Kim Foxx Buries 2-Term Prosecutor Anita Alvarez for Dem Nomination in Cook County State's Attorney Race

Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez (left to right) and challengers Kim Foxx and Donna More.

Final -- With a few scant precincts that have yet to report vote totals the morning after, Kim Foxx manufactured a decisive win for the Democratic nomination over the tough, two-term incumbent Anita Alvarez.

In her concession speech to supporters, Alvarez blamed the loss on her “shortcomings as a politician,” and not the heavy public criticism over her handling of the Laquan McDonald shooting.

Foxx will face the Republican’s slated candidate Christopher E.K. Pfannkuche for the Cook County State's Attorney's seat in the November election.

Unofficial vote tallies for Illinois's Super Tuesday primary across Cook County for Foxx, Alvarez, and Donna More are:

• Kim Foxx - 621,698 (58%)
• Anita Alvarez - 306,191 (28%)
• Donna More - 138,112 (13%)

In the city, Foxx won in predominantly black and Hispanic wards on the city’s West and South Sides, and the ethnically diverse North Side lakefront wards.

Alvarez scored well in wards with a white voter base on the Northwest Side, South and Southwest Sides where large numbers of police, firefighters and city workers reside, according to a breakdown of primary results by Chicago Magazine.

Fox led throughout the night in both the city and suburbs. With 69 percent of the polls reporting, Foxx captured 58 percent of the vote, to two-term prosecutor Alvarez’s 29 percent. More came in third with 13 percent of the vote.

Foxx’s win was paved in part by public dissatisfaction over Alvarez’s handling of the Laquan McDonald shooting case, and the release of a police dash cam video showing the black teen being shot 16 times by a white police officer. Many said that Alvarez was too slow in bring murder charges against Officer Jason Van Dyke.

In her victory speech, Foxx said it wasn’t a time for jubilation but time for a page to be turned.

“The need to rebuild a broken criminal justice system in Cook County is not to be taken lightly,” the 43-year-old Foxx said.

Kim Foxx addresses supporters. Video via WGN.

Acknowledging three Chicago police officers who were shot in the line of duty on Monday night, Foxx said police officers’ work and putting their lives on the line needed to be respected.

Alvarez spoke to her supporters at the Palmer House in downtown Chicago. She blamed her defeat on her shortcomings as a politician.

"I have been criticized that I wasn't a very good politician, and that's probably right, and that's probably why I stand before you tonight," Alvarez said. "But I am very damn proud of the fact that I am a good prosecutor, I have been."

The state’s attorney said she hoped her diversionary programs to curb gun and domestic violence would continue.

Anita Alvarez's concession speech (WGN-TV News)

Alvarez said she would continue to serve the "victims" of Cook County until it was time to leave office.

Foxx is the former chief of staff and one-time protege of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

Update, 9:28 p.m. -- It was Kim Foxx by a landslide in the Democratic primary for Cook County State’s Attorney.

Foxx overtook two-term prosecutor Anita Alvarez in both the city and suburbs with a commanding 58 percent to Alvarez’s 29 percent.

More came in third with 13 percent of the vote.

This story is developing. Check back later.

Update, 8:44 p.m. -- Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez has conceded to Kim Foxx in the Democratic primary for Cook County State’s Attorney, the Chicago Tribune is returning.

WGN is also calling the race for Foxx.

This story is developing. Check back later.

Update, 8:28 p.m. -- Foxx's lead builds over Alvarez in the Democratic Cook County State’s Attorney primary:

Foxx - 262,430 (Chicago) 109,238 (suburban Cook)

Alvarez - 113,573 (Chicago) 72,797 (suburban Cook)

More - 50,109 (Chicago) 32,449 (suburban Cook)

In Chicago, 1,372 of the city's 2,069 precincts have been counted.

In suburban Cook, 862 or the 1,599 precincts gave been counted.

Updatae, 8:02 p.m. --

• Foxx - 214,613 (Chicago) 55,537 (Suburban)
• Alvarez - 95,379 (Chicago) 38,388 (Suburban)
• More - 41,334 (Chicago) 29,499 (Suburban)

The Chicago Board of Elections tracks votes cast in Chicago; the Cook County Clerk’s Office tracks votes from suburban polling places.

