A Race Among Equals, Almost

Mainstream Chicago Democrats Vie for Emanuel's Seat

CHICAGO, March 2 -- Some special elections become a referendum on policy or party. But the primary here on Tuesday is not one of those.

When Democratic voters go to the polls to choose a successor to Rahm Emanuel, who gave up his House seat to become Barack Obama's White House chief of staff, they will be sorting through a crop of mainstream Democrats in a district that has gone Republican exactly once since 1907.

All profess belief in political reform. All support better and cheaper health care and a stronger economy. All are distancing themselves from ousted governor Rod Blagojevich and the man he propelled into the Senate seat that Obama vacated, Roland W. Burris (D).

Analysts expect the primary in this overwhelmingly Democratic district to be decided by a relatively small number of voters who brave the winter cold to go to the polls, with not a single other race on the ballot. Organization counts, and each of the leading Democratic contenders can boast of an organizational toehold.

"No one's voting on the issues," said Paul Green, a political analyst and Roosevelt University professor. "It's the candidate's name, who contacted them, stuff like that. In the old days, this would be called a precinct captain's election: 'Vote for my guy. Who wins it doesn't make a difference. Do it for me.' "

"In a real low-turnout situation, anything could happen," Tom Bowen, campaign manager for Mike Quigley, a Cook County commissioner who won the endorsement of Chicago's two principal newspapers. "One of the interesting political things about a big field like this is there are a lot of undecideds, and they stay undecided a lot later."

The cast of characters who have controlled the 5th District seat for most of the past 16 years reads like a guide to Chicago's recent political history, featuring Democrats Dan Rostenkowski, Blagojevich and Emanuel. The first ended up in prison, the second is awaiting trial, and the third brought his bare-knuckle politics to the White House.

Nearly two dozen candidates are seeking the 5th District seat. Five Republicans and six Green Party members are competing to face the surviving Democrat in the April 7 general election.

State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz has more money than anyone else in the Democratic field and is the only top-tier female candidate. By the campaigns' tallies, her volunteers contacted three times as many voters as Quigley's troops over the final weekend of campaigning.

Feigenholtz, first elected to the Illinois House in 1994, attracted useful endorsements from Emily's List, which backs female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights, and the Service Employees International Union.

SEIU made a $225,000 television buy on her behalf last week, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Perhaps as valuable in a media market in which advertising money does not go far, union members are volunteering for Feigenholtz, knocking on doors and making calls.

"They've been a big help on the ground with us," said Feigenholtz campaign manager Mike Rendina, who estimated that 8,000 SEIU members -- mostly janitors and health-care workers -- live in the western part of the district.

The Blagojevich saga, which began with him being charged with bribery and then ousted from office, has been a recurring theme. In one television advertisement, Feigenholtz assures viewers: "For 14 years, I've ignored the political games in Springfield to get things done."

State Rep. John A. Fritchey, a longtime Blagojevich antagonist, won some media face time during the impeachment hearings. He also has raised nearly as much money as Feigenholtz and won endorsements from several labor unions.

Although Bowen said on election eve that it appeared to be a race between Feigenholtz and Quigley, he added, "The organization muscle that Fritchey has could make a difference."

Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) declined to endorse a candidate, upsetting supporters of Chicago Alderman Patrick J. O'Connor, a Daley floor leader who in the old days might have counted on a more disciplined organization.

"The machine is old," Bowen said. "The machine is rusty."

A fifth contender is Tom Geoghegan, a respected, independent-minded public interest lawyer and former Harvard Law School roommate of Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY). Geoghegan won favorable coverage among liberal bloggers but has not raised much money for his bid.

Some voters appeared less than enthusiastic about the field amid the political torpor created by the Blagojevich affair. In a Starbucks within shouting distance of Wrigley Field, none of the eight people reading or working on their laptop computers knew polls would be opening on Tuesday morning.

Second-grade teacher Charlotte Hamilton said she intends to cast a reluctant vote "for the lady" -- Feigenholtz -- because she thinks Quigley and Fritchey boast too often about their connections to Obama. She is not pleased with the political professionals in general.

"It's all sleight of hand," Hamilton said. "I wish I could vote for 'None of the above.' "

Staff writer Kari Lydersen contributed to this report.