County candidates begin campaigns with flurry of challenges

Yesterday was the final day for candidates running for office in Cook County to challenge opponents’ petitions or withdraw from the race.

The biggest news, of course, was U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, who backed out of the race for Todd Stroger's job, citing the need for party unity. Then a flurry of high-profile challenges emerged, most notably with Clerk of Courts Dorothy Brown challenging the petitions of County Board President Todd Stroger.

In all, 24 candidates are being challenged, and two – Davis and County Assessor Candidate Andrea Raila – dropped their bids for county office.

There are 62 Democrats running, 23 Republicans and 14 Green Party members vying to stay afloat in the Feb. 2 primary elections.

All the races feature incumbent candidates, except the 12^th district commissioner spot, vacated by Commissioner Forrest Claypool, and the Cook County Assessor’s office, which is currently held by the retiring James Houlihan.

Behold, the candidates:

The petitions of candidates with (C) next to their names are being challenged.

Cook County Board President

Democrats

• Todd Stroger (incumbent) (C)
• Clerk of Courts Dorothy Brown (C)
• MWRD President Terrence O’Brien
• Ald. Toni Preckwinkle

Rep. Danny Davis withdrew his nomination

Republicans

• John Garrido III
• Roger Keats

Green

• Thomas Tresser
• Sean Burke (C)

1^st District Commissioner

Democrats

• Earlean Collins (incumbent)
• Mary Collins (C)
• Chris Harris (C)
• Oddis ("O.J") Johnson (C)
• Adekunle "Ade" B. Onayemi
• Derrick Smith

Green

• Ronald Lawless

2^nd District Commissioner

Democrats

• Frank M. Bass (C)
• Dennis Beninato
• George Blakemore (C)
• Erold Elysee
• Robert B. Steele (incumbent)
• Desiree Grode
• Robert Palmer (C) 

Green

• Michael Smith (C)

3^rd District Commissioner

Democrats

• Jerry “Iceman” Butler (incumbent)
• Ronald Oliver
• Monica Torres-Linares

4^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• William M. Beavers (incumbent)
• Denise Dixon (C)
• Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (C)
• Karen W. Sommerfield (C)

Green

• Joseph A. Barton

5^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• Deborah Sims (incumbent)
• Sheila Y. Chalmers-Currin (C)

Republicans

• Miriam Shabo
• James Thigpen

6^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• John Fairman
• Joan Patricia Murphy (incumbent)
• Nick Valadez

Republicans

• Sandra K Czyznikiewicz 
• Michael Hawkins 
• William R. Moran

7^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• Jesus G. Garcia (C)
• Joseph Mario Moreno (incumbent)

Green

• Paloma Andrade

8^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• Edwin Reyes (incumbent)
• Omar N. Lopez
• Javier "Xavier" Nogueras
• Ariel Rosa

9^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• Cary Capparelli

Republicans

• Peter N. Silvestri (incumbent)

Green

• Brock Merck

10^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• Bridget Gainer (incumbent)
• Kevin W. Graham (C)

11^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• John P. Daley (incumbent)

Republicans

• Carl Segvich

12^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• John A. Fritchey
• Ted Matlak

13^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• John Michael Keefe
• Larry Suffredin (incumbent)

Republican

• Linda Thompson LaFianza
  

Green

• George E. Milkowski

14^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• Jennifer Bishop Jenkins
• Patrick O'Donoghue

Republicans

• Gregg Goslin (incumbent)
• Kurt "Ike" Eichaker (C)

15^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• Jim Steven Dasakis

Republicans

• Timothy O. Schneider (incumbent)

16^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• Eddy Garcia 
• Bill Russ
• Jeffrey R. Tobolski

Republicans

• Tony Peraica (incumbent) (C)
• Brian A. Sloan (C)

Green

• Alex Matos
• Alejandro Reyes

17^th District Commissioner

Democrats

• Victor A. Forys
• John J. Maher (C)
• Patrick Maher
• Donna Sanders (C)

Republicans

• Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman (incumbent)
• Gerald F. Maher
• Mark Thompson

Green

• Richard Dalka (C)
• Matthew J. Ogean
  

Cook County Assessor

Democrats

• Raymond A. Figueroa
• Robert Shaw (C)
• Eugene "Gene" Staples (C)

Republicans

• Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall

Green

• Robert C. Grota

Democrat Andrea Raila withdrew from the race

Cook County Clerk

Democrats

• David Orr (incumbent)

Republicans

• Angel Garcia

Cook County Treasurer

Democrats

• Maria Pappas (incumbent)

Republicans

• Carol A. Morse

Cook County Sheriff

Democrats

• Thomas J. Dart (incumbent)
• Sylvester E. Baker Jr.

Republicans

• Frederick Collins

Green

• Marshall P. Lewis