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Former City Hall Official Takes Quigley's Seat

Thursday, Jul 30, 2009 | Updated 1:44 PM CST

U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley prepares to address supporters at a Wrigleyville restaurant in Chicago, Ill. on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 after results showed he won the special election for the 5th Congressional District. Quigley, a reform-minded Cook County commissioner, on Tuesday claimed the high-profile Illinois congressional seat that Rahm Emanuel gave up to be President Barack Obama's chief of staff. (AP Photo/The Chicago Sun-Times, John J. Kim) **CHICAGO LOCALS OUT; MAGS OUT**

Democratic committeemen bypassed Mike Quigley’s top aide as his replacement on the Cook County Board, instead choosing Saturday to seat former City Hall and Chicago Park District official Bridget Gainer.

Gainer, 40, was one of eight candidates -- including Quigley’s former chief of staff Kimberly Walz -- vying to serve out the remainder of Quigley’s 10th District county board term.

“I’m very pleased with the outcome and I’m looking forward to getting to work,” said Gainer, who works for Aon Corp., but previously had worked for the park district and in the city’s budget office.

Committeemen publicly questioned the candidates for about 2 1/2 hours in front of more than 125 spectators and supporters, then deliberated privately for more than an hour before returning to publicly cast their votes.

Walz finished second -- and was the only other candidate besides Gainer to garner any of the weighted votes cast by the 10 committeemen -- though only eight of the committeemen were present for the vote. Two others voted by proxy.

“I think they’re going to have a great county commissioner in Bridget Gainer,” said Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), a committeeman who led the selection process.