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Chicago Firefighter Appointed To Replace D’Amico In 15th State House District

Rare Open Appointment Process Saw 7 Candidates Questioned In 2 Online Candidate Forums


Judge Lorraine Murphy, a resident of Chicago’s 39th Ward, swears in Chicago firefighter Michael Kelly Tuesday, to represent the 15th State House district in Springfield. (Photo submitted)

Michael Kelly, a firefighter and Catholic school athletic director who lives in Chicago’s Mayfair neighborhood, was named by Democratic Chicago ward and suburban township committeemen Tuesday to replace State Rep. John D’Amico (D-15th).

D’Amico retired in early November after 20 years in office representing a diverse district stretching from Chicago’s Northwest Side through Niles and part of Maine Township to Glenview’s south side.

Seven candidates applied. Five of those seven, not including Kelly, participated in an online candidates forum sponsored by several community based Chicago ward and community organizations.

All seven candidates also gave presentations and answered multiple questions from committeemen in a four-hour open session meeting of committeemen Tuesday, Nov. 23 posted live on Facebook before committeemen voted to appoint Kelly.

“We owed it to the people of the 15th Legislative (State House) District to make sure public input informed this appointment,” 39th Ward Democratic committeeman and State Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8th) said. “As a result, we had seven applicants up for consideration who we heard from today for close to four hours and all of the respective elected committeepersons voted for an applicant that represents the values of the 15th Legislative District and the priorities expressed by our communities during the last few weeks.”

Villivalam also said Kelly, “Represents the values of the majority of the district,” praising his service as a firefighter, “serving on the front lines of the (COVID-19) pandemic.”

Niles Mayor George Alpogianis, who was a close political ally to D’Amico, said Kelly stopped by Kappy’s, the restaurant the mayor owns in Morton Grove, to introduce himself last week, something Alpogianis said impressed him. He said he told Kelly that D’Amico had always been good at looking out for the people and interests of the village. He said Kelly assured the mayor he would be as well.

Then-Niles Village Trustee (now Mayor) George Apologias with his honorary campaign chairman, State Rep. John D’Amico (D-15th) (left) at Apologias’ mayoral announcement and campaign kick-off fundraiser at PlayBook Sports Bar in 2019. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)

The appointment process ends with a weighted vote of committeemen, with Villivalam, representing the largest portion of the 15th District in his Chicago ward, holding a 38.1% weighted vote. That vote is followed by Maine Township Democratic committeewoman and State Sen. Laura Murphy (D-28th) with 32.5%, followed by Niles Township Democratic Committeeman Lou Lang with 17.7% of the vote and 41st Ward Democratic Committeeman Joe Cook who has an 8.9% weighted vote. The remaining four committeemen each would have less than a 2% weighted vote each.

Candidates were asked generally what it means to be a Democrat and about several specific issues on policy ranging from how they would bridge the gap between city and suburbs, their positions on abortion, positions on an upcoming state referendum vote on workers’ rights to organize, on benefits for undocumented residents, all in open session. 

Kelly said he was a lifelong Democrat, who had only pulled a Republican Primary ballot in 2010 and in 2012, once to support candidate Judy Baar Topinka, a Republican who ran for Illinois comptroller, and once to support a candidate at the urging of a friend. Kelly also made reference to working directly on campaigns for D’Amico and D’Amico’s aunt, former longtime Chicago 39th Ward Ald. Margret Laurino.

Candidates were also asked about their political experience, what support or endorsements they had, what experience they had working on campaigns, their estimate of what a campaign might cost, and if they had the ability to do that fundraising.

Murphy said as a committeeman, her job is to keep the district in the hands of Democrats. She said Kelly stood out as having the right combination of political and policy experience along with strong support to do that.

Questioned about campaign financing and endorsements in the open session of Tuesday’s meeting, Kelly rattled off a long list of senior trade union presidents and general secretaries who supported him as a candidate.

In Democratic Party campaigns, Murphy said unions not only represent strong fundraising resources but “boots on the ground.”  

On policy, Kelly described himself as a centrist. Some of the other candidates described themselves as progressive, who are further left. Kelly said as a firefighter, he serves all types of communities and said as a state rep, he would look to vote for the interests of the whole community. 

A screenshot of a Saturday, Nov. 20 candidate forum on Zoom for those seeking the appointment by Democratic committeemen to replace the recently retired State Rep. John D’Amico (D-15th). The event was organized by the 33rd Ward Working Families, 39th Ward Neighbors United, 50th Ward United Working Families, The People’s Lobby, and United Northwest Side, organizations.

Kelly said he would support and defend a woman’s right to choose, and would fight any measure to restrict that support. 

Kelly also answered yes to questions about supporting LGBTQ rights, expanding Medicare benefits for undocumented residents, and said he would have voted for the Climate and Jobs Act. 

One issue in which he seemed to differ from Chicago 35th Ward Democratic Committeeman Anthony Quezada was on the issue of lifting the state ban on rent control Quezada asked about, saying he would, “Have to take a look at it.” 

Coming out of the executive session, the first vote for Kelly saw Quezada vote no with all remaining committeemen voting for Kelly. A subsequent call for a vote by acclamation was unanimous.

The primary election is already contested with Michael Rabbitt, who went through the application process with committeemen, announcing his candidacy before D’Amico resigned.  

Murphy said she was also impressed by Christina Brophy, who is a Triton College professor, and a political newcomer. She said this was “not Brophy’s time,” but said with a little more political experience, she could be a strong contender.

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