Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania’s Columns
  • Advertise
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
    • Submit a Press Release
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Seniors
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Court orders ex to provide transportation so Dad can see his daughter Civil Rights
  • Brandon Johnson leads a protest demanding to defund the Police. Phot courtesy of the Vallas for Mayor Campaign
    Johnson Refuses to Answer Whether He Would Pursue Stricter Penalties for Repeat Gun Offenders At WGN Debate  Chicago
  • Orland Fire Protection District extinguish fire in apartment building at 144th and Ravinia Sunday Jan. 30, 2022
    One fatality in Orland Hills Home fire Cook County
  • Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau continues to lie and slander people Blogger
  • Writing my very first news story that ran in the Messenger Press Baby Boomers
  • Illinois State Senator Michael Hastings. Photo courtesy of the Illinois State Senate
    Senator Michael Hastings supports bill to protect consumers from pesky auto-renewal charges Features
  • Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8 Entertainment
  • Paul Vallas candidate for Chicago Mayor 2023. Photo courtesy of the Paul Vallas website
    Paul Vallas calls out Johnson’s lies walking back calls to defund and undermine police Chicago
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Psychological support for divorcing dads topic of CLE at Leving firm Chicago
  • Ronette McCarthy, a candidate for Mayor of Palos Park, addresses the Palos Park Village Board on the issue of expanding Wu's House parking into land adjacent to the huge restaurant on the east.
    Whoa is Wu’s House in Palos Park Blogger
  • Pekau campaign signs violate village ordinances News
  • Rotary Club of Orland Park Logo
    Orland Park Rotary offering scholarships to graduating seniors Education
  • Carl Sandburg High School, Orland Park, School District 230
    Carl Sandburg band invited to London’s New Year’s Day Parade 2024;  Education
  • Higher Education veteran Tracy Sullivan announces candidacy for Moraine Valley Board News
  • Chicago ALderman Raymond Lopez announces his candidacy for Mayor of Chicago on Wednesday April 6, 2022. Photo courtesy of Ray Lopez announcement video
    Lopez and O’Shea endorse Vallas in Chicago mayor race Chicago
Former Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is the lead candidate to succeed Jessie White as Secretary of State. Photo courtesy of WIkipedia

Battle for Secretary of State already brewing in Illinois

Posted on April 17, 2021July 13, 2021 By Ray Hanania
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Loading

Battle for Secretary of State already brewing in Illinois

Alexi Giannoulias is the lead candidate in the brewing race to succeed Illinois Secretary of State Jessie White who is retiring. Although the Democratic Party Primary election is not until March 2022, time goes by quickly and the race will quickly become crowded. As the Republican Party is pretty much on its deathbed in Illinois, thanks to poor leadership from extremist crackpot like Orland Park’s Keith Pekau, whomever wins the Democratic Primary will be the Secretary of State.

By Ray Hanania

As Secretary of State, Jessie White is one of Illinois’ most popular elected officials.

White doesn’t have to jump in the middle of big political issues and only has to ensure that his office’s critical services that impact so many residents run smoothly and without hassle.

But White has announced his plans to retire after this term in office ends in January 2023. The Democratic primary election will be held next year in March 2022 followed by the General Election in November 2022.

It sounds like it is a long way off, but it’s really not. Any serious candidate has already started to raise funds and is making plans to officially launch this Fall.

Former Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is the lead candidate to succeed Jessie White as Secretary of State. Photo courtesy of WIkipedia
Former Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is the lead candidate to succeed Jessie White as Secretary of State. Photo courtesy of WIkipedia

After serving as a State Representative from 1975 until 1991, he was elected as Recorder of Deeds in 1992 serving until he was elected Secretary of State in November 1998 taking office on Jan. 11, 1999. In his last election in 2018, White won the office with 3.1 million votes against two not so well-known challengers, and ran unopposed in the Democratic Primaries in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.

The Secretary of State’s office is one of the most powerful offices in Illinois, when it comes to jobs. It runs vehicle licensing facilities everywhere and those facilities need employees. It’s a powerful job and Democrats have been loyal to him and he has been loyal to Democrats.

Alexi Giannoulias has raised the most to succeed White, more than $2 million. Newly elected Illinois Democratic Party Chairwoman, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, worked for Giannoulias when he served as the Illinois Treasurer, although she said the party is not taking sides – yet.

