The Candidate: Adolfo Mondragon
The Race: Democratic Party Candidate for the 1st District State Senator
The Competition: Antonio "Tony" Muñoz
The Buzz: Adolfo Mondragon, the son of Mexican immigrants, was born and raised in Back of the Yards, a neighborhood that has been home to many ethnic communities. He ran against Muñoz in 2010, losing by a wide margin. But he's not deterred. Mondragon, who received his Doctor of Law degree from the University of Chicago where President Obama was his professor and mentor, told the Chicago Sun-Times he's up for grabbing as much of the vote as possible. He's focused on government reform, housing issues and reducing violent crime.