Illinois' 2nd Congressional District special election, 2013
The 2nd Congressional District of Illinois held a special election for the U.S. House of Representatives on April 9, 2013. The primary took place on February 26. The election date was initially set for March 19 but Governor Pat Quinn got unanimous approval from state lawmakers for legislation that allowed the election to coincide with the municipal elections on April 9.[1][2]
The filing deadline was on January 7, 2013.
The election was held to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. (D).[3]
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
|---|---|---|
Candidates
General election
Democratic primary
- Anthony Beale, alderman
- John Blyth
- Clifford Eagleton[7]
- Ernest Fenton
- Debbie Halvorson, former congressional representative
- Gregory Haynes
- Robin Kelly, Cook County Chief Administrative Officer[8]
- Victor Jonathan
- Fatimah Muhammad
- Larry Pickens
- Charles Rayburn
- Mel Reynolds, former congressional representative[9]
- Joyce Washington
- Anthony Williams
Republican primary
Rumored but did not file
- Sam Adam, Jr., Chicago attorney.
- Donne Trotter, state senator
- Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President[10]
- Jonathan Jackson, Jesse Jackson Jr.'s brother
Withdrew before primary
- Napoleon Harris, state senator-elect, withdrew January 30, 2013 and endorsed Robin Kelly[11]
- Toi Hutchinson, state senator, withdrew February 17, 2013 and endorsed Robin Kelly[12]
- O. Patrick Brutus, withdrew February 18, 2013 and endorsed Robin Kelly[13]
Election results
General election
| U.S. House, Illinois District 2 Special Election, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Robin Kelly |
70.7% | 58,834 | |
| Republican | Paul McKinley | 22.1% | 18,387 | |
| Independent | Elizabeth Pahlke | 3% | 2,525 | |
| Green | LeAlan M. Jones | 1.8% | 1,531 | |
| Independent | Marcus Lewis | 1.6% | 1,359 | |
| Independent | Curtis Llong Bey | 0.7% | 548 | |
| Write-in | Steve Piekarczyk | 0% | 9 | |
| Total Votes | 83,193 | |||
| Source: Results via Illinois State Board of Elections | ||||
Primary Elections
Democratic Primary
| U.S. House, Illinois District 2 Special Democratic Primary, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|
Robin Kelly |
53.3% | 31,079 | ||
| Debbie Halvorson | 25.1% | 14,650 | ||
| Anthony Beale | 11.1% | 6,457 | ||
| Joyce Washington | 4.4% | 2,563 | ||
| Ernest Fenton | 2.6% | 1,545 | ||
| Anthony Williams | 1.1% | 641 | ||
| Mel Reynolds | 0.8% | 459 | ||
| Clifford Eagleton | 0.4% | 207 | ||
| Fatimah Muhammad | 0.3% | 194 | ||
| Gregory Haynes | 0.2% | 144 | ||
| Larry Pickens | 0.2% | 127 | ||
| John Blyth | 0.2% | 104 | ||
| Victor Jonathan | 0.2% | 91 | ||
| Charles Rayburn | 0.1% | 74 | ||
| Denise Anita Hill | 0% | 4 | ||
| Total Votes | 58,339 | |||
| Source: Results via Illinois State Board of Elections | ||||
Republican Primary
| U.S. House, Illinois District 2 Special Republican Primary, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|
Paul McKinley |
29% | 963 | ||
| Eric Wallace | 28.3% | 939 | ||
| Lenny McAllister | 26.9% | 894 | ||
| Beverly Reid | 15.8% | 523 | ||
| Total Votes | 3,319 | |||
| Source: Results via Illinois State Board of Elections | ||||
Race background
Jackson resigned on November 21, 2012, citing medical issues. He had been away from work since June and was seeking treatment for bipolar disorder and depression at Mayo Clinic. He also noted a federal investigation into his campaign spending.[14] Despite his prolonged absence, Jackson easily won re-election in the 2012 election.
