CHICAGO—The Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL) today endorsed candidates in the February 5, 2008, Illinois Primary Election who will stand up for working men and women in office and began preparing to get union members and their families to the polls to elect its endorsed candidates.
Delegates to the CFL Committee on Political Education, representing more than 300 affiliated local unions and approximately 500,000 union members in the Chicago area, voted to endorse candidates in the races for Cook County State’s Attorney, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Recorder of Deeds, Board of Review, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Illinois Supreme Court, Appellate Court, Circuit Court, Sub-Circuit Court, and Chicago’s Democratic Ward Committeeman.
“The men and women endorsed today have a record of supporting working families throughout their careers as elected officials or private citizens,” said CFL President Dennis J. Gannon. “Union members throughout Cook County will make sure their union brothers and sisters, families and friends vote on February 5.”
In the race for Cook County State’s Attorney, the CFL endorsed Alderman Tom Allen because of his long record of fighting on behalf of working families as a Public Defender, attorney in private practice, and member of the Chicago City Council where he has served since 1993.
The CFL and its affiliated unions will engage in a political program during the weeks leading up to February 5 including direct mail, phone banks, and volunteers on the streets, among other things, to mobilize union members and their families on behalf of pro-labor candidates.
“Historically, organized labor has been able to register union members to vote and get them to the polls on Election Day in greater numbers than any other group,” said CFL Secretary-Treasurer Jorge Ramirez. “This upcoming election will be no different. Our members will work to support these candidates because of the difference they will make for working families in Cook County.”
All candidates who filed nominating petitions with the Cook County Clerk, or with the Illinois State Board of Elections if their districts encompass Cook County, received a five-page questionnaire from the CFL requesting their position on labor’s most important issues and qualifications for office.
Chicago Federation of Labor
Endorsed Candidates – February 5, 2008 Primary Election
Tom Allen
Cook County State’s Attorney
Dorothy Brown
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Eugene “Gene” Moore
Cook County Recorder of Deeds
Joseph Berrios
Board of Review, 2nd District
Larry R. Rogers, Jr.
Board of Review, 3rd District
Dean T. Maragos
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Kathleen Therese Meany
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Cynthia Santos
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Anne M. Burke
Illinois Supreme Court – McMorrow Vacancy
John O. Steele
1st Appellate – Campbell Vacancy
Alan J. Greiman
2nd Appellate – Burke Vacancy
Debra Walker
Circuit Court – Montellione Vacancy
Terry MacCarthy
Circuit Court – Glowicki Vacancy
Thomas Byrne
Circuit Court – Lott Vacancy
Maureen Ward Kirby
Circuit Court – Healy Vacancy
Michael B. Hyman
Circuit Court – Nowicki Vacancy
Paula Lingo
Circuit Court – Murphy Vacancy
Lauretta Higgens Wolfson
Circuit Court – Disko Vacancy
Marilyn Johnson
Circuit Court – Keenan Vacancy
Joan Powell
Circuit Court – Thomas Vacancy
LaGuina Clay-Clark
1st Sub-Circuit – Turkington Vacancy
Patrick J. Sherlock
3rd Sub-Circuit – Donnersberger Vacancy
Pat Rogers
4th Sub-Circuit – Shultz Vacancy
Stephen Stern
5th Sub-Circuit – Judgeship A
Laura Bertucci Smith
6th Sub-Circuit – Figueroa Vacancy
Anita Rivkin Carothers
7th Sub-Circuit – Young Vacancy
Jamie Shapiro
8th Sub-Circuit – Sheehan Vacancy
John G. Mulroe
10th Sub-Circuit – Morrissey Vacancy
Gerald Patrick Cleary
10th Sub-Circuit – Kowalski Vacancy
Kenneth Fletcher
10th Sub-Circuit – Pucincki Vacancy
Michael John Halloran
12th Sub-Circuit – Devlin Vacancy
Joe Gump
13th Sub-Circuit – Ryan Vacancy
Gary Stanton
13th Sub-Circuit – Tobin Vacancy
James N. OHara
14th Sub-Circuit – Henry Vacancy
Anna Demacopoulos
15th Sub-Circuit – Judgeship A
Bob Fioretti – 2nd Ward Committeeman
Pat Dowell – 3rd Ward Committeeman
Sandi Jackson – 7th Ward Committeeman
Toni L. Foulkes – 15th Ward Committeeman
JoAnn Thompson – 16th Ward Committeeman
Willie B. Cochran – 20th Ward Committeeman
Sharon Denise Dixon – 24th Ward Committeeman
John A. Fritchey – 32nd Ward Committeeman
John Corrigan – 42nd Ward Committeeman
Patrick J. Levar – 45th Ward Committeeman
