Hundreds of candidates for positions ranging from U.S. Senate to subcircuit judge began filing nominating petitions Monday for the March primary, but the first in line was a former high-ranking Gangster Disciple gang member who did prison time for drug-dealing.
Harold “Noonie” Ward of Chicago, who failed in a bid early this year for 9th Ward alderman, is now taking on incumbent Rep. David Miller (D-Calumet City) and another challenger, Sheryl Tillman, for a south suburban Illinois House seat.
Though Ward started the queue at the state election board at 2 p.m. Sunday, his early-bird status was puzzling because there’s no advantage to it. State rules require a lottery to pick top ballot positions for candidates who were in line when filing began at 8 a.m., as were Miller and Tillman. The filing period continues through Dec. 15.
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Five Chicago Democrats were in line to qualify for the lottery for the top ballot position in their party’s U.S. Senate primary, while six Republicans qualified for a chance for the same coveted spot in the GOP Senate battle.
The Democrats are former school board president Gery Chico, multimillionaire Blair Hull, Comptroller Dan Hynes, state Sen. Barack Obama and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.
The Republicans are former Air Force Gen. John Borling of Rockford, businessman Chirinjeev Kathuria of Oak Brook, suburban paper company head Andy McKenna Jr. of Glenview, dairy owner James Oberweis of Aurora, state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin and former investment banker Jack Ryan of Wilmette.
Rauschenberger endeared himself to others waiting in line by serving up sausage McMuffins–“Rauschen-burgers,” he called them–and about 200 cups of coffee.
Among the candidates filing for judge were some who have already experienced high-profile careers: Cook County Public Guardian Patrick Murphy, former Cook County circuit clerk Aurelia Pucinski and prominent attorney William Kunkle.
On the Southwest Side, Democrat Arvin Boddie, who often spoke out as a member of the state Prisoner Review Board, filed to challenge incumbent Rep. Bob Rita (D-Blue Island).
Filing for primaries in Cook County also began Monday, with State’s Atty. Richard Devine, Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown and Recorder of Deeds Eugene “Gene” Moore all filing petitions and no challengers yet emerging. Steven Burris, who narrowly lost to incumbent Board of Review Commissioner Robert Shaw two years ago, filed petitions to take on Shaw again.