An honest (state) rep
08/29/2012 10:00 PM
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Don’t look now, but it looks like Democratic committeemen have finally made a choice that doesn’t stink.
Last Friday, they picked a replacement to fill Derrick Smith’s Illinois House seat for the next few months, and lo and behold, they nominated an honest guy: Eddie Winters, a Chicago cop, Near West Side neighborhood leader and one of the nicest guys we’ve met.
Winters isn’t doing much but keeping the seat warm until Smith or Lance Tyson takes it over next January, but it looks like he’s finally getting a reward for his time spent working in the trenches. He’s run for the 10th District seat twice before, both times losing to Annazette Collins.
We don’t know much about how Winters will vote in Springfield — that’s the unfortunate side effect of a closed process with little public vetting. However, we’ve seen him in action leading events as head of the Homeowners of Westtown United, the main Near West Side resident group. He’s soft-spoken but authoritative.
Still, it’s another chapter in what’s been a mess. How nice would it be to have a wide-open primary for this seat, filled with well-qualified candidates? We’re growing tired of the slate of politicians hand-picked by other politicians. Did you see our handy guide on page 3?