With an overcrowded Democratic ticket, Green Primary is shaping up to be fairly competitive. Heading into this week, it appeared that the party’s 2008 nominee, Alan Augustson, would be the lone candidate. Then Mark Arnold Fredrickson, a community activist and challenger to Rahm Emanuel in the 2004 primary, indicated that he’s running by publishing information about his candidacy on a Chicago elections wiki.
Now, Matt Reichel, who had entered the race as a Democrat, has issued a press release announcing that he is changing parties to run as a Green:
The Committee to Elect Matt Reichel to Congress in Illinois’s 5th District has changed its party affiliation from Democrat to Green.
[...] Matt Reichel was born and raised in a solidly Democratic household, with a mother who is still active in 49th ward Democratic politics. Matt himself recently worked for Dennis Kucinich’s presidential and congressional campaigns. He remains a supporter of the Ohio Congressman, though believes that he is the last of the decent Democrats.
It is very unlikely that young progressives will ever be able to accomplish anything within the Democratic Party, because the cards are intentionally stacked against them. In an era of perpetual war of Empire, the Democrats have done nothing to change our foreign policy posture in the Middle East. In an era of economic malaise brought on by Wall Street greed, the Democrats have pushed for scandalous handouts to the crooks that created this mess in the first place
The future of this Republic lies in other parties. The Greens have been extraordinarily active throughout the country building a sustainable presence as an alternative to the two parties of war, greed and Empire. Meanwhile, their supporters are decidedly younger and much more passionate about their desire to make this country a better place.
Reichel will oppose Alan Auguston in the March 3rd Green Primary. Alan was the Green candidate in this same race in November, and won 4% of the vote against Rahm Emanuel.
While the Democrats are wasting their time with petty legal challenges, corrupt back scratching and vile pay-to-play politics, Reichel and Auguston will run spirited and intelligent campaigns rooted in the issues most pressing in today’s society.
There is also word that Deb Gordils — 2003 challenger to Ald. Dick Mell, described by the Sun-Times as a “substitute teacher with no money or organization” at the time — will run as a Green. She is said to have more than 300 signatures already collected, which is 10 times the number needed.
With four or more candidates vying for the Green nomination, this race marks the first competitive Green primary in state history, outside of the presidential race in 2008. In previous primaries, there had only been one candidate to choose from.
Why so many candidates all the sudden? Reichel sums it up:
The Democratic Party of Illinois has purposely made it near impossible for non-established candidates to achieve ballot access by allotting less than two weeks to accrue the requisite 970 signatures in blizzards and frigid sub zero wind chills. Furthermore, the signatures would likely face legal challenges by the right wing mainstream of the party. By the time said legal challenges were completed, there would remain a mere few weeks to discuss the issues with the other candidates. This would be a great disservice to the working majority of the 5th district.
As a Green, he will only need 30 valid signatures.
Meanwhile, Jay Paul Deranty has said in an email exchange that he is not running for Congress, and will support Democrat Sara Feigenholtz.
For a complete list of candidates, see our 5th Congressional District page.
