Irish influence waning in Chicago politics
Voters in Illinois will head to the polls for primary elections on Tuesday. So far, early voter turnout is significantly low in Chicago compared to 2020. Part of it could be the lack of passion for the parties in power, the lack of big-draw names on the ballot, and even the dwindling power of groups who helped shape Chicago's old political machine. One of those groups, the Irish, just had their biggest weekend of the year with the South Side Irish Parade, but the event and the community might not have as heavy a hand as they once had in Illinois politics. Leigh Giangreco, with Crain’s Chicago Business, looks at the waning Irish influence on Chicago politics.