Representative Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.

Jackson first entered a primary contest that drew only about 20 percent of the electorate, and in that election he defeated three other candidates to qualify for the December 12 special election. He then faced lawyer and Republican Thomas Somer (Hardy and Rubin A1).

When Jackson then had to run on his own as an incumbent the following year, he faced only token opposition. Indeed, no Republican at all stood against him. Thomas Somer had again been nominated to run in a republican primary in March of 1996, but he decided to withdraw from the race before the election in November. Frank Stratman, a Libertarian party candidate, was the only candidate opposing Jackson in November. The 2nd District extends from the South side of Chicago to the south suburbs of cook county. It is largely Democratic and gave President Clinton 80 percent of its vote in 1992. In that same year, Mel Reynolds won the congressional seat, and Reynolds won the general e