Cook County caucus results stray from state trends

Republicans and Democrats gathered Tuesday evening for party caucuses. The attendance numbers were down from 2008, but there was still plenty of political business accomplished.

DFL caucus chair Tim Kennedy said 47 Democrats attended the caucus. State-wide, Democrats placed R.T. Rybak and Margaret Anderson Kelliher neck and neck in preference polls, but District 6 Senator Tom Bakk polled highest locally. Anderson Kelliher placed second and Steve Kelley took third place. State-wide the third highest preference was “uncommitted,” but locally that category placed fourth. In Cook County Rybak placed fifth.

According to Cook County Republican Chair Mark Delamater, 22 people cast straw poll ballots to help establish local preferences in a crowded gubernatorial field. Marty Seifert got the most local support, which mirrored state-wide Republican results. David Hann placed second locally, but third state-wide. David Emmer polled second place state-wide, but came in third among Cook County Republicans.

Republicans did not hold their county convention on Tuesday, as previously announced. The convention is set for Feb.16 and delegates to the district and state conventions will be selected at that time.

Democrats held their county convention following the caucus and will send six delegates and six alternates to district and state conventions. Both parties introduced numerous resolutions to be discussed at the upcoming conventions.

The Independence Party held an on-line caucus and results will not be final until the end of the month. Currently Tom Horner leads with Joe Repya second, the no preference category polled third, and Rob Haan is fourth.