Democrat and former Illinois Appellate Court Judge Eileen O’Neill Burke defeated professor and former prosecutor Clayton Harris III in a neck-to-neck primary race for Cook County State’s Attorney, 10 days after vote counting began.
“The State’s Attorney’s office has a noble mission to represent victims and uphold the law,” O’Neill Burke said in a Friday news release. “It’s a solemn obligation that I will take on with humility and dedication.”
Although former Chicago Ald. Bob Fioretti is running as the unopposed Republican candidate, Democrats have held the State’s Attorney seat since 1996.
O’Neill Burke will replace incumbent State’s Attorney Kim Foxx if she wins the election in November. She received 1,556 more votes than Harris — despite Harris winning the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Party — the Associated Press reported.
Another key race in the March 19 primaries was for clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County between incumbent Iris Martinez and Mariyana Spyropoulos, the current metropolitan water reclamation district commissioner.
Spyropoulos had the county Democratic Party’s backing and won with 65% of the votes.
Incumbent Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy Cunningham, who represents the 1st District, also had the county party’s backing and defeated 1st District Appellate Court Justice Jesse Reyes. No Republicans are running in November for the 1st District seat.
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) ran unopposed in the primary for her re-election.
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— Key races to watch in March 19 primaries
