Russ Stewart: House of Sutker looks strong in 2005 elections

[Tweed]

http://www.russstewart.com/1-26-05.htm


"In north suburban Niles Township, which encompasses all of Lincolnwood, Skokie and Morton Grove, and parts of Glenview, Golf and Niles, the Democratic organization is commonly – but not necessarily fondly – known as the “House of Sutker.” And the longtime Democratic committeeman, 81-year old Cal Sutker, is a political icon, despised by many, but venerated by substantially more.

However, houses deteriorate, and icons fade.

The fall of the House of Sutker is not imminent, and certainly won’t occur in the 2005 municipal and township elections; but structural cracks are developing, and it is likely that Sutker will relinquish his committeemanship in 2006.

In 2005, however, Sutker’s Democrats, running under the guise of the “Caucus Party,” will keep control in Skokie, and will win all the township offices. But Morton Grove will be a major test, with Sutker-backed Rick Krier running for mayor against Republican Dan Staackmann, to succeed the retiring Mayor Dan Scanlon. “Krier will win,” promised Sutker.

To perceptive observers, the political strength of the House of Sutker, as compared to other North Shore township organizations, is highly exaggerated. Sutker lost his 2002 bid for renomination in the Democratic primary as Cook County commissioner in the mostly suburban 13th District when Evanston’s Larry Suffredin amassed a bigger vote in his base (7,724-2,542), a thumping 75.2 percent of the vote, than Sutker did in Niles Township (7,410-4,852), a 60.4 percent margin. Sutker lost to Suffredin by 4,427 votes."