Dumping Bertrand

Two-term City Treasurer Joseph Bertrand was denied re-nomination in 1979 by the party’s new leaders – Mayor Jane Byrne and 10th Ward Alderman Ed Vrdolyak, the new Chair of the Cook County Democratic Central Committee.

Bertrand had been installed in his position by the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, who was no longer around to protect him.

 So, he ran for and won election as 7th Ward Alderman, instead. But he lost his post as Democratic Ward Committeeman the following year to Ray Castro, who was backed by Ald. Vrdolyak. And in 1983, his Council “allies” remapped him into the neighboring 5th ward where he lost his re-election bid to Ald. Larry Bloom.