CALUMET CITY | Thaddeus Jones, a 13-year member of the City Council, appeared poised to move up the political ladder to a position in the Illinois House of Representatives.
Jones, 39, received 63 percent of the suburban vote and 52 percent of the Chicago vote in Tuesday’s election for the Democratic primary for the Illinois House 29th district seat, which covers Chicago’s Far South Side and surrounding suburbs down to Lynwood.
Jones, who is a lifelong south suburban resident, ran against Sheryl Tillman, 41, the vice president of the Dolton Elementary School District 149 board.
She took 37 percent of the suburban vote and 48 percent of the city vote, according to unofficial tallies provided respectively by the Cook County clerk’s office and the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
Jones, who as of yet has no Republican challenger for the November general election, would replace state Rep. David Miller, D-Lynwood, who gave up the legislative post to run for Illinois comptroller.
Jones supporters, many of whom are Calumet City municipal employees and officials, gathered to celebrate his victory at Leona’s Restaurant, 1455 Ring Road.
With Jones was Thornton Township Supervisor Frank Zuccarelli, whose Democratic organization gave the alderman its support and made his legislative campaign a force that Tillman was never able to overcome.
Jones’ campaign manager, Allen Manuel, said the low turnout of Tuesday’s primary enabled the campaign to focus attention specifically on the voters they wanted to show up at the polls.
"It let us run the type of campaign we wanted, one that focused on issues that voters cared about," he said.
The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, in a study the good government group released Tuesday morning, showed the significant financial advantage that Jones had over Tillman. His campaign during a 13-month period ending Monday raised $94,573.85.
By comparison, Tillman had to run her campaign -- which was aligned with the south suburban African-American oriented political organization of former Chicago Alderman Robert Shaw -- on a meager campaign fund of $2,041.50.
Even Kenneth Williams, a barber from Dolton who considered seeking the legislative post before dropping out late last year, managed to raise just over $8,600, said Campaign for Political Reform Director Cynthia Canary.
"This race shows that not all candidates are created equal," Canary said. "There are challengers, then there are 'challengers.'"
