Feb 27, 2007 6:45 pm US/Central
Powerful Political Families Vie For 7th Ward Seat
Darcel Beavers And Sandi Jackson Go Head-To-Head In Closely Watched Race
by Dorothy Tucker
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
The most closely watched race in Tuesday's election is in Chicago's 7th ward. Women from two powerful political families are duking it out for one city council seat.
The battle for control of the 7th ward only intensifies as the election clocks ticks away. While campaign workers waged war with signs, the candidates shook a few more hands.
Newly appointed alderman Darcel Beavers is the daughter in this race riding the political coattails of her powerful father and long time alderman, Williams Beavers.
Aldermanic candidate Sandi Jackson is married to a U.S. Congressman with a nationally recognized name -- Jesse Jackson, Jr. It's her law background and her history of working with politicians that she sees as an asset.
"Experience on a nationwide level and access to elected officials at every level," Jackson said.
"You need to know the community, not Washington D.C. You need to know the 7th ward," Beavers countered.
Both candidates vow to bring economic improvement to the ward and tackle crime.
Jackson says her top priority is to rejuvenate the neighborhood. "The first thing is economic development. For anyone driving down 75th and 79th (Streets), they see that those areas are two main arteries that have been severely neglected," Jackson said.
Voters will now decide who can best handle the job.
Two other candidates are running in the 7th ward race – a Chicago police officer and a city worker.
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