THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
Dem Challenger: Now You See Him, Now You Don't
By TOM ROBB
Journal Reporter
In an apparent show of force ordered by state Democratic Party leaders, Leyden Democratic Committeeman and Cook County Democratic Party Vice Chairman Barrett Pederson last week put himself on the ballot to run against State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano (R-77th).
He then withdrew his name a week later on Tuesday, Apr. 15.
When contacted by the Journal and Topics Newspapers, Pederson at first said he wanted to spend more time with his seven and nine-year-old children.
But there was more to it than that.
Pederson said state Democratic Party elders---he would not name---contacted him, instructing him to conduct ballot-on/ballot-off maneuver to keep the party's options open for the coming November election.
"It lets people know there's a Democratic presence here," said Pederson.
By placing a candidate on the November ballot and then removing him, Democrats have until the end of the summer to find a candidate to run against Saviano.
Pederson said as things stand right now there would be no challenger to Saviano in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election.
Another candidate was considering a run against Saviano in the long time Republican stronghold district, which includes Rosemont south of Devon Avenue, but Pederson said that candidate became reluctant causing party leaders to ask Pederson to step in.
Pederson said there is reason to believe a Democrat could do well in Leyden Township.
He said that in the recent Illinois Primary election in February, 10,450 Democratic ballots were pulled by voters compared with only 5,500 Republican ballots.
Pederson said he supports Brad Stephens, Leyden Township's Republican committeeman in his run for Rosemont mayor.
Rosemont has long been a Republican stronghold. Stephens' father, the late Mayor Donald Stephens, was longtime Republican Leyden Township committeeman, Republican power broker and mentor.
Saviano, among other young Illinois Republicans, credits Donald Stephens with starting their political careers.
Pederson had only positive things to say about Saviano, describing him as a "Republicrat" who would be comfortable on either side of the aisle as long as he was close to the center.
Saviano was on the House Floor in Springfield this week and was not immediately available for comment.