Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle talks her influence in Chicago politics
CHICAGO (CBS) – When the Bring Chicago Home effort failed at the ballot box last month, and the more progressive Democratic candidate for Cook County State's Attorney lost, some wondered if Chicago's political winds were changing.
Not so fast, though, at least according to the head of the Cook County Democratic Party, Toni Preckwinkle.
The president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners downplayed her political grip. Despite being instrumental in the rise of everyone from sitting State's Attorney Kim Foxx to Mayor Brandon Johnson to Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. And while her candidate lost last month's Democratic primary race to be the next Cook County state's attorney, Preckwinkle said the part still delivered.
"We won 21 out of 23 races, which is better than we've done in a long time," Preckwinkle said.
But the night's biggest race didn't go the party's way as Democrat Eileen O'Neil Burke advanced to the November general election to replace Foxx as the next state's attorney.
"The party took a couple of tough losses," she said. "Which I wish had gone the other way, but you never win every race."
Preckwinkle and the party backed Clayton Harris, who on Election Day said of the party chair, "Is she a kingmaker? Look at her resume."
So, does Preckwinkle think she's a kingmaker in Chicago and Cook County politics?
"No. I'm president of the County Board of Commissioners, and I'm chair of the Democratic Party," she said. "That's not the same thing."
Reporter: "But are you someone who can make or break careers? That seems to be what [Clayton has] indicated, what Kim Foxx has indicated over time, that you really have the muscle here."
Preckwinkle: "I try to support good candidates. I always have, since I was 16 years old."
Despite regularly rubbing elbows with some of the most powerful political figures, she laughed off questions of her political muscle.
She also laughed off allegations lodged this week by Bob Fioretti, the Republican candidate for state's attorney, that Burke and Foxx are "two peas in the Toni Preckwinkle pod."
"I think that's pretty funny, considering I didn't support her," Preckwinkle said. "Usually, when it's two peas in a pod, you have certain things in common."
Reporter: "And that wasn't the case, at least in this primary election?"
Preckwinkle: "That's right."
Reporter: "Is there a sense that the pendulum is swinging a little bit away from deep progressive movements in Chicago and Cook County by way of what we saw in the state's attorney's race and Bring Chicago Home referendum?"
Preckwinkle: "No, I don't think so. I think you have to look at those two races and see what happened. No, I wouldn't say that at all."
Preckwinkle didn't want to weigh in on how Johnson is doing as mayor and said she doesn't offer report cards on other elected officials. She also spoke to CBS 2 to promote the "Pathways to Cook County" summit, which will take place next Tuesday at the University of Illinois Chicago.
The summit aims to help those looking for grants, certification and career opportunities with an "in" at the county level. For more information, visit the Cook County website.
