The 2024 ballot starts to take shape

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Candidates file petitions

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By Tim Hadac

Without a doubt, the campaign for president will draw the lion’s share of attention in 2024.

But in that struggle’s shadow, candidates for other public offices have finished filing their nominating petitions. They now await the sometimes inevitable election-board challenges from their political opponents.

On the Southwest Side, a number of races are taking shape. Some will feature entrenched incumbents against challengers battling uphill.

The Fourth Congressional District covers most of the Southwest Side. The incumbent is Democrat Jesús “Chuy” García, a longtime Little Village resident. His Democratic challenger is 15^th Ward Ald. Raymond Lopez, a Brighton Park resident and native of the Garfield Ridge area.

No Republican has filed to run in that race, so whoever wins the March 19 Democratic primary will almost certainly be elected in November.

The contrasts between García and Lopez can be stark. Both are liberal Democrats yet part ways on issues such as crime prevention. Lopez, a longtime and high-profile foe of gangs, favors a more traditional, police-driven approach. García favors more of a social-worker view that attempts to get at the root causes of crime.

They also appear to differ on how to approach the migrant crisis. Through his political surrogates, García has been an ally of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approach to house migrants in large facilities. In the 22^nd Ward—the heart of García’s political power—Johnson has established a “welcoming center” for migrants at Piotrowski Park, with another migrant site in the works at a former CVS store near 26^th and Pulaski.

Lopez, on the other hand, has been an open critic of Johnson, especially regarding his plan to build a tent encampment for migrants at 38^th and California, on a vacant lot with soil found to be polluted from years of industrial use. (The plan was since cancelled by Governor JB Pritzker.)

Whether Lopez stays in the race remains to be seen. Many voters recall his campaign for mayor, which was announced in April 2022 but was aborted seven months later, long before the 2023 mayoral primary.

One thing Lopez is doing differently this campaign relates to his sexual orientation. His campaign materials note that he is running to be Illinois’ first openly gay Hispanic congressman.

The First Congressional District includes all or parts of Wrightwood, Ashburn, Parkview, Scottsdale and Chicago Lawn, as well as other city neighborhoods and suburban towns.

The incumbent is Democrat Jonathan L. Jackson, of South Shore. He has no primary opposition. Vying to face him are Republican hopefuls Marcus Lewis, of suburban Matteson, and Montelle L. Gaji, of Woodlawn.

The incumbent is Democrat Danny K. Davis, of Austin. He will be opposed in the primary by Melissa Conyears-Ervin, of East Garfield Park; Kouri Marshall, of the West Loop, Nikhil Bhatia, of East Pilsen; Kina Collins, of Austin; and Rhonda Sherrod, of suburban Maywood. Running unopposed on the Republican side is Chad Koppie, of Gilberts, Ill.

Battle for General Assembly

In state senate races affecting the Southwest Side, Javier Loera Cervantes (D-1st), a McKinley Park resident, is running unopposed in the primary. No Republican has filed. Willie Preston (D-16^th), an Auburn Gresham resident, is running without opposition, and no Republican has filed.

In state representative races affecting the Southwest Side, incumbent Aarón M. Ortíz (D-1^st), of Gage Park, is running unopposed in the primary. No Republican has filed.

State Rep. Angie Guerrero-Cuellar (D-22^nd), a West Lawn resident, is opposed by two Garfield Ridge men: Joshua P. Hernandez and John Topps.

State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr. (D-23^rd), of Little Village, is opposed in the primary by Democrat Joseph Edward Mercado, of Brighton Park. On the Republican side, Little Village resident Lupe Castillo is running unopposed.

State Rep. Theresa Mah (D-24^th), of McKinley Park, is opposed by Lai Ching Ng, also of McKinley Park. On the Republican side, Brighton Park resident Natalian Bolton is running without opposition.

State Rep. Mary K. Flowers (D-31^st), of Auburn Gresham, is opposed by Wrightwood resident Michael Crawford. No one is running on the Republican side.

State Rep. Cyril Nichols (D-32^nd), of Ashburn, is facing Scottsdale resident Lisa J. Davis. No one is running as a Republican.

Party races

In the ward committeemen races, Democratic incumbent George A. Cardenas (12^th), of McKinley Park has two opponents: Theresa Mah, also of McKinley Park, and Richard “Ricky” A. Mercado, of Brighton Park. On the Republican side, Brighton Park resident Natalian Bolton is running by herself.

Democratic incumbent Marty Quinn has no opponent in the 13^th Ward. No one has filed to run on the GOP side.

In the 14^th Ward, Democratic incumbent Aarón M. Ortíz, of Gage Park, is unopposed. No Republican has filed.

In the 15^th Ward, Democratic incumbent Raymond A. Lopez, of Brighton Park, is challenged by Jorge Agustin, of Back of the Yards. On the Republican side, West Englewood resident Rosa Pritchett is unopposed.

In the 16^th Ward, Democratic incumbent Stephanie D. Coleman, of Englewood, is unopposed, as is Republican Leonard Griffin, of Chicago Lawn.

In the 18^th Ward, Democratic incumbent Derrick G. Curtis, of Ashburn, is unopposed, as is Republican Devin R. Jones, also of Ashburn.

In the 23^rd Ward, Democratic incumbent Silvana Tabares also is running unopposed. On the Republican side, West Lawn resident Carlos Alvarez also is running without opposition.