Chicago political consultants Kevin Lampe and Kitty Kurth of Kurth Lampe, and Dave Lundy of Aileron Communications, have a new website listing likely candidates for local and statewide office in 2014. Kurth, Lampe and Lundy are all political professionals, so their creation, trialballoons.net, is the inside scoop. In fact, it’s so inside that most voters will have no idea who some of these candidates are. So we’ve provided some very useful annotations to their very useful lists, for those of you who are not political professionals.
U.S. Senate
Democrats: Dick Durbin -- incumbent senator.
Republicans: Chad Koppie -- retired airline pilot, Tea Party activist from Gilberts. Ran for Senate in 1992, 1996 and 2008, when he called Durbin a traitor.
U.S. Congress - 10th CD
Brad Schneider -- incumbent congressman.
Bob Dold -- former congressman, lost to Schneider in 2012. Owns pest control business.
Local
Governor
Democrats:
Bill Daley -- former commerce secretary, former mayor Richard M. Daley’s brother.
Lisa Madigan -- attorney general, House Speaker Michael Madigan’s daughter.
Pat Quinn -- incumbent governor.
Republicans:
Bill Brady -- state senator from Bloomington, 2010 Republican nominee for governor.
Kirk Dillard -- state senator from Hinsdale, lost 2010 nomination to Brady by 193 votes.
Dan Proft -- conservative radio commentator, hosts a show on WLS from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. daily.
Bruce Rauner -- millionaire financier from Winnetka -- where he owns a house -- and Chicago -- where he owns a penthouse he used as an address to get his daughter into Walter Payton College Prep.
Dan Rutherford -- state treasurer from Chenoa, elected in 2010.
Joe Walsh -- One-term congressman from McHenry, Tea Party favorite. Now hosts an evening talk show on WIND-AM.
Lieutenant Governor (Now appointed by Gubernatorial Candidates)
Democrat:
James Clayborne -- state senator from Belleville, would be the first African-American to serve in this office.
Republican:
None
Attorney General
Anita Alvarez -- Cook County State’s Attorney
John Bradley -- state representative from Harrisburg
Tom Dart -- Cook County sheriff, former state representative
Jack Franks -- state representative from McHenry
David Hoffman -- former Chicago inspector general; lost U.S. Senate nomination to Alexi Giannoulias in 2010.
Lisa Madigan -- incumbent attorney general
Kwame Raoul -- state senator from Hyde Park, appointed to succeed Barack Obama
Jesse Ruiz -- vice president, Chicago Board of Education; attorney, Drinker, Biddle & Reath; law student and protégé of Barack Obama
Sheila Simon -- lieutenant governor
Republican:
Jim Durkin -- state representative; former Cook County assistant state’s attorney; lost 2002 U.S. Senate race to Durbin
Secretary of State
Democrats:
Jesse White -- Secretary of State for Life
Comptroller
Democrats:
Sheila Simon -- lieutenant governor
Duffy Blackburn -- Will County auditor
Republicans:
Judy Baar Topinka -- incumbent comptroller
Treasurer
Democrats:
Mike Cabonagri -- Cook County Board of Review commissioner
Scott Lee Cohen -- Pawnbroker; won 2010 nomination for lieutenant governor, but withdrew under pressure from Quinn.
Mike Frerichs -- state senator from Champaign
Stephanie Neely -- treasurer, city of Chicago
Republicans:
Michael Scott Carter -- chief economist, Chicago Urban League’s Entrepreneurship Center
Bob Heap -- former DuPage County Board member; unsuccessful candidate for county treasurer; son-in-law of former Rep. Harris Fawell
Dan Rutherford -- incumbent treasurer
