Democrats' best choice in the 5th: Mike Quigley

Chicago Tribune Endorsement (2/17/09)

The Tribune editorial board endorses Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley in the Democratic primary for the 5th Congressional District.

The race to replace White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in Congress has drawn nearly two dozen contenders, creating potential for a lot of voter confusion. Democrats will find a dozen candidates on the ballot for the March 3 primary. Heck, there are even spirited Republican and Green Party primaries in the solidly Democratic 5th Congressional District, which includes much of Chicago’s North and Northwest Sides and some adjacent suburbs.

Democratic voters will have no trouble finding a reliable Democrat—there are several who fit comfortably in the party.

We believe they will find one who believes in the party’s principles and has an outstanding record of independent, reform-minded performance in office. That is Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley, who is endorsed today in the Democratic primary.

Quigley has been a forceful, persistent critic of Cook County Board President Todd Stroger. Even better, Quigley has done exhaustive work on how county government could provide better health care and other services to people in far more efficient and cost-effective ways.

His reports on how to improve county government are without parallel in Illinois politics. They’re not goo-goo yammer. They’re tightly researched and spot-on accurate in their assertions about best practices and likely savings. He produces facts, facts, facts. If Quigley’s ideas had all been put in place, the county would not be crying now for more money.

He led the fight against Stroger’s 1 percent sales tax increase. He led the efforts in recent weeks that forced Stroger to drastically scale back his plans for massive borrowing to fund his bloated government.
Quigley has passed real, effective measures to force more open and accountable government in Cook County. He will take that same laserlike focus on effective, efficient and compassionate government to Washington.

There is more to him than his work on government reform. Quigley has an outstanding record on human rights, health care and the environment. (The Reader said he’s “arguably the greenest elected official in Chicago.”) He has sound ideas on reviving the U.S. economy, on national health care, on how to put people back to work.

We like a number of candidates in this race, including Chicago Ald. Patrick O’Connor and state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz. Public interest lawyer Tom Geoghegan and University of Chicago lecturer Charles Wheelan are raising the level of debate here.

Another candidate, state Rep. John Fritchey talks about reform, but voters really ought to take a look at how Fritchey deflected the hard questioning of Sen. Roland Burris during testimony at the now-infamous House impeachment committee hearing. Rep. Fritchey, whose interests were you serving there? Not the public’s.

Democratic voters have to sort through a crowded field. If they’re looking for an honest, effective and reform-minded leader, they won’t go wrong with Mike Quigley.

Quigley Right Choice for 5th District Seat

Chicago Sun-Times Endorsement (2/15/09)

Residents in the 5th Congressional District have it good. The wide-open race to fill the congressional seat left open by Rahm Emanuel, who left to become President Obama's chief of staff, could have attracted a parade of political hacks.

Not so, this time.

Voters will find a ballot filled with impressive and thoughtful candidates.

Candidates such as state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, a passionate expert in health care.

Or labor lawyer Tom Geoghegan, who has devoted his career to fighting for the little guy.

Or especially Charlie Wheelan, a University of Chicago lecturer who combines a razor-sharp mind with a boatload of charm and an impressive expertise in economics and foreign policy. We expect great things from Wheelan in the future.

With such a quality crop of candidates, we confess that choosing just one was tough, but in the end, a single candidate stood above the rest.

The Chicago Sun-Times endorses Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley for the Democratic primary on March 3, which in this heavily Democratic district is effectively the election.

So many politicians promise to be reformers, then deliver so little -- or turn out to be outright crooks -- that it has become a running joke on the public.

Look no further than the man who was once the congressman from the 5th District and now is our former governor, Rod Blagojevich.

Quigley, 50, is that rare candidate who promises reform -- and delivers.

He's the real deal.

He has proved himself at the County Board and deserves a shot at proving himself in Congress.

When Quigley joined the Cook County Board in 1998, it was a velvet coffin for many politicians.

Quigley shook the stiffs up.

He has been a constant advocate for fiscal responsibility and a watchdog against waste and corruption.