Ray Hanania column on the Southwest News Newspaper Group April 14, 2021
Ray Hanania column on the Southwest News Newspaper Group April 14, 2021

Other Democrats are considering running including State Senator Michael Hastings, Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia , Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough, and Ald. Pat Dowell.

You can’t win pandering to narrow voting constituencies. Whomever is going to succeed White needs to appeal to the widest possible audience.

Greek Americans always do well in elections, as well as Irish Americans. In Illinois, race and ethnicity play a significant role in election results, no matter what some claim.

But there is no guarantee for Giannoulias, who wont he office of State Treasurer in 2006 with Barack Obama’s backing, but lost a bid for the U.S. Senate to Republican Mark Kirk in November 2010.

The most important job of the Secretary of State isn’t squaring off between Jews and Arabs over Israel and Palestine, or leading opposition to the appeasement of the Iranian Mullahs.

The Secretary of State’s job is right here in Illinois and while many voting constituencies will condition their support of a candidate’s foreign policy views, the real bread and butter work is in the neighborhoods where access to a drivers license is a top priority.

Who those candidates associate with will have an impact even if the issues are not the priority. They have to be careful not to partner with extremist far left-wing groups that have fueled divisions and anger rather than seek consensus to serve the better interests of voters.

One of the things White did that was very popular was to bring his offices’ services to the communities opening branch offices in areas like Orland Park where extreme rightwing Mayor Keith Pekau did his best to shut White’s offices down in a purely partisan grab for power.

Pekau, who won re-election against the Union-backed Dan McLaughlin, lost his bid to build his own Political Machine in nearly every race he entered in the Southwest Suburbs. One of the key issues was Pekau’s closing of the Secretary of State’s office at Orland Park Village Hall, a service brought in by McLaughlin.. Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady put the vital service at the Township and was attacked viciously by Pekau and his minions.

Under Pekau, Orland Park has gone downhill fast to crime and drugs while the business-base is decimated. There are more empty store sin Orland Park than in most suburban communities and the Orland Mall is “business-non-grata” to many residents who won’t go there because of fear of increasing violence.

Palos Township Truths

Congratulations to Tasneem Abuzir and her slate who defeated opposition from extremists who disrupted Palos Township with ineffective protests, yelling and emotional screaming.

Abuzir’s politics are genuine and she isn’t owned by the protestors and fanatics, most of whom brought their losing political record to the suburbs from Chicago.

The same group that hated on Abuzir were also behind the effort to undermine the election of Congresswoman Marie Newman and also fought hard against Dan Lipinski, whom Newman replaced. The activists know little about winning elections and only have the skills to prevent their Arab American and Muslim communities to undermine themselves. 

Tasneem Abuzir, candidate for Palos Township trustee. Photo courtesy of Tasneem Abuzir's Facebook page.
Tasneem Abuzir, candidate for Palos Township trustee. Photo courtesy of Tasneem Abuzir’s Facebook page.
Vote totals from the race for Trustee. Despite opposition from the extremists, Tasneem Abuzir easily won election in the April 6, 2021 Palos Township election
Vote totals from the race for Trustee. Despite opposition from the extremists, Tasneem Abuzir easily won election in the April 6, 2021 Palos Township election

All you have to do is look at the poor performance of Mervat Mohammad who was slated by the Palos Township screamers solely to undermine Abuzir’s candidacy which was publicly announced nearly a year earlier.

Mohammad got the lowest vote of any candidate running in Palos Township, even trailing behind Sharon Brannigan whom the fanatics viciously slandered for more than four years after twisting and distorting her comments on immigration and border protection. The only reason Brannigan lost was that Robert E. Maloney is a Democrat who enjoyed both Democratic and Republican support.

The screamers and protestors had absolutely nothing to do with Brannigan’s loss although they do live in a world of self-denial with their heads in the sand.

Tasneem Abuzir won 3,368 votes while Mervat Mohammad only won in rush-like spirit 2,236 votes. Mohammad’s vote total was less than the total received by Brannigan in the election. Brannigan received 2,362 votes beating the fanatics and extremists.

Vote totals between Raboert Maloney and Sharon Brannigan in the April 6, 2021 Palos Township election.
Vote totals between Robert Maloney and Sharon Brannigan in the April 6, 2021 Palos Township election.

Had the Arab community not been split by jealous rivalry and extremist hatred by the fanatics, Abuzir would have probably received the highest vote total of all the trustee candidates. That would have given the Arab American and Muslim community a power they have never enjoyed and positioned them to do even more in a Township that is in total political disarray and with poor political leadership.

