lobbying from private, for-profit health insurance corporations and HMO's.
Is there agreement on this?
Thanks for the mention, guys.
Here's a copy of the press release I sent out yesterday...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
AUGUSTSON "WILL PROBABLY" FIGHT AGAIN FOR EMANUEL'S SEAT
CONTACT:
Alan Augustson
Green Party Candidate
U.S. House of Representatives
Fifth District of Illinois
www.augustson2008.us
===
With Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL-05) vacating his House seat to become President-Elect Barack Obama's chief of staff, and with an army of Democratic soldiers clamoring for his seat, his Green Party challenger announced today his willingness to contend for it as well.
Alan Augustson, 44, an economist and management consultant, said that he had spent the day consulting with friends and party officials, and "will probably" begin campaigning in earnest as soon as Gov. Rod Blagojevich announces the date of the Special Election.
"It may be even more important to run now, than it was in November," said Augustson. "(Sen.) Obama has been moving steadily back to the center since he won the Democratic nomination, and the choice of (Emanuel) as chief of staff now places him on the right of the spectrum. That's not indicative of the change we've been promised."
Augustson's top issue? "The economy, naturally. Both Obama and Emanuel supported a bailout bill that won't create one job, nor will it protect the pensions or healthcare or retirement plans of our working people and retirees. Any economic stimulus plan that doesn't create jobs and protect benefits, will amount to more subsidizing of billionaires while we continue to lose everything."
Retirees and homeowners, in particular, figured highly in Augustson's priorities. "I foresee widespread default on seniors' retirement and healthcare plans, as their former employers continue to go under. Somebody's got to be in Washington to make sure they're protected. Homeowners in my district are already bleeding; they're bearing too much of the tax burden. Now, no economic recovery is going to be tax-free, but I'm determined that it will be fair."
Augustson's turnout on Election day amounted to 8,981 votes, or about 4% to Emanuel's 73.9%. "Not bad, for a guy with a zero budget and no media coverage," Augustson laughed. "The people who voted for (Emanuel) last time, were voting for Barack Obama. Now they need to vote for themselves. Tough times are coming, and everyone who isn't fighting for their rights will lose them."
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Alan Augustson is an economist, statistician and management consultant living in Chicago. He is running for Congress for the Green Party, on a platform centered around job creation, through the expansion of mass transit and aggressive alternative-energy and infrastructure investment.
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