Christian Mitchell, a young Democrat that’s been compared to President Obama, won the Democratic primary to become the 26th District State Representative in Springfield in a very close race over opponent Kenny Johnson.
Mitchell, 25, was at his victory celebration last night, wearing a formal suit, when he announced the official results. He defeated opponent Johnson with 52 percent of the vote to Johnson’s 48 percent.
“My goal is going to be to pass substantial legislation for the people of the 26th District, and I am not thinking about anything other than that, right now,” Mitchell said.
President of Cook County Board of Commissioners Toni Preckwinkle and Alderman Pat Dowell (3rd ward) celebrated with Mitchell at H-Dogs, 4655 S. King Dr.
They encouraged the young Democrat to do his best and have a great start in this new career.
“I turned 65 on Saturday and it’s my view that people of my generation have an obligation to the next generation of political leaders,” Preckwinkle said in an interview before the poll’s result became official. “Christian is smart, talented and hardworking, and he will be a great state representative.”
Dowell said Mitchell will make the difference in the 26th District community.
“I support him because he is an energetic and bright young man,” she said. “I think he is very thoughtful and he has a lot of ideas, and I believe I can work with him.”
Mitchell could potentially face a Republican candidate before the end of the year, but the Republican Party hasn’t put forward a candidate yet.
“It’s possible, but very unlikely, that they will put a Republican against him,” said Dave Miranda, spokesman for Mitchell’s campaign.
Mitchell said he wanted to thank all his staff and the volunteers who helped him to lead his campaign.
“Mitchell ran the more effective campaign and did a great job with the message,” said John Presta, political analyst and author. “If you force me to give two weaknesses for Mitchell, it would be his inexperience and his age.The campaign has managed to turn those into strengths.”
Presta said the campaign took every bit of experience that Mitchell had and made it into a story. He also said the Mitchell campaign did a good job in comparing him to President Barack Obama.
“They never said it and never had to say it. Young, African-American, bright, intelligent, same community of Hyde Park, or close by at least,” Presta said.
Mitchell is a resident of Bronzeville community in the 26th District, a very diverse area of Chicago that starts from Streeterville to South Chicago. It includes the downtown business district, museums and some of the most famous landmarks of Chicago like Navy Pier, and the Magnificent Mile, Mitchell said.
“It’s the greatest district of the state of Illinois because it has everything,” Mitchell said. “You have whites and blacks, rich and poor, you have everything.”
Mitchell earned his bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Studies at University of Chicago, the same University where President Obama studied.
James Nowlan, senior fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and author, said sometimes making this kind of comparison could help the candidate, but in some other cases people would not like to associate their community candidate to President Obama.
“I remember when Obama was running for local office; sometimes they said he was not black enough,” he said. “He did not come from the community, he was dropped in the community.”
Mitchell said he thinks it is premature to compare him to President Obama.
“It is always flattering to be compared to somebody who has been so successful, but I am just getting started,” he said.
If the Republican Party does not field a challenger for Mitchell, the young Democrat will start his service as the 26th District State Representative in January 2013.
