- Credibility:
GARFIELD RIDGE — Ald. Marty Quinn sailed to victory to retain his 13th Ward seat Tuesday.
With all precincts reporting Tuesday night, the incumbent held nearly 88 percent of the vote to challenger Paul Bruton’s 12 percent, sealing Quinn’s fourth term.
Quinn has said he’ll focus on local improvement projects, like bolstering school facilities, adding youth programs and advocating for a new police district that’s more focused around his ward.
Quinn thanked his supporters in an emailed statement.
“We have accomplished a lot together to make our community a place where people want to live, raise a family and set down roots,” Quinn said. “But we have more work to do, and I’m honored to work alongside the 13thWard residents to get it done.”
Quinn previously said his reelection was a “down payment on your future satisfaction.”
The ward includes Clearing, Garfield Ridge and West Lawn.
Quinn has historically been a close ally of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, one of the most powerful politicians in state history, who was indicted in March and has a racketeering trial set for 2024.
Quinn’s aldermanic office has long been in the same building as the 13th Ward Democratic Organization, which has been run by Madigan for more than five decades. Previous Quinn campaigns had been bankrolled by Madigan-backed groups.
Quinn did not publicly distance himself from Madigan, but he previously told Block Club he wouldn’t be taking any new donations this time around.
Bruton, a former employee for the inspector general’s office, ran his campaign with a promise to “clean up” the ward. Bruton pitched the 13th Ward race as a referendum on the city’s Democratic Machine and Madigan’s continued influence.
Quinn did not challenge Bruton’s petitions after facing backlash for lengths he took to try to keep his 2019 challenger, a 19-year-old DePaul student, off the ballot.
Neighborhood schools have gotten new buildings since Quinn took office: John Hancock College Preparatory High School, Sor Juana Elementary School, John C. Dore Elementary School and Richardson Middle School. Quinn said local education has been his “north star” and the work he’s most proud of.
Quinn said he’s long been “delivering” a high quality of life for his constituents, adding fields for youth sports and sponsoring a rapid snow removal program for hundreds of older residents.
The neighborhood continues to struggle with street racing, leading Quinn to add a speed camera and organize community forums around the issue.
Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.
Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.
Thanks for subscribing to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods. Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.
Listen to “The Ballot: A Block Club Chicago Podcast”:
