Free Republic

From the time Mayor Richard Daley took office, dozens of city department managers gathered before elections at the plumbers' union hall or other sites to get campaign marching orders from top mayoral aides, a former Daley loyalist testified Monday in the City Hall corruption trial. Donald Tomczak, a longtime Water Department official and veteran political operative, said he then would summon his top deputies to his office in the Jardine Filtration Plant to tell them which candidates would get help from hundreds of blue-collar city water workers. After elections, Daley aide Robert Sorich fielded requests for promotions from the political...

Just seven weeks after he came from nowhere and declared, "I am in--no doubt," Downstate millionaire John Simmons again upended the U.S. Senate race Wednesday, folding his Democratic campaign and throwing his support to state Comptroller Dan Hynes. "Dan's the man," Simmons said. "He'll do great for us." The trial lawyer said he is pulling the plug to devote his energy to reopening a steel mill and to try to prevent a Democratic donnybrook from hurting the party's chances in 2004. "The Democrats do not need a bloodbath in March," Simmons said. "It's not going to help us win in...

Dealing a potential blow to Downstate Democrat John Simmons, former Democratic gubernatorial nominee Glenn Poshard said Tuesday he's leaning toward supporting rival U.S. Senate candidate Dan Hynes. "As far as endorsing anyone officially, I will wait until the candidates all declare, but certainly I would have to say that I'd be leaning toward Dan, if he officially decides to run," said Poshard, a former congressman from southern Illinois. "Dan has been a friend of mine for years and has been helpful to me, and I like what he has done as state comptroller." Simmons still has a shot at winning...

OPINION -- It's November 2004. The returns are coming in. President Bush is winning and this time there will be no recount - John Kerry did not prove to be the foe his democratic party thought he would. The returns from South Dakota also look promising John Thune has a slight lead with 97% of the precincts reporting. But in the midst of the President's gains and some setbacks this night - control for the Senate looks like it will be determined by the race in Illinois for the former seat of Senator Peter Fitzgerald. Melodramatic? Maybe...or not. Since Senator...

Glenn Poshard, the 1998 Democratic nominee for governor, is weighing a possible bid for the U.S. Senate. Poshard, 57, who has just stepped down as vice chancellor for administration at Southern Illinois University, has been encouraged by political allies to make a run for the seat that is being vacated by Republican Peter G. Fitzgerald. His populist message and dynamic campaign style would add excitement to the Democratic primary. At least six other Democrats are already in the field. Poshard has encouraged state Comptroller Dan Hynes to make the race and many of his former allies including Cook County Commissioner...