But even in disarray, the protestors and screamers from the Arab community can do little more than undermine themselves and try to prevent Arabs and Muslims from winning office. Fortunately, Abuzir did not have to rely on their pathetic track record of continued failure. Abuzir won on her own.

(This column was originally published in the Southwest News Newspaper Group of eight newspapers including The Regional News. For more information on Ray Hanania visit www.Hanania.com or email him at rghanania@gmail.com.)

 

Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

* indicates required field. 

 

Select Email Format


  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Court orders ex to provide transportation so Dad can see his daughter - March 23, 2023
  • Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau continues to lie and slander people - March 21, 2023
  • Writing my very first news story that ran in the Messenger Press - March 19, 2023
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Cook County, elections, Government, Illinois Legislature, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland Tags:Alexi Giannoulis, Democratic primary, election, Jessie White, Keith Pekau, Michael Hastings, Palos Township, Republican extremists, secretary of state, Sharon Brannigan, Tasneem Abuzir

Post navigation

Previous Post: No injuries, minor damage at Life Time Fitness fire in Orland Park
Next Post: Safety paves way

Related Posts

  • Chicago Wolves continue winning streak with 5-0 record Chicago
  • David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive. Photo courtesy of Milwaukee County
    Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley 2022 State of the County Address Government
  • Orland Park Sting FC is VERY EXCITED to announce that we will be hosting a Summer Session of the Lil Stingerz Program!. www.oyaboys.org
    Lil Stingerz Registration now open for the Summer Session Features
  • Right from the Middle: The accomplishments of Ronald Reagan “the great communicator” Bill Lipinski
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas with elected officials and Arab community leaders at the Arab American Heritage celebration at Oozi Restaurant April 10, 2019. Photo courtesy of Anthony Caciopo
    Pappas: Stay home! Everything you can do at my office you can do at cookcountytreasurer.com Chicago
  • Cook County Renters Rights Coalition website
    New Cook County Renter Rights & Protection laws take effect June 1 Briefs

More Related Articles

Railroad “flyover” discussed News
All Hands on Deck News
Legion Park dedicated in Summit News
Chicago Wolves lose to Toronto Marlies in overtime at AllState Arena Nov. 14, 2021 Lyon, Chicago Wolves blank Milwaukee Chicago
Arrogance of the Orland Park Village Board Editors Pick
Take it outside? News
  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau continues to lie and slander people
    March 21, 2023
  • Writing my very first news story that ran in the Messenger Press
    March 19, 2023
  • Ronette McCarthy, a candidate for Mayor of Palos Park, addresses the Palos Park Village Board on the issue of expanding Wu's House parking into land adjacent to the huge restaurant on the east.
    Whoa is Wu’s House in Palos Park
    March 14, 2023
  • Foxx policies punish police rather than the criminals
    March 8, 2023
  • Pekau silences accountability to expand his political power
    February 27, 2023
  • Terrorist Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin who is guilty of massacring civilians in his war against Ukraine. Photo credit Wikipedia
    America should stand with Ukraine and set aside internal politics
    February 24, 2023

Subscribe

  • Ray-Hanania-Newsletter-300-wide-Banner.jpg

Trending

  • Ronette McCarthy, a candidate for Mayor of Palos Park, addresses the Palos Park Village Board on the issue of expanding Wu's House parking into land adjacent to the huge restaurant on the east. Whoa is Wu’s House... Whoa is Wu's House in Palos Park Residents in Palos Park thought they had t... posted on March 14, 2023
  • Orland Park Mayor Keith P... Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau continues to lie and slander people By Ray Ha... posted on March 21, 2023
  • Brandon Johnson leads a protest demanding to defund the Police. Phot courtesy of the Vallas for Mayor Campaign Johnson Refuses to Answer... Johnson Refuses to Answer Whether He Would Pursue Stricter Penalties for Re... posted on March 22, 2023
  • Karie Friling the former Director of Development Services and former Asst. Village Manager for Orland Park, Illinois, discusses with host Ray Hanania, the proposed referendum introduced and pushed by Mayor keith Pekau to eliminate the professional Village Manager and Managerial Form of Government. Former Orland Park Asst V... Former Orland Park Asst Village Manager analyzes misguided referendum to el... posted on February 23, 2023
  • Pekau campaign signs viol... Pekau campaign signs violate village ordinances Pekau and his endorsed cand... posted on March 13, 2023
  • NEWS
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Court orders ex to provide transportation so Dad can see his daughter
    March 23, 2023
  • Brandon Johnson leads a protest demanding to defund the Police. Phot courtesy of the Vallas for Mayor Campaign
    Johnson Refuses to Answer Whether He Would Pursue Stricter Penalties for Repeat Gun Offenders At WGN Debate 
    March 22, 2023
  • Orland Fire Protection District extinguish fire in apartment building at 144th and Ravinia Sunday Jan. 30, 2022
    One fatality in Orland Hills Home fire
    March 22, 2023
  • Illinois State Senator Michael Hastings. Photo courtesy of the Illinois State Senate
    Senator Michael Hastings supports bill to protect consumers from pesky auto-renewal charges
    March 18, 2023
  • Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    March 17, 2023
  • Paul Vallas candidate for Chicago Mayor 2023. Photo courtesy of the Paul Vallas website
    Paul Vallas calls out Johnson’s lies walking back calls to defund and undermine police
    March 15, 2023
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

