And then there were two....

I have it on very good authority that Judge Sandra Ramos has, just this evening, withdrawn her candidacy for Cook County Chief Judge. In an email to colleagues, Judge Ramos noted that Hispanics make up more than 30% of the population of the City of Chicago but there are no Latino judges in either the Law or Probate Divisions. A "democratic society must embrace diversity," she wrote. Although she declined to endorse either Chief Judge Evans or his remaining challenger, Judge Tom Allen, Judge Ramos her colleagues to search their consciences and "vote for the candidate that exemplifies and embraces these principles as well as adhere to the rules required for the administration of the Circuit Court of Cook County."

The Cook County Bar Association has issued a statement of support for Chief Judge Evans; it is accessible on the CCBA website. Just tonight I received a copy of a letter (posted on the Chicago Defender website), signed by 19 former Presidents of the Cook County Bar Association, urging Evans's reelection as Chief Judge.

The election is tomorrow. More updates if and when they become available....