Also

Famed labor lawyer and writer Tom Geoghegan is running and has raised about 15k so far on ActBlue in just a few days.

http://www.actblue.com/entity/...

He also seems to have the suport of tons of major liberal bloggers and writers (Rick Perlstein, David Sirota and a few others are members of his Facebook group)

http://www.facebook.com/group....

He's my favorite in the race, it'd be cool to replace Rahm with someone like him. Feigenholtz would also be a very solid rep.

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by: Populista @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 01:43:04 AM UTC

Doesn't Blago have some relatives in the district?

I mean Rod can't possibly be through wrecking the Illinois Democratic Party?

(and scarily if I recall he DOES actually have a father-in-law who is an Alderman and a cousin of some sorts in the state legislature)

NY-13, Democrat. Blog @ http://infinitefunction.wordpr...

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by: Taget @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 02:07:41 AM UTC

His sister-in-law

Deb Mell was going to run for the seat before Blago went down...she withdrew.  

Liberty Avenue Politics - a place for politics in Southern Queens

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by: nrafter530 @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 02:13:52 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Given that he represented the district in Congress

I would assume he still lives there.  In other words, look at any of these candidates VERY carefully!

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by: IndianaProgressive @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 02:29:03 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Darn, Blago can't appoint himself to the House seat

But if Obama taps Durbin...

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01

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by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 05:53:15 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Does Kaszak have a base?

I seem to remember hearing that she took about 40% in the 2002 primary. Was that due to having a strong base of support, or was it just an anti-Emanuel campaign?

If it's the former and she can retain even half of that, she's liable to win it.

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by: Englishlefty @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 02:08:37 AM UTC

The Polish vote

The 5th CD has a fairly substantial Polish population, and obviously Rahmbo doesn't exactly fit that mold. Kaszak played up her Polish roots heavily in that campaign and at it got pretty ugly towards the end. So you might expect some of the same identity politics to play out again.

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by: James L. @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 02:18:53 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Identity Politics indeed...

Portage Park, towards the western end of the district, has a substantial Polish population.

Additionally, the district is 23% Hispanic, concentrated mostly in Irving Park and Albany Park - I wouldn't be surprised if a prominent Hispanic official jumped in as well.

Also in the district are the more suburban areas in Leyden Township outside the city and Norwood Park/Jefferson Park.

Lastly, there are the more affluent, younger areas in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Lincoln Square.

Sure this district is all "North Side", but there are a few distinguishable constituencies here.

Feigenholtz and Quigley definitely come from the eastern end of the district, and that's where I'd expect their base to be, in the 10th/12th Commissioner districts (Quigley's and Claypool's) and the 40th, 44th, 46-48th Wards.

Kaszak definitely has a shot if she gains traction in the more suburban (western/northern) parts of the district.

On two very separate notes, gerrymandering-wise, Cook County Commissioner districts are quite a piece of work.

Additionally, it's surprising that Blago scheduled the special primary for 3/3, since Suburban Cook County has municipal/township primary elections just one week before, on 2/24. Then again, it's not like Blago's shown any regard for Illinois taxpayer dollars in the past...

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by: jeffmd @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 03:38:43 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Dang.

Those Commissioner districts look like a total cluster****.

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01

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by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 05:54:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]