No, you’re not cynical, in Chicago that is exactly why judicial candidates change their names. White democrats in Chicago only vote for judges with “white sounding” names because they don’t want black judges, so everyone wants to be “Seamus O’Flaherty” come election time.
This has voting pattern been studied because most voters are wholly unaware of who the judicial candidates are and usually vote based upon gender and ethnicity. The most successful candidate names are usually those of women with Irish surnames.
For whatever reason, Irish candidates fare better with voters from other ethnic backgrounds. Most voters identify with their own ethnic group, but like the Irish too. A Polish lawyer who lost a primary race changed his last name legally, moved to a new judicial circuit and won when he appeared on the ballot as “O’Malley.”
Many women voters choose female candidates. A lone woman candidate in a Democratic primary race against two or more males will usually win.
Quinn changed name and gender and the Democrats were willing to embrace the candidate in the name of diversity.