Illinois Election: Democrats sweep elected countywide offices for Cook County
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Democrats swept the elections for Cook County officials Tuesday night.
Toni Preckwinkle was elected to a fourth term as Cook County Board President, capturing 67 percent of the vote. Republican opponent Bob Fioretti won 30 percent of the vote, and Libertarian Thea Tsatsos won 3 percent.
Preckwinkle, an alumnus of the University of Chicago for her bachelor's and master's degrees, served five terms as alderwoman of the 4th Ward in the Chicago City Council before being elected County Board President. She defeated incumbent Todd Stroger in the primary in 2010 and went on to win the general election.
Fioretti served two terms as alderman of the 2nd Ward in the Chicago City Council. He ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Chicago in 2015 and 2019, and for County Board President in 2018. He also lost the Democratic primary for the 5th District in the Illinois State Senate in 2016, and the Democratic primary for Cook County State's Attorney in 2020.
Fioretti switched to the Republican Party for his County Board run this year.
Meanwhile, Democratic incumbent Fritz Kaegi won reelection as Cook County Assessor, capturing 81.5 percent of the vote compared with 18 percent for Libertarian Nico Tsatsoulis.
For Cook County Clerk, Democratic incumbent Karen Yarborough won with 70.2 percent against Republican Tony Peraica – a former Cook County Commissioner and unsuccessful 2006 candidate for Cook County Board President – and Libertarian Joseph Schreinder.
For Cook County Treasurer, Maria Pappas was elected to a seventh term. She won 74 percent of the vote, compared with 23 percent for Barrington Township Republican Committeeman Peter Kopsaftis, and 2 percent for Libertarian Michael Murphy.