Michael F. Sheahan

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Corruption allegations had taken a toll on incumbent Republican James E. O'Grady's prospects for reelection. [7] O'Grady ultimately had failed to live up to his 1986 campaign promises of disposing of politics and corruption in the Cook County Sheriff's Office, and had become unpopular among his constituents. [8]

Amid the 1990 campaign, a Cook County correctional officer was shot and critically wounded while hanging signs for Sheahan outside of the South Side bar. [9] Three men, including a correctional officer who supported O'Grady, were arrested for this. [9] This led to a decline of O'Grady's support in the polls. [9] Additionally, an incident soon after occurred where Sheahan had a campaign office shot at. [10]

In 1990, Sheahan defeated O'Grady by a broad margin. [8] O'Grady suffered one of biggest defeats that a Republican Party nominee had experienced in a countywide Cook County election in years. [8] Sheahan had managed to beat O'Grady in 24 of the county's 30 suburban townships and in every ward of Chicago. [9] Sheahan had even managed to carry many of the county's Republican strongholds. [9]

Tenure

Sheahan was reelected in 1994, 1998, and 2002. [11]

Early into his tenure, he received praise for running what appeared to be a much less corrupt Sheriff's Office than his predecessors had. [4] To "clean up" the office, he ended the practice of soliciting sheriff's workers for political contributions, and he fired dozens of "ghost workers" who were paid for no-show jobs. [4] He also ended the long-corrupt part-time deputy program. [4]

Sheahan received praise for programs such as a boot camp for first-time offenders. [12] He also received criticism over abuse of inmates by jail guards. [12]

Sheahan regularly butted heads with members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. [13]

In November 2005, he announced that he would not be seeking reelection the following year. [12] His term would end in December 2006. [12]

Personal life

Shehan and his wife Nancy have six children, Katie, Michael, Terrence, Timothy, Patrick, and Ryan. [1]

His brother James "Skinny" Sheahan is a civic leader on Chicago's Southwest Side. [14] Richard M. Daley appointed him as Chicago's Director of Special Events in 1993. [6] He would long serve as a Daley aid. [15] James sits on the board of Special Olympics Chicago. [16]

Electoral history

Aldermanic

Michael F. Sheahan
Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois
In office
December 1990 December 2006
1979 Chicago 19th Ward aldermanic election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Michael F. Sheahan
Nonpartisan
Total votes100
1983 Chicago 19th Ward aldermanic election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Michael F. Sheahan
Nonpartisan
Total votes100
1987 Chicago 19th Ward aldermanic election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Michael F. Sheahan
Nonpartisan Maurice E. Johnson
Total votes100


Sheriff

1990
1990 Cook County Sheriff Democratic primary [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael F. Sheahan 402,634 69.86
Democratic Philip Morris106,23718.43
Democratic John J. Flood67,45011.70
Total votes576,321 100
1990 Cook County Sheriff election [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael F. Sheahan 719,489 55.41
Republican James E. O'Grady (incumbent)369,63128.47
Harold Washington Tommy Brewer191,10114.72
Illinois Solidarity William M. Piechuch Sr.18,3181.41
Total votes1,298,539 100
1994
1994 Cook County Sheriff Democratic primary [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael F. Sheahan (incumbent) 388,977 67.41
Democratic Tommy H. Brewer188,02532.59
Total votes577,002 100
1994 Cook County Sheriff election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael F. Sheahan (incumbent)
Republican John D. Tourtelot
Harold Washington William A. Brown
PopulistWilliam J. Benson
Total votes100
1998
1998 Cook County Sheriff Democratic primary [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael F. Sheahan (incumbent) 367,157 100
Total votes367,157 100
1998 Cook County Sheriff election [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael F. Sheahan (incumbent) 903,053 71.11
Republican LeRoy Martin 366,86728.89
Total votes1,269,920 100
2002
2002 Cook County Sheriff Democratic primary [22] [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael F. Sheahan (incumbent) 558,682 100
Total votes558,682 100
2002 Cook County Sheriff election [24] [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael F. Sheahan (incumbent) 984,348 76.88
Republican Ronald Swick296,06223.12
Total votes1,280,410 100

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References

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