2010 Primary Election Feb. 2
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Early voting began this week for the 2010 Illinois Primary Election to be held on Feb. 2.
There's something strangely appropriate about the 2010 Illinois Primary Election falling on Groundhog Day, a day associated with a rodent, shadows, and a motion picture comedy about being trapped in the moment.
The big shadow falling across this election is that of former Governor Rod Blagojevich, the disgraced figure under investigation by the FBI for corruption in office. An expected indictment looms in his future and colors the political landscape in 2010.
Voters will vote for candidates seeking election to four-year terms to various state offices, including governor.
They will also vote for candidates seeking a six year term to the U.S. Senate and a two-year term from the 12th District to the U.S. House of Representatives. Those ballots will be examined in part two of this series.
Registered parties in Illinois eligible to run candidates are "http://www.americafirstparty.org/contacts/il.shtml" America First Party of Illinois; http://www.americanreform.org/ARP-State-Affiliates/illinois.html" Illinois American Reform Party; http://www.illinoisconstitutionparty.com/" Constitution Party of Illinois; http://www.ildems.org/" Democratic Party of Illinois; http://www.ilgreenparty.org/" Illinois Green Party; http://www.il.lp.org/" Libertarian Party of Illinois; http://www.reformpartyillinois.com/" Illinois Reform Party; http://www.ilgop.org/" Republican Party of Illinois; http://www.chicagosocialistparty.com/" Illinois Socialist Party. Independent candidates with no party affiliation may also qualify to run.
In this year's primary election, some parties have no candidates for any offices, while other parties have candidates running in some but not all races. The major parties, Democratic and Republican have candidates running for all state offices.
The list of candidates for governor is extensive due in large measure to the impeachment and removal from office of Blagojevich, following his arrest by federal agents on corruption charges during his second term. Blagojevich a Democrat was elected following a long run of Republicans governors. That run ended following the arrest and subsequent conviction of former Governor George Ryan.
Now candidates from both parties are running on platforms pledging to end the corruption in state government engaged in by both parties during recent terms.
Governor Pat Quinn, 62, who was sworn in along with the removal of Blagojevich, is seeking the Democrats' nomination. A Chicago attorney originally from Hinsdale, Quinn served as a Cook County commissioner for tax appeals and Illinois Treasurer before winning election as lieutenant governor. But, he's being opposed within his party by State Comptroller Dan Hynes, 41.
A Chicagoan, Hynes is serving his third term as comptroller. Before political service, he'd been a health care attorney.
GOP candidates include seven Republicans: Adam Andrzejwski, Bill Brady, Kirk Dillard, Andy McKenna, Dan Proft, Jim Ryan, and Bob Schillerstrom.
Andrzejewski, 41, a businessman from Hinsdale was the first announced candidate in the 2010 gubernatorial campaign. Brady, 48, is a state senator from Bloomington. Dillard, 54, is a state senator from Hinsdale. McKenna is the former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party. Proft, 38, is a Chicago radio political commentator. Ryan, 63, is from Chicago and is a former Illinois Attorney General. Schillerstrom, 57, is from Naperville. He's an attorney, former assistant state attorney for DuPage County and current DuPage County Board chairman.
The Green Party's candidate is Rich Whitney, 54 a Carbondale attorney. The Libertarian candidate is Lex Green, 56, is an auto worker from McLean County. There are two Independent candidates for governor, William "Dock" Walls, a former Chicago mayoral aide, and Michael White, a business manager and retired military officer.
Lieutenant Governor candidates are even more numerous, with six hopefuls in both major parties, along with candidates from the Green Party and the Libertarian Party.
Democratic hats in the ring belong to Mike Boland, a state representative from Moline, Thomas Castillo, an electrical worker from Elmhurst, Scott Cohen, a business owner in Chicago, State Senator of Ricky Hendon of Chicago, Terry Link, the state senate majority whip from Lake Bluff, and Art Turner, state senator from Chicago.
GOP candidates for the second spot on the ticket are Mayor Brad Cole of Carbondale, Dennis Cook of Orlando Park, who serves as president of the District 230 Board of Education, State Senator Matt Murphy of Palatine, Jason Plummer, a small businessman from Edwardsville, Springfield attorney Don Tracy, and Randy White, Hancock County Commissioner Randy White of Hamilton.
Don Crawford is the Green Party candidate and the Libertarian is Ed Rutledge.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan is seeking reelection and running unopposed in the upcoming primary. She is a Democrat.
Three attorneys will challenge her in November. All are unopposed in the primary: Republican Steve Kim, Green Party candidate David Black and Joe Bell of the Constitution Party.
Secretary of State Jesse White faces a situation similar to Madigan's. He is seeking reelection and is running unopposed on the Democratic Primary ballot. Three candidates from different parties are on the Primary ballot and will presumably challenge White in November. They are: Republican Robert Enriquez, Libertarian Joshua Hanson, and the Green Party's Adrian Frost.
Comptroller Dan Hynes is running for governor, leaving the field open for three Democratic candidates: Raja Krishnamoorthi, Clint Krislov, and David Miller. The GOP also has three candidates for comptroller: Jim Dodge, Bill Kelly, and Judy Baar Topinka.
Erika Schaefer (Green) and Julie Fox (Libertarian) are also on the ballot.
Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is seeking the Democrat nomination for U.S Senator. Democrats Robin Kelly and Justin Oberman seek to replace him. Republican Dan Rutherford is running unopposed to compete for the treasurer position in November. The Green Party candidate is Scott Summers.