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Arguably the biggest local election this fall will be for Cook County state’s attorney, where Democrat Anita Alvarez will try to hold off Republican Tony Peraica. If you think about it, Alvarez is kind of a Peraica Bizarro (if it’s not the other way around). Peraica, a former precinct captain for Bill Lipinski, lost a couple runs for office as a Democrat before switching parties and winning a suburban seat on the Cook County board in 2002. Now he encounters the stench of Democratic Party corruption everywhere he turns, and without fail finds it loathsome and campaign-worthy—he just can’t find enough opportunities to talk to the press about problems with the county jail, the county sales tax, or the county board president.
Single biggest contribution:
PERAICA: $1,250, Tony Peraica
ALVAREZ: Media executive Fred Eychaner ($25,000), Chicago Federation of Labor ($10,000), county Democratic chairman Joseph Berrios ($2,500), mayoral brother Michael Daley ($1,000)
