Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones celebrated his victory Tuesday night in the city’s Democratic primary.
With all 21 precincts reporting, Jones had 2,326 votes, or 60%, compared to 1,533 votes for Ald. James Patton, according to unofficial results from the Cook County clerk’s office. Calumet City filings show no challenger to the Democratic nominee in the April 1 general election.
Jones, along with his Calumet City Democrats United slate, celebrated at Sunset Restaurant on Ring Road Tuesday night. He said he was expecting a close race with Patton but plans to use the election results to “make adjustments” in his next term.
“When elections come around, everybody wants everything, and we just got to put in perspective what the city can do right now financially and what we’ve got to do to take us to another level,” Jones said.
“The city can’t stay like it is. We’ve got to spend money; we’ve got to get our housing stock together. So we’ve got to come up with a plan to do all of that.”
At the Calumet City VFW Tuesday night, Patton thanked the packed bar of supporters for their aid in his efforts to unseat Jones. He congratulated Jones and said he tried to reach out to the mayor but was unable to reach him.
“Eleven months ago, I stood just in that room over there and set out on a journey that many told me was impossible,” Patton said to his supporters.
“I gave up my seat on the City Council to run this year because I truly believed we needed a different direction in this community,” he said.
Patton is Ward 6 alderman and over the past four years questioned the city’s contract bidding process, disputed thousands of dollars of spending Jones charged to a municipal credit card and called a special meeting outdoors to dismiss a lawsuit Jones brought against the city clerk. He also drew parallels between Jones’ leadership and that of Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard.
Several incumbent candidates on Patton’s slate were leading Tuesday night, including 2nd Ward Ald. Monet Wilson, 5th Ward Ald. DeJuan Gardner and City Clerk Nyota Figgs. Figgs had 2,019 votes compared to Cassandra Hobert Elston’s 1,812, and Wilson had 499 votes to Erica Jenkins’ 421. Gardner was leading Roger Munda with 422 votes, or 77%.
Members of Jones’ slate leading Tuesday night included Shalisa Harvey in the 1st Ward, with 173 votes to incumbent Ald. Michael Navarrette’s 148. Miacole Nelson was leading in the 6th Ward with 295 votes to Garnadette Stuckey’s 248.
In a one-vote difference, Melissa Phillips was ahead of incumbent Michael Smith for Ward 7 alderman.
Originally Published:
