Clem Balanoff takes his bike parade on the roads of Illinois for Sanders
By Misha Euceph The first time Clem Balanoff did something political, he was 10 years old. He organized his group of fifth grade friends on streamer-decorated bicycles and the boys rode up and down the street between their houses on the Southeast side of Chicago and the polling place. He arranged the parade in support […]
What matters to Chicago voters in 2016?
By Max Greenwood and Aryn Braun Photos by Raquel Zaldivar Voters from around Chicago flocked to precincts Tuesday to cast their ballots in the 2016 primary elections. But what’s driving them to the polls? Medill Reports asked Chicagoans what issues they think are important and what voting means to them. Earl Moore, 21 Englewood “No. […]
Unlike Trump, Sanders’ Chicago rally gave peace a chance
By Caroline Kenny Despite four-hour lines and thousands of supporters being turned away, the Bernie Sanders rally on Monday night was a much more peaceful event than a Donald Trump rally that shook Chicago on Friday night. Speaking at the Roosevelt University’s Auditorium Theatre in the Loop just eight hours before polls opened, Sanders invoked […]
Former Soldier Tries to Unseat Veteran Congressman
By Patrick Martin Thomas Day is challenging Congressman Danny Davis in the Democratic primary race for the Illinois 7th District. This area includes the Loop, the West Side, part of the South Side and the near west suburbs. Since there are no Republicans on the primary ballot for this race, the winner of the Democratic […]
Bill Clinton campaigns for his wife in Evanston
By Caroline Kenny Former President Bill Clinton says experience makes his wife the best choice for the Democratic nomination for president. He cites the programs she enacted as First Lady and her job with the Children’s Defense Fund right out of law school as points on her presidential resume. In a speech to a full […]
Hillary Clinton’s final rallying cry in South Carolina
By Caroline Kenny COLUMBIA, S.C.–Just 12 hours before the polls opened in South Carolina, Hillary Clinton was joined on stage by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and several other celebrities and prominent politicians on Friday night to get supporters fired up and ready to vote in the state’s Democratic Primary. In a crowded Boyd Plaza […]
Clinton ‘Firewall’ in South Carolina primary resonates in Illinois
By Caroline Kenny In the wake of her virtual tie in Iowa and a 20-point loss to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in New Hampshire last night, Hillary Clinton is looking to the next stop on the campaign trail, South Carolina, to lock down the votes in a more diverse state. Iowa has not always been kind […]
State’s attorney race: Alvarez ally defects to Foxx
By Thomas Vogel and Aryn Braun Kim Foxx’s quest to unseat Anita Alvarez as Cook County State’s Attorney got a big boost Tuesday as U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) pledged his support. “There’s a lot of distrust, mistrust out there,” Gutierrez said. “We need to heal that.” Citing lack of transparency in the controversial Laquan McDonald […]
God is secondary in New Hampshire primary
By Jay Bouchard MANCHESTER, NH—Tom Rettberg reflects the historical nature of New Hampshire voters—a fickle electorate notoriously tough to impress. Standing in a crowded gymnasium waiting to hear Marco Rubio speak, Rettberg, an undecided voter from Weare, NH, described how he has spent months creating a comprehensive spreadsheet ranking each candidate in the Republican primary […]