Chicago FOP makes Cook County judicial endorsements

The Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge No. 7, today announced its endorsements in Cook County judicial races.

In addition to making endorsements in all currently contested races for the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court, the FOP endorsed Justice Mary Jane Theis in her bid to retain the Illinois Supreme Court seat to which she was appointed following the retirement of Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald.

The FOP also made endorsements in 10 of the 11 countywide races, passing over only the race for the Jordan vacancy, where Judge Jean Prendergast Rooney is unopposed. The FOP did specifically endorse Michael Tully Mullen (Stralka vacancy) and Judge Russell Hartigan (Moran vacancy), although these candidates are also unopposed in their respective races.

For obvious reasons, the Chicago FOP makes no endorsements in entirely suburban subcircuits. But this year the FOP also made no endorsements in either the race for the Stuttley vacancy in the 2nd Subcircuit or in any of the four races, two of which remain contested, in the 7th Subcircuit, even though substantial portions of these subcircuits are within the boundaries of the City of Chicago. The FOP endorsed Judge Laura Liu, who is uncontested in her bid for the "A" vacancy in the 8th Subcircuit, and Judge Thomas R. Allen (the former 38th Ward alderman) who is uncontested in the 10th Subcircuit, but bypassed the race in the 14th Subcircuit, where Judge Regina Ann Scannicchio is unopposed.

In the race for the Moore vacancy in the 3rd Judicial Subcircuit, the FOP announced its endorsement of Judge Thomas Carroll, even though he has since withdrawn from the race, leaving Daniel R. Degnan unopposed.

The FOP's endorsements in contested judicial races, then, are as follows:

Illinois Supreme Court
Mary Jane Theis

Illinois Appellate Court
Cahill Vacancy - James Michael McGing
Gallagher Vacancy - Marguerite Anne Quinn
O'Brien Vacancy - Jesse G. Reyes

Cook County Circuit Court (Countywide)
Conlon Vacancy - Stanley L. Hill, Sr.
Frossard Vacancy - Kevin W. Horan
Kinnaird Vacancy - Kevin Cunningham
O'Brien Vacancy - Cynthia Ramirez
Pucinski Vacancy - Lorna Propes
Simmons, Jr. Vacancy - Jessica A. O’Brien
Stewart Vacancy - Steve Demitro
Ward Vacancy - Peter J. Vilkelis

Cook County Circuit Court (Subcircuit)
3rd Subcircuit (McGann Vacancy) - Maureen Leahy Delehanty

6th Subcircuit (Delgado Vacancy) - Gregory Emmett Ahern, Jr.

8th Subcircuit (Chiola Vacancy) - Celia Louise Gamrath
8th Subcircuit (Cole Vacancy) - James L. Kaplan
8th Subcircuit (Roy Vacancy) - Nicholas Geanopoulos

9th Subcircuit (Bender Vacancy) - Michael Ian Bender
9th Subcircuit (Epstein Vacancy) - Larry G. Axelrood

11th Subcircuit (O’Brien Vacancy) - Michael R. Clancy
11th Subcircuit (Urso Vacancy) - Lisa Ann Marino