Northwestern Law School adjunct professor Paul Chadha said he is facing “four Goliaths” in Tuesday’s elections.
Kenny Johnson, Jr., Will Burns, Phillip Jackson and freshman incumbent Elga Jefferies are competing with Chadha for the Democratic nomination to be the Illinois State Representative for the 26th District. Most of the other candidates have two things Chadha doesn’t: major endorsements and lots of money.
But Chadha says although he’s a long shot, he still has a chance of winning at the polls.
“Our slingshot is true,” he said.
On Saturday, Chadha and his team trudged through snow, passing out pamphlets to pedestrians near his campaign headquarters in the South Loop. Chadha said he hopes face time with voters will help him stand up to his more well-known, well-financed opponents.
For example Burns, a former aide to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), has secured an endorsement from Mayor Richard Daley, and US Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.) has backed Johnson. Those two have raised more than $200,000 each, according to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform Web site. Chadha has raised about $80,000.
In addition to a lack of big-name endorsements and money, he faces another challenge. As a South Asian-American, he is the only non-black candidate running in a mostly black district. Race hasn’t become an issue between the candidates, but he said he had to get over tensions while campaigning.
“Once people heard me speak, they realized that my heart was in the right place, and that’s what’s important,” Chadha said.
Chadha, 33, has taught a course on negotiations at NU since 2005. He graduated from DePaul University in 1999 and earned his law degree from NU in 2002.
He said he decided to run because he’s ready to see changes in the state legislature. Illinois is known as one of the most corrupt states in the country, and Chadha said he is dismayed that there is no anti-nepotism law.
“There comes a point when you’ve got to stand up and say, ‘enough is enough’,” he said.
Chadha was born in Chicago and grew up in Mayfield, Ill. He served in the United States Air Force and the Air Force Reserves from 1993 to 1999. While active, he established Airmen Against Drunk Driving, a volunteer-based organization that gives military members rides home to reduce drunken driving. That experience pushed him to think more about public service.
“I was 19 when we did that,” he said. “When you do that at a young age, you get inspired. You think you can do it again.”
Despite his commitment to public service, his opponents still question his ability to win.
“Mr. Chadha is a very smart and energetic man. However, he’s running in a race and in a district that’s got big endorsements and big money,” said Jackson, who is running against Chadha. “Mr. Chadha lacks the big endorsements, he lacks the money and he also lacks an army of volunteers. It’s hard to win in a district this size just on ideas alone.”
Chadha stresses that his campaign is about issues such as fixing the state pension system and cleaning up corruption, while his opponents are about big-name endorsements.
“This is a state race, and you can get your message out in a reasonable fashion,” he said. “As long as you get your message out, you have a chance to win.”
Reach Vincent Bradshaw at [email protected]
——–Alumni who have held major public office
– James T. Kolbe, U.S. Congressman (WCAS ’65)- Rod Blagojevich, governor of Illinois, former U.S. Congressman (WCAS ’79)- Richard Gephardt, former U.S. Congressman (Communication ’62)- Lorraine Morton, mayor of Evanston (SESP ’42)- Lois Weisberg, commissioner, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs (Communication ’46)
