Becoming a Republicrat

Republican Nicholas Bohling served as 7th Ward Alderman (South Shore) from 1943 until his death shortly after his 1971 re-election.

Unable to defeat him, the Democratic party ward organization supported him in 1959 and in each election thereafter.

 That was a practice of the Chicago Democratic Machine – “If you can’t beat ‘em, let ‘em join you.”

 He became an obedient follower of the Machine in the Chicago City Council.

 In his last election, he defeated Con-con Delegate Mary Lee Leahy, who was backed by the Independent Voters of Illinois (IVI) and the Independent Precinct Organization (IPO).