Because the Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners has predicted a 12-year low Black turnout for the March 19 presidential primary, Representative Danny Davis (D-7th) literally took his campaign on the road, knocking on doors and visiting facilities that are beneficiaries of grants he secured.
According to Max Bever, director of Public Information, “It’s going to be an overall lower turnout, closer to 2012’s primary turnout of 24 percent and 315,000 ballots cast, but many South Side wards are voting in high numbers so far.”
When asked why, Bever explained, “It’s not a particular competitive ballot. Voters are less engaged with Party primaries. We see signs from low turnout nationally as well.”
That is why Congressman Davis took his media van and a truck that displayed digital rolling accomplishments of his tenure and the many endorsements he has received. A third truck pulled a digital billboard sponsored by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity that also displayed Davis’ legislative and endorsement histories.
Davis visited several health agencies that he had given grants to, thanking them for their service.
“We went to the Near North Health Center where we gave them $2 million. We went to Mt. Sinai where we gave them $2 million, and we went to Safe Haven where we gave them three grants which are community direct grants.”
Davis went to the St. Leonard’s House where he gave them a community grant. “We got $14 million in grants last week for project grants we designated money to including for the L Station for disabled people at Alston and Lake, $1,640,000 to fix their field house. He also had given the West Side Health Authority $1 million.
“I’ve been entertaining Alderman Dorothy Tillman who has been making phone calls on behalf of the campaign,” Davis said.
Davis was once director of the Westside Health Planning Organization and executive director of the Community Health Center.
Tillman, who once ran for Congress against Davis, was excited about manning the phones reminding people to vote on Tuesday, March 19.
“I came to volunteer because Congressman Davis has longevity. With other people, they keep their folks there for a long time because it means something when you have seniority,” Tillman told the Chicago Crusader in a Monday, March 18 interview.
Referring to Davis who is mentoring Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-1st), Tillman said, “You have to be careful because they have pecking orders in Washington. You got to be able to gain seniority, and I think he has been a good Congressman.
“When we put someone in office, we have to make sure that those people have a history and not just because they want to run for that office, and we do know that Danny has a history from the time we created CBUC to the time we put Harold in office,” Tillman recalled. “Some folks seem to think that is something wrong with that.”
Referring to one of Davis’ opponents, City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Tillman said, “I have nothing against her, but when she ran for treasurer, I supported her. She was a state representative, and her husband is the alderman,” Tillman said, referring to Alderman Jason Ervin (28th). “So, how can they say nothing has been done” to the Seventh Congressional District when they were in the position to do something?
“This would be a bad time to get rid of someone with seniority,” Tillman warned.
Asked about the question of ageism Davis’ opponents keep bringing up while touting their youth, Tillman said, “Everybody ages differently. Danny’s mind is sharp. He’s just a couple of years older than me. Jesse’s (Jackson) mind is sharp. He just got Parkinson’s Disease. We age differently.
“There used to be respect for aging in the Black community, but today our people don’t understand politics and government they go for it,” she said referring to Davis’ opponents constantly bringing up youth versus ageism. “That is why we are in trouble because they want to replace good people, folks who know what they are doing.”
