Race To Replace Meeks Attracts Five Candidates

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Dec 10, 2011 8:30PM

When state Sen. Rev. James T. Meeks announced last month that he would retire from the state senate, it opened up a seat in the 15th district that hasn't been open since 2003. Five candidates have already jumped into the race for Meeks old seat and have filed to run in the Democratic primary on March 20, 2012. As of yet, there are no Republican candidates on the horizon. The candidates include:

• Patricia Mahon, who is the village administrator for South Holland.


• Donna Miller, who works in the healthcare industry. Her husband David Miller is a former state representative, who ran unsuccessfully for state comptroller.


• Marquise Alston, who is a member of Meeks' congregation at Salem Baptist Church.


• Napoleon Harris, who is a former NFL linebacker.


• Joe Letke, who we couldn't find much information on.

This is already shaping up to be one of the 2012 races to watch. Meeks has been an influential public figure, whose activist reach went far beyond the 15th District. Meeks had been mulling retirement and said in an April WLS-AM interview it was "probably time to concentrate on the church and give them that kind of exclusivity that I was willing to give the office of Mayor."