Ex-Clinton Aide Among Winners in Ill. Primary

Illinois Atty. Gen. Jim Ryan easily won the Republican nomination Tuesday to succeed scandal-tainted Gov. George Ryan while former Clinton aide Rahm Emanuel secured the Democratic nod for a Chicago congressional seat.

The Democratic primary for governor was too close to call, with Rep. Rod R. Blagojevich and former Chicago school chief Paul Vallas in a dead heat. Democrats were hoping a bribery scandal that haunted Gov. Ryan will give them a chance to win the governor’s seat for the first time since 1972.

With 81% of precincts reporting, Blagojevich had 373,913 votes, or 35%; Vallas had 362,013 votes, or 34%; and former state Atty. Gen. Roland Burris had 321,618, or 30%.

On the GOP side, Ryan--who is not related to the governor--had 281,081 votes, or 44%; state Sen. Patrick O’Malley had 180,665 votes, or 29%; and Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood had 171,742 votes, or 27%.

The primary winners face off Nov. 5. Illinois is one of 36 states holding elections for governor this year and one of 17 states in which the incumbent is not running.

On Chicago’s North Side, Emanuel emerged victorious from a hard-fought battle with former state Rep. Nancy Kaszak. He should have the edge this fall in the heavily Democratic district left open when Blagojevich decided to give up the seat to run for governor.

“I feel great, but most importantly I’m humbled and honored,” Emanuel said. “It’s moments like this that you remember all the good and all the bad but also all the strength you got from people and why you did this.”

With 98% of precincts reporting, Emanuel had 45,836 votes, or 50%. Kaszak had 35,026 votes, or 39%. Six other candidates, including another former Clinton aide, Pete Dagher, were far behind.

Most of the sparring in the governor’s race was between Blagojevich and Vallas, who argued over guns and abortion--even though both support abortion rights and gun control. Burris even pleaded with his opponents to pull their negative TV ads in the name of party unity.

All hoped to capitalize on the misfortune of Gov. Ryan, whose popularity plummeted amid broken campaign promises and a federal investigation of the swapping of driver’s licenses for bribes, which occurred mostly when Ryan oversaw license bureaus as secretary of state. Federal prosecutors say about $170,000 in bribe money ended up in the governor’s campaign fund, though he has not been charged with wrongdoing.

Even so, the Republican candidates spent much of their time trying to distance themselves from the GOP governor.

Jim Ryan ran ads calling Wood a “full and equal partner” in George Ryan’s administration.

The lieutenant governor and O’Malley accused the attorney general of knowing about the license scandal but doing nothing about it. They also criticized Jim Ryan over his handling of a 1983 murder case when he was DuPage County prosecutor. Three men went to prison but were later released amid questions about the investigation.

After her defeat, Wood said she was proud to have helped expand the GOP base. She said she showed there is Republican support for abortion rights.

“I am also very proud to be the first Republican woman to seek the highest office in the state,” Wood said.

The campaign for the 5th Congressional District, which runs from Lake Michigan to O’Hare airport, was equally negative. Emanuel, 42, sought fund-raising help from former President Clinton and Kaszak, 51, called him a Washington outsider.

The race took a nasty turn two weeks ago amid accusations of anti-Semitism. A Polish supporter of Kaszak suggested that Emanuel, who is Jewish, was a citizen of Israel and served for two years in the Israeli army.

The comments about Emanuel’s background are not true and Kaszak repudiated the remarks. But Emanuel said the remarks reflected a “whispering campaign” of anti-Semitism against him.