Cook County State's Attorney race takes spotlight in Illinois primary

COOK COUNTY, Ill. - Eleven months after Kim Foxx announced she would not be seeking a third term as Cook County State’s Attorney, the battle between Democrats vying to succeed her has become the marquee matchup in the Illinois primary election on March 19. 

The hotly contested race features two candidates backed by plenty of political muscle: Retired Appellate Court Judge Eileen O’Neill Burke, a former Cook County prosecutor and defense attorney has been endorsed by the Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald and Illinois Comptroller Susanna Mendoza among others. 

Clayton Harris III, a lecturer at the University of Chicago, also holds the distinction of being a former Cook County prosecutor. He is endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party, Chicago Teachers Union, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. 

The winner inherits an office that in recent years has come under siege following a surge in crime in the greater Chicago area committed by juveniles, including but not limited to carjackings, shootings and smash-and-grab robberies. 

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On carjackings. Burke and Harris offer competing solutions. 

"It is very difficult to detain a juvenile," said Burke. "I want to add structure to their afternoons and evenings through job training, learning enrichment, or apprenticeship through trades." 

Harris believes the root cause of the problem does not necessarily rest with the individual offender: "I want to add a division that focuses directly on organized crime so the age is not relevant." 

On gun violence, the two candidates also have divergent approaches. 

"We are going to aggressively prosecute any individual using a gun," Harris said.  

While Burke maintains, "There is a river of guns flooding the city right now the state’s attorney can work with every available agency to go after the straw purchaser and find where these guns are coming from and cut off the source."

The winner must also navigate the historic passage of the Illinois SAFE-T Act, paving the way for the state to become the first in the nation to eliminate cash bail. 

"Are you a danger to the public or are you not? People who are not a danger to the public should not be detained pre-trial," Burke said. 

Harris appeared to agree.

"The Safe-T-Act has done what it’s supposed to do…it has made us safer…what no-cash bail does is no longer criminalizes poverty," Harris said.

Whoever is victorious in the March primary is widely favored to win the general election on Nov. 5 against Republican and former Chicago 2nd Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti, who is making his second run at State’s Attorney, and Libertarian candidate and tax attorney Andrew Kopinski.