Welch chose the wrong kind of politics
The Speaker widen the fissure among Black Chicagoans
Dignity and respect -two things people aspire to and usually work diligently to hold on to. Both took a hit recently when it was disclosed that Illinois Speaker of the House Rep. Emannuel (Chris) has targeted Rep. Mary Flowers to be replaced by the unknown Mike Crawford, who describes himself in his commercials as “an educator.”
The Flowers-Welch rift goes back more than a year, but that was in-house fighting when Welch booted Flowers from a committee, she was chairing. Inappropriate language that could be misconstrued as a slur prompted the removal.
Welch’s most recent anti-Flowers move however has struck a large nerve in Chicago’s Black community - pitting Black men against Black women, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who is siding with the challenger -Crawford; while his wife, Jackie, is publicly backing Flowers.
While Black pols, including 17th Ward David Moore, and Sen. Mattie Hunter of the Third District, are audacious in their support of Flowers; Welch has dumped approximately a half-million dollars in Crawford’s campaign coffers and convinced key unions to pour in another $400,000.
A group of Black women in Chicago, headed by N’Digo Publisher Hermene Hartman, also are publicly supporting Flowers’ re-election bid.
The district runs from the South Side west to Hickory Hills.
Welch simply took the wrong political tact here. A less damaging and more tactful approach would have been to meet privately with Flowers and explain she didn’t have key backing so it would be best for her to retire, with her dignity intact. She has held that office the last 38 years.
The suggestion could have been sweetened by offering her a political, non-elected job and using the $1 million to pay her a six-figure annual salary. With the $200,000-plus pension she would receive upon retirement, Flowers could have a comfortable life-just without the prestige and sometimes hassle of being an elected official.
Undoubtedly, by taking the approach he did against a 72-year-old Black woman, he’s lost the respect of many in and outside the governmental and political arenas. It was obviously a power move, but his power and clout as Speaker was never in question-at least not publicly. He and Crawford and his backers are in too deep to reverse course and salvage anything positive.
The way Chicago and Illinois politics operate, Welch is likely to find he has a larger-than-usual target on his back during his next run.
Given the weak campaign Crawford has been running, it is likely despite Welch’s efforts Flowers will retain her seat; especially when we take into account that Black women are the most reliable and consistent voting base among Chicagoans-something Welch apparently overlooked. The Speaker’s better chance to possibly get a new 31st District rep would have been to recruit another Black woman to run against Flowers. which might not have been such an easy assignment.
Regardless of Welch’s views, Flowers has some degree of influence in the community and in the House. As a newcomer, if Crawford somehow wins, he is likely to be ineffectual in that chamber. Most of his inaugural year will be a learning process so constituents should not expect much from him.
Look for Davis to fend off challengers
U.S Rep Danny K. Davis (7th) is known for a booming voice that would do justice to any male role in a Shakespeare play. He also is known for something far more important-especially to tens of thousands of West Side and west suburban residents; and that is he does not lose elections.
In office since 1996, Davis is opposed by Melissa Conyears-Ervin, the city treasurer and wife of Alderperson Jason Ervin. Conyears-Ervin has long been considered a rising star among Democrats and may have been in line for this Congressional seat. Don’t look for that to happen this go-round as she is tethered to a scandal and lawsuit stemming from what has been described as illegal and unethical activities in her office. If voters ignore these accusations expect her to finish a very close second to Davis. If they find veracity in them, her finish will be a very far second. She also faces the exceptionally daunting challenge of trying to woo one of Davis’ staunchest voting blocs-Black women over the age of 55 to her side.
Kina Collins brings incredible energy and activism to the race. What she lacks is campaign experience and the kind of war chest it takes to run a Congressional race. It’s highly like that at 33 years old she is hoping young voters will propel her past Davis. We have witnessed countless elections where the 18-35-year-old voter total is anemic at best. Collins is doing what young folks are supposed to do-be optimistic regardless of how long the odds are.
A Harris win would border on a political miracle
There is an old adage that pops up in every election cycle - “money is the mother’s milk of politics” If we take that as a truism, university lecturer Clayton Harris III is holding a gallon of it and his opponent is operating an entire dairy.
As a retired judge, Burke has had no problem attracting donations from well-heeled influential white businessmen. She is outpacing Harris three-one in fund raising with slightly more than $3 million.
That translates into flooding the airwaves with commercials not only about herself, but also why Harris should not be elected. Harris has charged some of the commercials contain falsehoods about his background and positions on issues.
His lack of fundraising has forced Harris to rely primarily on retail politics, but meeting scads of voters face-to-face is not comparable to Burke’s television and radio commercials that reach tens of thousands of voters simultaneously. Harris’ previous jobs as a prosecutor and lobbyist didn’t prepare him for a political campaign and he hasn’t surrounded himself with strong political strategists.
A weak but very real fact is this office has not been held by a Black man in decades.