U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (4th) announced his retirement last week, after three terms in the position and decades of public service. However, there's likely to be little contest for the congressional seat.
Chuy Garcia filed petitions Oct. 27 to run for the seat. Then his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, filed petitions to run for the seat the day of the filing deadline — the same day Chuy Garcia announced his retirement.
The move leaves the younger Garcia (no relation) as the sole Democrat in the race. AKA the heir, or heiress.
While critics slam the insider move, it’s a classic power transfer within the Chicago machine. Chuy’s not even the only politician who pulled it this election cycle!
Luis Gutiérrez
You lose ‘em how you get ‘em. Isn’t that the saying? Chuy Garcia himself rose to represent the 4th District after his predecessor Luis Gutiérrez suddenly dropped out of the race. Gutiérrez had been signaling plans to run again until six days before the filing deadline. He then immediately endorsed Chuy in what was labeled a “coronation.”
Bill Lipinski
After 11 terms in Congress, Rep. William O. Lipinski (3rd) retired in 2004 just after winning the Democratic primary. That meant it was up to party leaders to replace him on the general election ballot. They opted for Lipinski’s choice: his own son, Dan, who at the time was a professor living in Tennessee. Dan Lipinski held that position until 2021.
Thomas Hynes
When Cook County Assessor Thomas Hynes announced his abrupt resignation in 1997, his ally James Houlihan was the clear successor. Hynes quit halfway through his fifth term, which left the decision up to the Cook County board — not voters. Board approval for Houlihan was easy enough with Mayor Richard M. Daley’s support.
The move also cleared a path for Hynes’ 28-year-old son Daniel to run for state comptroller the following year without voters questioning two Hynes on the ballot. Daniel Hynes ended up serving as comptroller for 12 years.
John Stroger
In the most memorable power-ceding of my own lifetime, Cook Country Board President John Stroger suffered a severe stroke weeks before his 2006 primary against Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool. Four days before the race, Stroger appeared unlikely to recover.
Regardless, he remained on the ballot with his son Todd announcing “President Stroger will be back!” Stroger won 53% of the vote, but he did not bounce back. He never appeared publicly again, and Todd Stroger eventually replaced him as the Democratic nominee.
Todd won and served one term. While in office, he earned the nickname “The Toddler.”
… The above list doesn’t even include nepotistic alder replacements. Think you know your alder nepo babies?
