O'Neill Burke beats Fioretti for state's attorney
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Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photos: Courtesy of the campaigns of Eileen O'Neill Burke and Bob Fioretti
Democratic Judge Eileen O'Neill Burke has defeated Republican former alder Bob Fioretti and Libertarian candidate Andrew Kopinski for Cook County state's attorney, the county's top prosecutor job.
Why it matters: The win continues and affirms progressive Democratic criminal justice reform policies launched by outgoing State's Attorney Kim Foxx.
- The policies include the elimination of cash bail, which O'Neill Burke has signaled she supports.
- O'Neill Burke told Axios her priority will be "tackling illegal guns and assault weapons."
The intrigue: One issue on which O'Neill Burke does not agree with Foxx is the threshold for prosecuting retail theft as a felony, which she pledged to return to $300 rather than $1,000.
Context: The win was widely expected in deep blue Cook County, where only three Republicans have held the office in the last 90 years.
What she's saying: "The state's attorney's office has a noble mission to represent the victims, to uphold the law and to make justice accessible for everyone," O'Neill Burke said in her victory speech.
- "That is a mission I will undertake with humility and dedication. The way to predict the future is to create it and today I am telling you that, together, we are going to create something extraordinary."
What's next: Before the race was called on Tuesday night, Fioretti suggested he might challenge the results based on what he saw as irregularities, but he did not mention it in his concession speech and his campaign did not immediately respond to emailed questions about it.
Editor's note: This is a developing story. Check back for updates.