IL-05: Fifteen Dems File to Replace Rahm

Of course, Rahm Emanuel is irreplaceable. But nonetheless, the filing deadline for the IL-05 special election closed earlier tonight. Twenty-six candidates filed, including fifteen Dems. Here’s what the Democratic field will look like (in alphabetical order, with descriptions mostly taken from Wikipedia):

Annunzio, Frank – great newphew of Frank Annunzio, deceased longtime Chicago-area Congressman

Bryar, Paul – physician at Northwestern Memorial and professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Capparelli, Cary – marketing consultant

Dagher, Pete – former Bill Clinton and Barack Obama staffer

Donatelli, Jan – former commercial pilot

Feigenholtz, Sara – state Representative

Forys, Victor – physician

Fritchey, John – state Representative

Geoghegan, Tom – labor attorney and author

Monteagudo, Carlos

O’Connor, Patrick – Chicago alderman

Oberman, Justin – former Transportation Security Administration administrator (and son of former Alderman Marty Oberman)

Quigley, Mike – Cook County commissioner

Thompson, Roger

Wheelan, Charles – Senior Lecturer at the University of Chicago and author

Progress Illinois says there are no real surprises here, though they’re skeptical of how seriously Ald. Pat O’Connor will run (he filed at 4:59pm – second thoughts?). Nonetheless, there are still several big names here (principally Feingenholtz and Fritchey), making it a challenge for other candidates to break through, especially in such a short time-frame.

The primary is on March 3rd.