In the conclusion of a heated primary contest, incumbent Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez lost her re-election bid to political newcomer Kim Foxx March 15. Chicago Sun-Times called the race at 8:45 p.m. Attorney Donna More was also vying for the post.
Foxx, who was previously chief of staff to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, received the backing of the Cook County Democratic Party in the race, as well as considerable financial backing from, among others, openly gay activist and businessman Fred Eychaner. Her goals include a reduction in the Cook County Jail population and a more active engagement between county prosecutors and the community at large.
In her victory speech, Foxx, her husband and daughters by her side, congratulated Alvarez and More and noted that, for the first time, three women were vying to run the second-largest prosecutors' office in the country.
"I recognize that elections and politics can get muddy and messy, but the stakes in this race were very high," Foxx said. "… The gulf between law enforcement and our community must be breached."
Foxx has called for a special prosecutor to address police shootings. She told Windy City Times in February, "I believe there is an inherent conflict in the intimate relationship between police and the state's attorney, and it's not a nefarious relationship, it's necessary. It's where we get our cases from."
Alvarez has long been a controversial figure in Cook County politics, but criticism against her has been especially heated since last fall, when her office announced murder charges against CPD Officer Jason Van Dyke, who was accused of shooting Laquan McDonald, nearly a year and a half after the incident. On March 13, Daily Beast reported that the State's Attorney's Office had declined to pursue charges against officers involved in some 68 police shootings in the last seven years.
Speaking at the Palmer House Hilton, Alvarez thanked her supporters, adding, "While it's clear that my many years of service will come to an end … we find ourselves in a climate of change and a period of reform in the criminal justice system."
She admitted that she was probably "a poor politician" but said, "I am damned proud of the fact that I am a good prosecutor."
On social media, activists—many under the #ByeAnita hashtag—expressed excitement about the prospect of Alvarez leaving her post. BYP100 tweeted, "We do this for Rekia, We do this for Laquan, We do this for Ronnieman, We do this til WE free us." Activist Malcolm London tweeted congratulations to Black queer women who "did the most powerful organizing … Hello Black queer women organizers who won today."
More, who has worked as prosecutor but more recently has been an attorney in the gaming industry, ran on a platform focused on reducing and prosecuting gun violence, proposing a dedicated "gun court" system in the county.
Foxx will now face Republican Christopher Pfannkuche in November.
In other county contests, controversial incumbent Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown fended off a challenge from openly gay attorney and activist Jacob Meister and 8th Ward Ald. Michelle Harris. Meister, who finished third, had promised to update the technology, policies and procedures in the office, which he contended had languished under Brown's watch. Brown next faces Republican Diane Shapiro in the fall.
Incumbent Karen Yarbrough is running uncontested so far for another term as Cook County recorder of deeds.
