A campaign that began nearly one year ago at the modest Klas restaurant in Cicero ended Tuesday night in disappointment at the swanky Swissotel in Chicago for Judy Baar Topinka. Topinka’s uphill race for governor against incumbent Rod Blagojevich fell short Tuesday.
With 77 percent of precincts reporting, Blagojevich led Topinka by roughly 8 percentage points. But Topinka was upbeat in her concession speech delivered in the hotel’s grand ballroom.
“I’ve had a great journey and a great run,” said the 62-year-old Riverside resident, who delivered what is probably her final major speech of her political career. “How many people can say they’ve been in politics for 26 years and have nothing but good memories? I’m grateful for the friendships I’ve made and the people I’ve been able to help along the way.”
Topinka said that she regretted nothing about her campaign and her career.
“My political career has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” Topinka said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve loved every minute of it. I really tried to serve honorably. We did it the right way and it was honorable. Now I move on to new challenges in my life.”
Joining Topinka on stage were her son, Joe; her daughter-in-law, Christina; her running mate, Joe Birkett and his family; and former Governor Jim Edgar.
Topinka, a lifelong Riverside resident, was outspent 6-to-1 as Blagojevich blanketed the airwaves for months with negative ads attacking Topinka and tying her to former Gov. George Ryan, who was convicted of federal crimes in a corruption trial this year.
Topinka struggled to gain traction during the campaign. Blagojevich immediately opened a wide lead in the polls when he began airing wave after wave of negative ads attacking Topinka immediately after Topinka won the Republican primary in March. Blagojevich consistently held double digit leads in the polls.
Topinka spokesman John McGovern estimated that Blagojevich aired approximately 21,000 negative ads attacking Topinka.
“He dumbed down the discourse,” said McGovern.
Topinka spent much of election day with her son and daughter-in-law, who flew in from Washington state, where Joseph serves as a major in the U.S. Army as a Judge Advocate General.
Topinka’s Election Day began early when she and her son voted at 6:30 a.m. at Blythe Park Elementary School.
Her friends and supporters took the loss hard.
Brookfield Village President Michael Garvey was one of the many disappointed Topinka supporters in the grand ballroom of the Swissotel election night.
“It’s a great loss for the state of Illinois,” said Garvey. “I think we’re losing a great public servant; someone who has devoted much of her adult life to public service.”
Topinka began her political career in 1980 when she was elected to the Illinois General Assembly. Four years later she was elected to the state senate. In 1994 she was elected state treasurer. Her term as state treasurer expires in January of 2007.
Topinka has always been known for her down-to-earth manner, blunt honesty and tart tongue. Many of her earliest supporters were with her at the Swissotel. They saw what is likely the final moment of her political career.
Millie Slezak has known Topinka since 1979. She first met Topinka when Judy worked for the Suburban Life newspaper chain. Slezak and her late husband, Charles, owned a hardware store in Berwyn and met Topinka when they advertised in the newspaper. Slezak has supported and volunteered for Topinka ever since that first state representative race.
“She’s a great friend, one of the greatest friends I’ve ever had,” said Slezak amid the throbbing music Tuesday night at Swissotel. “When she says she is going to help you she will help you.”
“As a person she’s genuine,” said Riverside resident Nancy Foley who has known Topinka for more than 20 years. “She’s wired. She has tremendous energy.”
Topinka keeps a relatively low profile in Riverside. She lives in a modest red clapboard home. When she is at home she is often seen walking her dogs Molly, a Scottie, and Peggy Sue, a Beagle.
In addition to thanking her staff and supporters Topinka even thanked her dogs by name.
“They were always there at the end of the day,” said Topinka. “Unfortunately, I won’t be able to bring home the great treats I have been. They are going to have to go back to eating dog food.”
