National or local?

Congressman Sidney Yates was unopposed for re-election in 1972 but he campaigned, anyway - for George McGovern, the Democratic candidate for President.

Other Dems kept their distance from the party nominee because they knew he would lose and because he was not popular in their areas. But Yates felt it was important for people to vote for McGovern and to show support for progressive policies at the national level.

He even campaigned for the guy at IVI and IPO meetings, trying to persuade Independents to focus their energies on the Presidential race and not just on those for Governor and State’s Attorney, which most grassroots organizers felt were more important.

Although most Independents did care about McGovern they cared more about Dan Walker, the Democratic candidate for Governor, and Bernard Carey, the Republican candidate for Cook County State’s Attorney. Their goal was to get people to split their tickets, not just to vote for the guy at the top of the ticket.

Local victories, not national ones, were the higher priority.

(All three candidates carried the Independent wards and Walker and Carey were elected).

You can get more Chicago Political Stories at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/994143