More than half of Chicago's 2,069 precincts have been counted, with 1,139.

In the suburbs, 471 of the suburbs' 1,599 precincts are reporting.

Update, 7:45 p.m. -- Challenger Kim Foxx has taken a commanding lead among Chicago voters in the Cook County State’s Attorney primary with 86,678 votes, according to the Chicago Board of Elections.

Two-term prosecutor Anita Alvarez is second with 42,685 votes, with challenger Donna Moore in third, with 17,398 votes.

Foxx is also leading in the suburbs with 9.296 votes counted in suburban polling places. Alvarez is second with 7,984 votes, followed by More with 3,506.

Early numbers from the Cook County Clerk’s website indicate that 98 of the 1,599 suburban precincts are counted.

The Chicago Board of Elections counts city votes; the Cook County Clerk’s website counts votes from suburban polling places.

Two-term prosecutor Anita Alvarez is in the fight of her political career as she battles to retain the Democratic Party's nomination for Cook County State's Attorney on the November ballot.

Alvarez is facing a stiff primary challenge by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s former chief of staff, Kim Foxx, and gaming attorney Donna More.

Voters in Illinois headed to the polls at 6 a.m. and will continue voting through 7 p.m.

• Come back to Patch for live election results
• Illinois Election Results Hub

The embattled state’s attorney is under intense heat for her handling of the Laquan McDonald case, the 17-year-old African-American youth who was gunned down by a Chicago police officer in 2014. Community activists -- Black Lives Matter, Assata’s Daughters, BYP100 -- have accused Alvarez of sitting on the police misconduct case for over a year before filing first-degree murder charges against police officer Jason Van Dyke last November.

The release of an explosive police dash cam video, which shows the teenager walking away, contradicts the officer’s story that he shot the McDonald in self-defense after the teen adopted an “aggressive stance” while armed with a 4-inch knife.

McDonald has been a defining factor in the Cook County State’s Attorney race. Alvarez has also been forsaken by her own party. The Cook County Democratic Party has endorsed challenger Foxx. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and former Gov. Pat Quinn thrown their names and support behind Foxx, as well as the city’s major newspapers, the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.

Foxx’s former boss, Toni Preckwinkle, has been openly critical of Alvarez’s criminal jailing policies, which the board president claims disproportionately punishes “black, brown and poor people.” Preckwinkle has donated $250,000 to Foxx’s campaign, although Alvarez has been leading in campaign contributions. A Foxx win could also cement Preckwinkle’s future as a Cook County political boss.

Challenger Foxx grew up in Cabrini Green’s notorious housing projects in a home headed by a single mother. In her campaign bio, Foxx speaks of sheltering in the bathtub when gunfire erupted outside, and spending six months with her mother in North Side homeless shelters while attending Lincoln Park High School. Pulling herself up by her bootstraps, Foxx studied political science at Southern Illinois University, before going on to earn her law degree in 1997.

Foxx returned to Chicago where she went to work in the Cook County Public Guardian’s Office, and spent 12 years as an assistant state’s attorney handling juvenile cases.

In an interview with ThinkProgress, Foxx stated: “I think my experiences make me uniquely qualified for [State’s Attorney],” she said. "Working with juveniles from underserved communities, gives me a perspective to look at [the justice system] more broadly, as opposed to those who have only been groomed in crime and punishment.”

The lesser known challenger Donna More served five years as general counsel for the Illinois Gaming Board. Her first job out of law school was in the appeals division for Cook County State’s Attorney, working her way up to appeals supervisor. She also served under then-Cook County State’s Attorney Richard M. Daley as a financial investigations officer.

More also speaks of helping three young men pro bono after they had a brush with the law and couldn’t find jobs due to their felony convictions.

In an interview with the Chicago Defender, More states that her time putting in policy and regulations for the gaming industry contributed to about $1 billion in tax revenue and approximately 15,000 jobs for the state. Following her time with the gaming board, More transitioned into private law practice, representing clients in the gaming, banking and medical marijuana industries.

The battle for the Cook County State’s Attorney Democratic nomination may be decided in city’s suburbs.