Jim Hickey Running for Jesse Jackson Jr.’s Old Seat
The Orland Fire Protection District’s board president announced Thursday that he will be running for the 2nd Congressional District in the upcoming special election.
The race to replace Jesse Jackson’s Jr. just got another runner.
James Hickey, the Orland Fire Protection District board president who lost to Rep. Bill Foster in the March primary, announced his intention to campaign for the recently-opened 2nd Congressional District seat.
Hickey joins an ever-lengthening list of candidates now including recently re-elected State Sen. Toi Hutchinson, former congresswoman and Hutchinson’s previous boss Debbie Halvorson, former state representative Robin Kelly, former NFL running back Napolean Harris and former congressman Mel Reynolds, who himself resigned from the 2nd district in 1995 after he was convicted of sex crimes.
Several other candidates have entered the race, according to CBS.
“What the 2nd District has lacked for far too many years is a representative who is concerned about the interests of the people,” Hickey said, in a press release. “Instead of ignoring the district’s families and businesses, I will be front and center in their face with my mouth shut and my ears wide open. I want to hear what residents believe needs to be done and I will fight for their rights.”
Hickey wished Jackson “the best,” and said in the release that he would focus on “improving the economy and creating jobs, funding and improving education.”
The new 2nd Congressional District starts at East Hyde Park and the lake shore on the north, the Indiana border on the east, Kankakee in the south and running just west of I-57. The district includes Chicago Heights, Homewood, Flossmoor, Oak Forest and Tinley Park.
The special primary election will be held Feb. 26, and March 19 for the general election.
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Nick002
7:07 am on Saturday, December 1, 2012
If he ran in the primary for Foster's seat and is now running for Jackson's seat, in what district does he actually live??? (I know the law doesn't require him to live in our district, but I'm curious.)
Ray Blah Blah Blah
3:08 pm on Saturday, December 1, 2012
Hickey lives in Lipinski's district
Samantha
7:24 am on Saturday, December 1, 2012
He has done a magnificent job as the president of the Orland fire protection district. Jim has gone after and eliminated patronage jobs in the fire district and hired qualified people instead of political hacks. I hope he does the same when he gets elected to congress. Jim you also have my vote for Orland Democratic Committeman.
Joe Lake
8:02 am on Saturday, December 1, 2012
The more the merrier. Joe Lake, Chicago
Darnell
8:02 am on Saturday, December 1, 2012
Good Luck, I hope he can pull it off, but running against what will most likely be an African - American candidate in a District that is 55% African - American and who's voting constituency vote race based, he stands about a snowballs chance in hell! Diss me all you want,call me what you want, but it's the hard truth and the truth hurts! People would rather hear a comforting lie than an unpleasant truth! Good Luck Jim, I hope you can do it!
Nick002
8:56 am on Saturday, December 1, 2012
If you want to see race-based voting, look at the election results for a black candidate running in Cook County or statewide. The lowest results for the black candidate in Cook County are always Barrington and Orland Townships. I wonder why that is???
Doug
3:08 pm on Saturday, December 1, 2012
Lower Black population in those townships? Duh? Do you think?
Ray Blah Blah Blah
3:08 pm on Saturday, December 1, 2012
Again Hickey is running in a district that has nothing to do with Orland. If he wants out so bad, why doesn't he just move?
James Bond
10:38 am on Monday, December 10, 2012
GREAT A CARPETBAGGER CANDIDATE.
Judity F.
9:31 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Check out www.voteAnthonyWWilliams.com Compare, then decide.
If Debbie was such a tireless worker and cared about our district why hasn't she spoken out on any of the issues affecting us from the time she lost the seat? This goes for the rest of the contenders. I support Anthony W. Williams who does work tirelessly unlike those currently in office, the newly elected and others running. When have they personally advocated for us on any issue?
Did they advocate for Rocky when his school insurance capped and the state was about to yank benefits from him: the state stealing from retirees' pensions, closing mental health clinics, hospitals? Yet silence among those who say they will see that we receive justice. I guess not one issue was important enough to anyone except Anthony W. Williams resulting in Clark keeping insurance status, 40k coming forward and retirees receiving refunds. Williams was blocking projects in Englewood, etc. before Gardner. Think how much more he would do once elected! Don't vote for people just because "they have been there, they are there or they say what they will do when they get there. Go by what they have and are doing.
Give votes to those who have EARNED them.