Just last week, Quigley was among the leaders who fought successfully against a disastrous plan by Cook County Board President Todd Stroger to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars -- some of it, stunningly, meant for day-to-day government operations.

Stroger wanted to further burden taxpayers, but Quigley nixed his plans.

While Quigley is well-known for being a pit bull on finances, he has received less notice for his long-term devotion to the environment.

Among the greener politicians in the city, Quigley has championed the Cook County Forest Preserve District, gotten more money for environmental programs and persuaded county government to buy green.

Issues aside, what's perhaps most refreshing about Quigley is, oddly, his lack of political charm.

He doesn't exactly light up a room. Or even smile much.

He is what he is, a scrappy policy wonk who actually cares about the stuff he fights for. Not a guy who has glommed on to these issues because they're polling well.

What's more, he is independent of Mayor Daley. The mayor, in fact, is not exactly a fan.

Some view that as a problem, but we say in a city where our mayor so often gets exactly what he wants, when he wants, with so little debate, a dissenting voice in the usual chorus of praise would be a good thing.

And with the city possibly winning a bid for the mayor's pet project, the Olympics, we need a Mike Quigley to keep an eye on the spending details.

Quigley's a fighter, but he's also a pragmatist who has found a way to work with many colleagues, even those with whom he has clashed, and we suspect that in Congress he'll be no different.

Back in November, voters elected Barack Obama as part of a wave of change.

Quigley is, in his own way, part of the same wave.

A true instrument for change.

Send him to Congress.

Forrest Claypool Endorses Mike Quigley for Congress

Claypool cites Quigley’s work to bring reform to Cook County, fight Stroger’s bloated budgets and record tax
hikes— calls him best prepared to bring change to Washington

CHICAGO -- Mike Quigley, candidate for Congress, picked up a key endorsement Wednesday in the race for the 5th
Congressional district, earning the support of Cook County commissioner Forrest Claypool.
As the highest-ranking elected official to make an endorsement in the race, Claypool’s announcement of support
gives a significant boost to Quigley’s campaign.

The endorsement also underscores Quigley’s reputation as a leader in the effort to reform government, cut spending
and fight for transparency and accountability. Claypool spoke about having seen firsthand Quigley’s work on
the Cook County board, where the two have worked closely in the effort to fight board president Todd Stroger’s
bloated budgets and record tax hikes.

“No one has fought the old, failed politics of Todd Stroger longer or more effectively than Mike Quigley,” Claypool
said.

“Mike is just the kind of ally President Obama needs in Congress to change America,” Claypool said.
Quigley welcomed Claypool’s support, saying that “there is no leader in Cook County whose endorsement sends a
stronger signal about my commitment to reform.”

“Forrest and I have worked side by side to end ‘politics as usual’ here in Cook County. He knows better than anyone
what it takes to fight the status quo and stand up to the special interests here in Cook County, and I am pleased to
know that he believes that I will do the same in Washington,” he said.

Claypool’s endorsement carries significant weight in the 5th district. In addition to being the highest-ranking
elected official to support a candidate in the race, Claypool enjoys extremely high name recognition and favorability
among district voters.

A recent poll, conducted by Anzalone-Liszt Research, found that Claypool enjoyed a favorability ratio of better than
7 to 1 among 5th Congressional district voters, demonstrating that Claypool’s endorsement is expected to play a
major role in the race. Fifty-six percent of voters said that they are more likely to vote for a candidate supported by
Claypool.

The same poll showed that Quigley holds leads over all other Democratic candidates in the race. He also enjoys far
higher name recognition and favorability than any of the candidates.

Quigley held an almost 2 to 1 margin over the next closest candidate, state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz when voters were
asked to choose from a field seven candidates. Quigley received 19 percent to Feigenholtz’s 11 percent; state Rep.
John Fritchey was third, with 8 percent. Quigley also leads as the second-choice of voters.

In two-way match-ups, Quigley held leads over both Feigenholtz and Fritchey. Quigley led Feigenholtz by a margin
of 13 points (30 to 17 percent) when voters were asked to choose between those two candidates. He led Fritchey
by a 19-point margin, 32 to 13 percent.