Kwame Raoul Wins Democratic Attorney General Race Over Pat Quinn

The state senator appointed by party leaders to fill Barack Obama's former Hyde Park seat in 2004 has won the Democratic attorney general nomination. Sen. Kwame Raoul, who reported the most contributions and endorsements in a crowded field, will face Republican Erika Harold in November after defeating former Gov. Pat Quinn, his nearest rival, and six others.

Raoul spoke to supporters around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in downtown Chicago following a concession call from Quinn. He thanked his father, who immigrated from Haiti, and promised he would fight on behalf of immigrants if elected.

"My father always taught me to be a proud Haitian-American," he said. "And I don't care what Donald Trump said, I didn't come from no type of hole."

Raoul wasted no time in attacking Harold, as he turned a moment of gratitude toward his mother for raising him in a safe and loving home into an oblique reference to an alleged answer Harold provided judges at the 2000 Miss Illinois pageant about adoption by same-sex couples.

"One's sexual orientation does not have anything to do with whether you're able to provide a safe loving home," he said.

The former juvenile court prosecutor went on to speak about tougher gun control, penalties for gun offenders and helping victims of trauma in neighborhoods with high levels of violence.

The campaign kicked off last September when, without warning or much explanation, Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced she had no interest in a fifth term as Illinois' law enforcement officer. That set off a scramble among Democrats seeking to replace her, who had less than three months to prepare their paperwork to run for the post.

The first candidate to jump in the race, Scott Drury, scrapped his campaign for governor shortly after Madigan's announcement. Later that week, Raoul, a state senator considered a potential challenger to Mayor Rahm Emanuel next year, threw his hat in the ring.

They were followed by the president of the Chicago Park District, Jesse Ruiz, the former head of the Chicago police review board, Sharon Fairley, a public defender and Chicago ward committeeman, Aaron Goldstein, a former federal prosecutor known for his anti-Trump television punditry, Renato Mariotti, and Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering.

ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY:

1. Kwame Raoul – 30.3% (Winner)
2. Pat Quinn – 27.5%
3. Sharon Fairley – 12.5%
4. Nancy Rotering – 9.3%
5. Scott Drury – 7.9%
6. Jesse Ruiz – 5.5%
7. Renato Mariotti – 4%
8. Aaron Goldstein – 3.1%

Subscribe to free News Alerts for election results and breaking news alerts.

» MORE: Illinois Primary Election 2018 Races

Senator Raoul: "I want to thank the men and women of organized labor...my campaign staff...and many of my colleagues is the General Assembly." pic.twitter.com/1H4G9kQT6D
— BlueRoomStream (@BlueRoomStream) March 21, 2018

Having eight candidates in the race it difficult for any of them to break away from the pack and differentiate themselves.

"We had an embarassment of riches," Raoul said Tuesday. "We had eight highly qualified candidates that lent themselves to the rigorous five-month campaign."

Raoul managed to win the nomination with less than a third of a vote. With 97 percent of precincts reporting, he led Quinn by under 33,500 votes.

Nevertheless, aided by fame and financing rather than a groundswell of public support, the pair of front-runners emerged.

As former governor, Quinn has been aided by his strong name recognition and glad-handing. He appears to be on a quest for redemption after Gov. Bruce Rauner defeated him in 2014. He emphasized his familiarity with voters with ads that began with the phrase "You know me."

State Sen. Raoul, who was appointed to fill then-Senator Barack Obama's seat representing Hyde Park in 2004, has reportedly long had ambitions for higher office. He's been aided by heavy financial backing from party bosses and union leaders, and his opponents have criticized the fact his campaign has accepted money from tobacco companies. His $2 million in reported contributions topped all other candidates.

Of all the candidates, Quinn and Raoul had the fewest small donations. Close to 95 percent of contributions to their campaign were larger than $1,000, according to Illinois Board of Elections data.

One candidate, Fairley, picked up endorsements from all three major Chicago area papers. The Tribune declared her a "fearless and tested change agent who comes to the job with calluses from dealing with politics, but without debilitating conflicts of interest." The Sun-Times wrote that she has a "clear-headed centeredness, an independence of mind and spirit that could make her a particularly effective attorney general." The Daily Herald said Fairley's "blend of investigative experience, regulatory oversight, determination and independence is particularly well-suited" to the job.

Fairley was the only candidate besides the well-known Quinn and the well-funded Raoul to capture more than 10 percent of the vote in the eight-person field, while Nancy Rotering was the only other candidate to win a plurality in a county, winning Lake County, according to unofficial results.

Fairley thanked her supporters Tuesday night, releasing a statement that her campaign had performed well beyond expectations but fallen short.

‪"We were outspent by almost every single candidate in this race, but we were never outworked," said the former director of the Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

Rotering said the statewide campaign had been an honor and a privilege.

"These results should not deter us from continuing to fight on behalf of our neighbors and our communities," Rotering said in a statement Wednesday. "There are many opportunities across our state to move forward and to advocate for those who do not have a strong voice."

Drury, who is leaving office as 58th District state representative said Wednesday that his campaign had more hurdles thrown at it than any other, which shows the power of his message.

"We came up short yesterday. But we did not lose, and we should not hang our heads. The Berlin Wall did not fall in a day. It ultimately did fall, however. I am confident we have taken chunks out of that wall," he said. "For the first time in decades, Democrats in Illinois feel empowered to speak out against wrongs - not just on the right - but within our own party."

Quinn issued a statement Wednesday evening, saying he intends to continuing travelling across Illinois until November backing the entire Democratic ticket and thanking his supporters.

"I'm grateful for you support, and I will never stop working to make the will of the people the law of the land," Quinn said.

» Harold Vs. Raoul In November: Attorney General Primary Results