Toni Preckwinkle comes out on top against onetime foe Richard Boykin in Democratic Cook County Board President primary
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In the Democratic primary for Cook County Board president Tuesday, three-term incumbent Toni Preckwinkle came out on top in the race against former County Board commissioner Richard Boykin.
Late Monday, Preckwinkle had 75 percent of the vote, compared with 25 percent for Boykin.
Boykin served as a Cook County commissioner for one term, from 2014 to 2018 – representing Chicago's West Side and several western suburbs in the 1st District. During his term on the board, Boykin clashed with Preckwinkle in particular over a tax on soda that Preckwinkle had supported.
With Democratic Commissioner Boykin leading the way, the county board eventually repealed Preckwinkle's one-cent-an-ounce tax on sweetened beverages in Cook County in 2017.
In the Democratic primary the following year, Boykin received hundreds of thousands in anti-pop-tax money. He was opposed by newcomer Brandon Johnson, who received hundreds of thousands of dollars from labor unions and a public endorsement from Preckwinkle.
Boykin lost to Johnson by a few hundred votes.
Preckwinkle was elected as County Board President in 2010, defeating incumbent Todd Stroger in the Democratic primary. Todd Stroger, in turn, was elected in 2006 after his father, John H. Stroger Jr., suffered a stroke after winning the Democratic primary that year and had to be replaced on the ballot.
Meanwhile, Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi also won the Democratic primary in hopes of another term in office. He came out ahead of challenger Kari Steele.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart also won the primary for another term, defeating challenger Noland Rivera.
