Is Tuesday Day Of Reckoning For Rep. Jackson?
CHICAGO (CBS) - Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. has never lost an election and was once a shoo-in to win his latest, on Tuesday. But political and personal problems have now made him fair game for serious challengers.
Despite running for a ninth term, Jackson's been hard to find and even harder to pin down. Until Thursday, when CBS 2 Chief correspondent Jay Levine found him at dedication on the South Side.
He didn't seem to be worried. In the strongest terms yet, Jackson denied being part of an alleged deal to give former Gov. Rod Blagojevich campaign cash in exchange for a vacant U.S. Senate seat. Jackson also denied spending public money on trysts with a Washington hostess.
Jackson had previously called his relationship with Giovanna Huidobro a personal matter. But it has clearly become political, too.
"I think it's the second big issue," Jackson's Republican opponent, Isaac Hayes, says. "Number one was always Rod Blagojevich, and second now is his inability to be committed to his wife."
Hayes, a ministry planner for Apostolic Church of God, is making his first run for office. South Suburban minister and Green Party candidate Anthony Williams is running against Jackson for the fifth time and thinks he is vulnerable this time.
"Arrogance is his downfall," Williams says.
Jackson claims he's campaigning hard, even placing lawn signs himself in yards. But his campaign stops in the city have not been publicized, and suburban Democratic leaders say they haven't seen anywhere near enough of him.
Thursday, the questions about Blagojevich persisted. Jackson said he had no knowledge of supporters raising money for Blagojevich in exchange for giving him President Obama's former Senate seat.
"I spend all time raising money for myself, I have no time raising money for anyone else," Jackson said.
Earlier this week, Jackson announced he would not enter the race to succeed Mayor Daley. He said he won't endorse anyone else, either. Between childhood friends, his minister and former colleagues in the House, he says it's not a choice he feels comfortable about making.
