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Jesse Jackson Jr.
Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
1:07am
Wed Feb 27

Robin Kelly Wins Illinois' 2nd Congressional District Primary Election (VIDEO)

Former State Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson has won the Illinois 2nd Congressional District's primary election Tuesday to become the Democratic nominee in the race to fill the seat left vacant by disgraced former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.

Kelly will run in the district’s April 9 general election to replace Jackson Jr., who pled guilty last week to misusing some $750,000 in campaign funds.

With more than half of the district's 545 precincts reporting, Kelly won the special primary with 54 percent of the vote. Major contenders during Kelly’s campaign were Democratic candidates former congresswoman Debbie Halvorson and Chicago Ald. Anthony Beale (9th).

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Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
10:49pm
Tue Feb 26

Halvorson Calls For Unity While Conceding In 2nd Congressional District Race

For the second time in less than a year, Democratic candidate Debbie Halvorson lost the chance to win Jesse Jackson Jr.’s former 2nd congressional district seat in today’s special election primary.

Robin Kelly won the Democratic slot to run in the district’s April 9 general election to replace Jackson Jr., who pled guilty last week to misusing some $750,000 in campaign funds.

“This is a big night for Robin,” former congresswoman Halvorson said in her concession speech at Homewood’s Balagio Restaurant.

“We’ve all been through a lot, and like good Democrats we’re all family, and we fight a lot, but at the end of the day we have to move on because things are bigger than us.”

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Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
7:44pm
Tue Feb 26

Low Expectations For Voter Turnout Met With Even Worse Attendance Than Anticipated In Homewood

On any other election day, voters would typically be lined up outside Winston Churchill School in Homewood waiting for the polling doors to open at 6 a.m.

But when today’s special 2nd congressional district primary kicked off, only one person was waiting, said Homewood election judge Lester Kloss.

“That pretty much set the tone of the day,” said Kloss, who’s worked Homewood elections since 2004.

“We knew it was going to be light, but we didn’t think it was going to be quite this light.”

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Quick Hit
by Steven Ross Johnson
5:25pm
Tue Feb 26

Checking In With Ald. Beale & His Hopes For The 2nd District On Election Day

On a dreary day in an area that has seen more than its fair share of ethically-challenged elected officials, an expectedly low voter turnout was the story at many polling places Tuesday as residents came out to cast their ballots in the race to replace former Illinois 2nd Congressional District U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

Polling places remained mostly empty throughout the district during much of the morning, an outcome that can be attributed just as much to a high level of voter apathy than to the snowy weather.

Such was the scene at Bennett Elementary School on the far South Side, where congressional candidate and 9th Ward Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale went to cast his ballot this morning.

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Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
2:04pm
Tue Feb 26

Halvorson, Steger Residents Blast Bloomberg SuperPAC Money On Election Day (VIDEO)

Freezing rain began to slick over the sidewalks this morning just as Democratic candidate for the 2nd congressional district Debbie Halvorson voted at the Steger Community Center.

Former congresswoman Halvorson is one of 18 candidates running in the special primary election today to replace Jesse Jackson Jr., who pled guilty last week to misusing campaign funds.

“The 2nd congressional district has been plagued for a long time with ethical problems, with corruption, and we have a chance to really close that chapter and start fresh,” Halvorson said just after casting her ballot.

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