* Challengers Favored in Run-Offs

Let's take a look the democratic movement in Chicago in the last two aldermanic election cycles, and whip ourselves into a frenzy for the job ahead of us in the next few weeks.

Year	2003	2003	2007
Election	Primary	Run-off	Primary
Open Seat	1	N/A	1
Incumbent Wins	43	2	35
Challenger Wins	1	3	3
Run-Off	5	N/A	11

Of course, incumbency is a HUGE advantage. But that advantage is CLEARLY WANING!

In the 2003 primary, We the People managed to liberate just 1 ward outright from the clutches of incumbency (Rey Colon deposed Vilma Colom in the 35th ward). In 2007, we liberated 3 outright (Sandi Jackson deposed alderspawn Darcel Beavers in the 7th Ward, retired police officer Willie Cochran deposed indicted Arenda Troutman in the 20th Ward, and Brendon Reilly deposed the evil Burton F. Natarus in the 42nd Ward). That's a 3-fold increase!

In the 2003 primary, the retention rate was 86%. In the 2007 primary, the retention rate was down to 70%.

In 2003, We the People forced just 5 incumbents into run-offs. In 2007, we forced 11! That's more than double!

And in the 5 2003 run-offs, challengers prevailed in 3 (Flores deposed Granato in the 1st Ward, Brookins deposed DeVille in the 21st Ward, and Frias conceded to Cardenas and the HDO in the 12th Ward)! That's a 60% success rate for challengers in the most recent run-offs, MUCH better odds than a challenger has in a primary.

As noted earlier, one of those 3 run-off upsets was a dramatic come - from - behind triumph of a lowly mortician (Brookins) over an entrenched incumbent.

Challengers have the momentum of recent history on their side!

We can do it. We can make it happen. Vote April 17.

FREE ROGERS PARK!