On December 15, 2012, Cook County Democratic officials failed to give any candidate a majority of the votes in their slating session. Thus, no candidate received the backing of the Democratic Party in the primary, including no campaign donations and volunteers. State Senator Donne Trotter appeared to be a frontrunner, but his prior arrest for bringing a gun into O'Hare International Airport may have been the reason for his failure to receive the support of the Democratic Party.[15]
Robin Kelly won the ballot position lottery and appeared first on the Democratic primary ballot. The next three positions were as follows: Clifford Eagleton, Napoleon Harris, and Anthony Beale. Toi Hutchinson was slated to appear third, before Beale, but she dropped out of the race on February 17.[12] In a separate lottery, Joyce Washington won the bottom spot on the ballot.[16]
Upon her withdrawal from the primary race, Hutchinson - who had previously been endorsed by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle - declared her support for former Democratic opponent Robin Kelly.[17]
In addition to Hutchinson, Kelly was endorsed by Reps. Bobby Rush, Danny Davis, Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley.
Rush said, "Robin Kelly is a woman of integrity and conviction, and President Obama, Congressman Davis and I need her as our partner in ending gun violence." Davis said "[Kelly is the right person] if we are going to stop the NRA in their tracks, and make our communities safe again."[18] Schakowsky said, "One of the reasons is the gun issue. She has the view that we need to do some sensible violence prevention legislation."[19] Quigley released a statement that said, "Robin has proven herself to be a dedicated public servant and is the right person to represent Chicago and the Southland."[20]
Turnout was expected to be low in the primaries. In the 2009 special election primary to replace Rahm Emanual in the 5th Congressional District only saw a 17 percent turnout. The local ABC affiliate is reporting that candidates estimate that they could win the primary with as few as 12,000 to 15,000 votes. This is based on a turnout of 50,000. There are 250,000 registered voters in the district.[21]
Election controversy
Independent candidate Marcus Lewis risked losing his job as a result of his election bid. Lewis, a federal employee with the postal service, and as such was prevented from running for a partisan office. Lewis could have ended his campaign to put a stop to any legal action being taken against him, but he refused.[22]
Lewis argued that the Hatch Act, which prevents federal employees from running for a partisan office, refers only to candidates of a political party, not independents. Additionally, he stated that he hoped the controversy over his candidacy might get him more votes. He said, "I’m running as ‘Mr. Lewis goes to Washington,’ just like Mr. Smith went to Washington, and this shows that the people in power don’t want ordinary citizens running for office. I figure people will identify with that and vote for me."
Independence USA
Gun control came to the forefront in the race with a tv ad targeting Debbie Halvorson and her prior voting record with respect to guns. The ad came from Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Super PAC, Independence USA.[23] Some in the field were upset by this external influence, including Clifford Eagleton (D). In a press release submitted to Ballotpedia he said, "As a citizen and as a candidate I am outraged and alarmed after viewing the 'super PAC' attack ad last night against one of my opponents. This arrogant, brutish well-polished propaganda is meant to confuse and persuade our citizens with misinformation, thereby corrupting the election.” He went on to speak out against the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, stating that it needs to be overturned or legislation needs to be passed "to protect the integrity of elections and democracy in America."[24] David Axelrod took to Twitter to comment on Halvorson's lead in the polls and pro-gun stance, saying that it was "ironic, given carnage in 2d CD."[25]
As of February 13, 2013, the Super PAC Independence USA spent $1.3 million in the special election, which is twice the amount spent by the other top candidates. The Super PAC was started and funded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The entirety of this money was used to target Debbie Halvorson (D) for her "A" rating with the National Rifle Association.[26]
Polls
| Illinois' 3rd Congressional District, Democratic primary | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Debbie Halvorson | Toi Hutchinson | Robin Kelly | Napoleon Harris | Mel Reynolds | Anthony Beale | Other | Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | |||||||||
| Normington-Petts (January 8-10) | 16% | 12% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 40% | +/-4.9 | 400 | |||||||||
