Aftermath: Looking for patterns -- and feedback

Maybe it's too soon to talk about it. For a number of the candidates in yesterday's primary, it almost certainly is. But let's start analyzing the results and let people join in as they see fit.

Here are the countywide slated candidates and their fates:

Judge Lauretta Higgins Wolfson -- lost to Judge Dennis J. Burke

Associate Judge Jesse G. Reyes -- former President of the Illinois Judges Association moves to a full Circuit Court judgeship

Judge Maureen Ward Kirby -- appointed judge handily defeats single opponent

Judge Marilyn F. Johnson -- ditto

Thomas J. Byrne -- appears to have bested Joanne Marie "Jody" Rogers by a narrow margin

Judge Thaddeus L. Wilson -- appointed judge falls to Debra B. Walker

Paula M. Lingo -- here are the latest results from the City:

DEM - Judge of the Circuit Court (Vacancy of Murphy)

2502 out of 2579 precincts (97.01 %)

Kristyna Colleen Ryan	156,398	36.72 %
Paula M. Lingo	177,880	41.76 %
Frank James Ryan	91,664	21.52 %

And the County:

DEM - Circuit Court Judge Full Circuit (Murphy)
Precincts Counted: 2,221 of 2,290 (96.99%)

Candidates	Votes	%
Kristyna Colleen Ryan	130,743	42.63%
Paula M. Lingo	107,308	34.99%
Frank James Ryan	68,615	22.37%

Ryan holds a lead, on these figures, of 1,953 votes -- too close, presumably, to call. But the gap has grown since I started tracking this last night.

Judge Michael B. Hyman -- appointed judge pulls off a victory in a four-way contest for the Nowicki vacancy that got more ink (in the Sun-Times) than all the other judicial races put together.

Judge Joan Powell -- appointed judge prevails in another four-person contest.

So the slated candidates won in only six of eight contests, with the ninth apparently still undecided.

Is that a good result or a bad result for the Cook County Democratic Party?

Related question: How many wards or township organizations deviated from the slate? In my home 41st Ward, only Judge Wolfson was mentioned on the ward organization's mailing... but, then, the long-time Committeeman, Ralph C. Capparelli, lost his bid for reelection, too (to Mary O'Connor). The 49th Ward strayed from the slate in three of the nine Circuit Court races. Can you provide other examples?

Appointed judges seem to have fared well in the countywide contests... but badly in the subcircuits. What weight does a Supreme Court appointment have with voters? What did you hear yesterday about this? What are your speculations?