The Political Pundit

Political Pundit Aug. 24, 2021. Taliban thanks president for boxes of MAGA hats
  • WORD PRESS REVIEWS
  • MyCloud by Western Digital, a hard drive that doesn't last. Don't purchase Western Digital.
    Western Digital tubes its loyal customers for profit
    October 17, 2021
  • Macho Themes website front page. Don't buy their themes. They don't work
    Difficulties with Macho Themes for WordPress
    August 21, 2021
  • TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS
  • Illinois State Senator Michael Hastings. Photo courtesy of the Illinois State Senate
    Senator Michael Hastings supports bill to protect consumers from pesky auto-renewal charges
    March 18, 2023
  • Wreaths Across America Radio logo
    Wreaths Across America Radio Announces New Strategic Partnerships with Veteran Radio Programs
    February 6, 2023
  • Dr. Helen Edwards Fermilab particle physicist
    Foster, Durbin, Duckworth introduce resolution to name Fermilab Research Center after renowned physicist Dr. Helen Edwards
    February 3, 2023

Follow Ray Hanania at
Gab.com, MeWe.com
IDobbinate.com,
Twitter, Facebook

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

First Installment of the Property Tax

What We’re Reading

Arab News Newspaper Leading English Language Publication in the GulfArab News Newspaper

Ray Hanania on Politics
SW News Newspaper Group

  • SPORTS
  • Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    March 17, 2023
  • Chicago Wolves 2022-2023 season
    Chicago Wolves top Stars for second win in a row
    October 25, 2022
  • Stagg Marching Band Pit Crew as efficient as a NASCAR pit stop! The team that does a lot of the work to help the Stagg High school band perform works behind the scenes like a NASCAR pit stop. The students are profiled in this feature
    Stagg Marching Band Pit Crew as efficient as a NASCAR pit stop!
    August 31, 2022
  • Soccer. Photo by Md Mahdi on Unsplash
    International soccer returns to SeatGeek Stadium
    August 7, 2022
  • NEWS RELEASES
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Psychological support for divorcing dads topic of CLE at Leving firm
    March 14, 2023
  • Tony Award Winner Robert Falls returns to Goodman Theatre to direct his adaptation of "The Cherry Orchard" Photo courtesy Goodman Theatre
    Tony Award Winner Robert Falls returns to Goodman Theatre to direct his adaptation of “The Cherry Orchard”
    March 6, 2023
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Ziyad Brothers reports that the appeal of Mediterranean foods continues to rise among consumers
    February 16, 2023
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    No-contact order protects child from reported abuse
    February 16, 2023
  • Author Patrick Girondi
    Prominent producer to write screen adaptation of story on the fight against Thalassemia
    February 8, 2023
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • Ronette McCarthy, a candidate for Mayor of Palos Park, addresses the Palos Park Village Board on the issue of expanding Wu's House parking into land adjacent to the huge restaurant on the east.
    Whoa is Wu’s House in Palos Park
    March 14, 2023
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Ziyad Brothers reports that the appeal of Mediterranean foods continues to rise among consumers
    February 16, 2023
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar
    Cook County Announces Call for Transportation and Community Grant Program Applications
    January 23, 2023
  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash
    Buckner unveils plan to help businesses and strengthen job
    January 19, 2023

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Click this link to watch or use the widget below:

Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.
Email Ray Hanania for more information about performing at your event at rghanania@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme