Several local candidates have clear path, run unopposed

By William S. Bike 

A few area candidates have no opposition. For them, the November 7 election is just a formality.

STATE REP, 2ND DISTRICT

Democratic 2nd District State Representative Edward Acevedo is from the Tri-Taylor and Pilsen area. He is the first Latino ever to hold the position of Assistant Majority Leader in the State House of Representatives; he also is co-chair of the Legislature's first Latino Caucus, which he founded four years ago. Three years ago Acevedo helped form the Latino Caucus Foundation, whose main objective is to raise funds for Latino students. He recently helped start the University of Illinois Policy Institute to help legislators make important decisions in Springfield that affect the University of Illinois at Chicago.

 

STATE REP, 4TH DISTRICT

Democrat Cynthia Soto has served as State Representative from the 4th District (West Town) since 2001.

In Springfield, Soto serves on Committees on the Whole, Child Support Enforcement (Chair), Appropriations-General Service, Appropriations-Higher Education, Labor (Vice-Chair), Transportation and Motor Vehicles, Mass Transit, and Agreed Labor Bills; she also serves on Subcommittees on Licenses and Registration (Co-Chair) and Pension Fund Management Procurement.

A Green Party candidate, retired Chicago Public Schools teacher Kathy Cummings, originally was on the ballot in the 4th District. In a move that left experts baffled, the Democrats brought in their top election-law expert, Michael Kasper, to lead a team that got Cummings knocked off the ballot because of signature challenges.

Kasper had been working with Democratic attorneys on a challenge to Green Party candidates running for statewide office, such as Governor, before House Speaker Michael Madigan requested that he work on the Soto/Cummings case instead. With Kasper out of the Democrats' statewide effort to challenge to the Greens, the Green Party was certified to field a full statewide slate.

 

STATE REP, 6TH DISTRICT

Esther Golar, a Democrat, has been 6th District State Representative since January. She assumed the seat after the resignation of the previous Rep, Patricia Bailey.   

Her top issues are "schools, crime, and healthcare," she said. Golar has lived in the New City neighborhood for 23 years.

Golar said her decades as a community organizer give her the experience to serve her constituents. She has worked for the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy Program, Neighborhood Housing Services, and the Mantle Community Center.

 

COUNTY BOARD, 7TH DISTRICT

Joseph Mario Moreno, a Democrat, has served as Commissioner of the 7th District since 1994. He also has acted as a special legal assistant to the City.

The Commissioner also has focused on progress among the district's children. "He has been very proud that he has been able to reach out to the community, especially kids," said his spokesperson, Cristina Saldana, "to introduce domestic violence prevention into school districts.

Moreno also sees healthcare as an important issue. "He is very adamant about making sure that the people of Cook County receive the best health services possible," Saldana said.