| GBA Strategies (January 3-7) | 25% | 16% | 15% | 9% | 8% | 10% | 2% | 15% | +/-4.4 | 500 | |||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected] | |||||||||||||||||||
District history
2012
The 2nd Congressional District of Illinois held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Jesse Jackson Jr. won re-election in the district.[27]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jesse Jackson Jr. Incumbent |
63.3% | 188,303 | |
| Republican | Brian Woodworth | 23.2% | 69,115 | |
| Independent | Marcus Lewis | 13.5% | 40,006 | |
| Total Votes | 297,424 | |||
| Source: Illinois Board of Elections "2012 General Election Official Vote Totals" | ||||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. won re-election to the United States House of Representatives. He defeated Isaac C. Hayes (R) and Anthony W. Williams (G) in the general election.[28]
| U.S. House, Illinois District 2 General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. Incumbent |
80.5% | 150,666 | |
| Republican | Isaac C. Hayes | 13.8% | 25,883 | |
| Green | Anthony W. Williams | 5.6% | 10,564 | |
| Total Votes | 187,113 | |||
See also
- Special elections to the 113th United States Congress (2013-2014)
- Illinois' 2nd Congressional District
- United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois, 2012
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2012
- BP NEWS: Democrat wins easily in Illinois special election
External links
- Primary Election Results
- Decision 2013 at WGN Chicago
- Collected news and video at the Chicago Sun-Times
- Primary candidate forums on Chicago Tonight (PBS) February 2013, Beale, Halvorson, Kelly, Fenton, Washington, Williams, McAllister, McKinley, Reid
- Primary candidate profiles at VoteSmart.org
- Wikipedia:Illinois's 2nd Congressional District special election, 2013
Footnotes
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, " March 19 set for election to replace Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. — for now," November 26, 2012
- ↑ The Hill, "Illinois House votes for April special election to replace Jesse Jackson Jr." November 28, 2012
- ↑ Times Leader, "Jockeying under way to replace Rep. Jackson Jr.," November 22, 2012
- ↑ AP.org, "Illinois - Summary Vote Results," accessed February 26, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "2013 Election Results" accessed April 9, 2013
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "In 2nd District Republican squeaker, ex-convict looks to be winner," February 28, 2013
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Candidates start filing for Jackson Jr.'s old seat in Congress," January 3, 2013
- ↑ Roll Call, "Illinois: Democratic Field Solidifies for 2nd District Special Election," December 3, 2012
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Convicted former Rep. Mel Reynolds wants Jackson seat in Congress," November 28, 2012
- ↑ NBC Chicago, "Preckwinkle Running for 2nd Congressional? "Nonsense," December 4, 2012
- ↑ Roll Call, "Illinois: Harris Drops Out, Backs Kelly in Special," January 30, 2013
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Chicago Sun-Times Hutchinson folds House bid urging supporters to "work hard" for Robin Kelly, February 17, 2013
- ↑ ChicagoHeightsPatch.com, "Patrick Brutus Drops Out, Endorses Robin Kelly: 2nd District Race," February 19, 2013
- ↑ Huffington Post, " Jesse Jackson Jr. Successor: Debbie Halvorson Announces, Cory Brooks Contemplates Run," November 26, 2012
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Jesse Jackson Jr. Special Election: Candidates To Have Open Primary For Congressional Seat," December 15, 2012
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Kelly wins lottery for top spot on ballot to replace Jackson Jr.," January 8, 2013
- ↑ Roll Call, "Illinois: Hutchinson Gets Cook County Board President’s Endorsement," January 28, 2013
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "U.S. Reps. Rush, Davis back Kelly for Jackson Jr. seat," February 10, 2013
- ↑ Roll Call, "Illinois: Schakowsky to Endorse Robin Kelly in Special Election," February 13, 2013
- ↑ eNews Park Forest, "Congressman Mike Quigley Endorses Robin Kelly for 2nd Congressional District Special Election," February 19, 2013
- ↑ WLS-TV "Low turnout expected for 2nd Congressional District special election," February 22, 2013
- ↑ Southtown Star, " 2nd District run could cost candidate his job," March 14, 2013
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Halvorson gun views hit in TV ad from Bloomberg super PAC," January 30, 2013
- ↑ Clifford Eagleton press release received via email by Ballotpedia staff on February 4, 2013
- ↑ Legal Insurrection, "'NRA ally' leads Dem primary battle for Jesse Jr seat, February 5, 2013
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Bloomberg Super PAC Dominates Illinois Special Election," February 15, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Illinois"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
