Cook County interim president's race heats up; With John Daley's exit, 3 candidates jockey for votes, and maybe Claypool, too

Daily Herald

July 7, 2006

By Rob Olmstead

Normally, you put something into an engine to supercharge it. In the case of the Cook County Board, it was the removal of one candidate for interim president that supercharged the race.

The news Wednesday that Commissioner John Daley was taking himself out of consideration pushed the number of candidates from two to four in less than 24 hours.

Commissioner Bobbie Steele, a Chicago Democrat, stayed in the race and hosted a news conference Thursday with the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. backing her bid.

But added to the mix was Republican Carl Hansen of Mount Prospect, who announced he was jumping in, as did Chicago Democrat Mario Moreno. Chicago Democrat Forrest Claypool - who narrowly lost the Democratic primary in March for president - wasn't officially throwing his hat into the ring Thursday, but several other commissioners reported that he is now actively seeking support.

"The situation's changing, literally, on the half-hour," said Chicago Democrat Mike Quigley.

An interim president is needed until the electorate picks the next president in November because current President John Stroger fell ill with a stroke in March.

Current county board members pick the interim president from among their own ranks.

Steele's morning news conference was designed to give the impression she had things locked up, but two commissioners she cited as supporting her didn't personally express the same level of commitment as she did on their behalf.

"I wouldn't say it's a lock," said Commissioner Debra Sims of Chicago. "I'm still eating popcorn on the sidelines."

And while he expressed respect and friendship for Steele, Daley didn't promise his vote, either.

Steele does have the support of Democratic commissioners Roberto Maldonado and Joan Murphy. Evanston Democrat Larry Suffredin, who hosted Steele in the Evanston Fourth of July parade Tuesday, said he expected to vote for her, but he noted that if there's a deadlock with several rounds of voting necessary, that could change.

Suffredin could be put in a difficult position, because most of his district voted for Claypool.

Hansen is expected to get the five Republican votes on the board, but his support is questionable beyond that. Republican Commissioner Tony Peraica said that if Hansen doesn't win, he would support Claypool, who holds similar no-tax-increase philosophies to Peraica's own.

A vote for the interim president is expected at a special meeting not yet set but expected before July 31, when Stroger's retirement becomes effective.

Meanwhile, the waters remain muddy in the quest to replace Stroger on the November ballot as Democratic candidate for board president.

Although he had boasted before that Todd Stroger, Stroger's son, had the votes of the 80 Democratic committeemen locked up, Stroger supporter Bill Beavers declined to make the same statement Thursday.

He also said he hadn't decided whether to seek the ballot spot for John Stroger's commissioner seat.

Copyright 2006, Paddock Publications, Inc.

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