Pregame Show

1. While there have been a lot of strange election-related happenings going on in the last week, this one sticks out:

Peter Garza, the Republican candidate for Cook County sheriff, picked up an endorsement Sunday from a Democratic stalwart, the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

In a statement, Jackson pointed to Garza's accomplishments as an investigator in the state's attorney's office, including investigations that led to arrests of a child sex offender and three people for environmental crimes.

Garza, 47, will face Democrat Tom Dart, Sheriff Michael Sheahan's chief of staff, Tuesday. Sheahan, who is retiring, endorses Dart, 44.

In full disclosure, Tom Dart is a friend and former colleague. That aside, I also think that he will be a tremendous Sheriff. And while I'm sure that there is a back story here, I'm not sure what it is, or why the Reverend would want to do this just two days before the election. What a business.

2. As an informal observation, if you want to get a sense of what is happening in the County Board President race tomorrow, you might be well-served to keep an eye on some of the west side wards. There has often been tension between south side and west side African-American leaders, and it will be 'interesting' to see what Stroger's performance looks like on the west side tomorrow. If for, whatever reason, he does not rack up south side-esque numbers on the west side, he may be in for a long night.

3. We will handily pick up the one state Constitutional office that we do not presently occupy.

4. Bean, Duckworth, Seals - we get 2 out of 3.

5. You have to hand it to the Tribune, when they want to make a strong editorial statement, they don't mess around.

6. Judging from the weather predictions around the state, I don't see the weather being much of a factor tomorrow. It's going to be about as warm of a day as we get for General Elections, and other than some rain in Southern Illinois (which likely hurts Topinka), I'm seeing no Tom Skilling impact tomorrow.

7. To the extent that they have been paying any attention to it, this has been a mentally draining election cycle for the general public. Even as a public official, my mind is numb from the shear volume and vapid content of political ads. Most of these ads make the Geico lizard and Man Law commercials seem like PBS content by comparison. (You have to love those Man Law ads by the way)

8. In all sincerity, and even though he never responded to my letter, my baseball cap gets tipped to my opponent for running a credible campaign.

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