Open seat for Chicago-area prosecutor is in voters’ hands after spirited primary matchup

CHICAGO (AP) — An open race to lead the nation’s second-largest prosecutor’s office is in voters’ hands after a heated primary campaign in the Chicago area.

The Democratic matchup for the Cook County state’s attorney primary features Eileen O’Neill Burke, a former appellate judge with a large campaign war chest, versus Clayton Harris III, a professor and attorney who’s held government posts. The winner of the primary in the Democratic stronghold is expected to win outright in November.

The race is open because Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx didn’t seek a third term. She was among several progressive prosecutors elected in the past decade in major U.S. cities including Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Many have been criticized as being soft on crime, but in Chicago, both Democratic candidates have been more careful of their critique of Foxx, saying that they’ll continue her approach on some issues.

Harris says penalties for crimes should take racial disparities and communities into account. He often talks about his personal experiences as a Black man raising children in Washington Park, a neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. He says the office needs to beef up its special prosecutions unit and improve communication with police.

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