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Morrison beats Friedman in 29th state senate race
Arie Friedman (left) and Julie Morrison
Updated: November 7, 2012 2:20PM
“I congratulate Julie Morrison,” Illinois Senate District 29 candidate Dr. Arie Friedman said. “I am looking forward to seeing the patients I’ve scheduled for Friday.”
Deerfield politician Morrison beat the Highland Park pediatrician, in unofficial totals as of 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, with about 54 percent of the vote, 43,155 to 36,433.
“I am absolutely thrilled,” Morrison said. “I am really looking forward to starting work in Springfield.”
She said it was “humbling to see people volunteer and walk hundreds of miles and knock on thousands of doors — people I had never even met.”
Friedman, too, said “It’s been a tremendous honor to be associated with all these wonderful people.”
He won’t run again. “Not for now ... Redistricting is a powerful force,” he said, noting that old Republican hands like Sid Mathias had likely fallen victim to Democratic-controlled remapping, let alone a challenger.
“Personally, I’m not upset,” he added.“I’ve got lots of projects.
“And I’ve got five kids.”
Morrison is a four-term West Deerfield Township supervisor, who runs her office with one-and-a-half employees, and pledged to be similarly skinflint in the General Assembly.
She switched from the GOP to the Democratic party prior to the 2009 election.
Friedman served seven years in the Navy as a helicopter pilot. He entered medical school after his service, partly on the G.I. Bill. He’s a relative neophyte politically, having run only once before, coming in fourth in a field of five in the 2010 Republican Party primary for the 10th District U.S. Rep. seat, won by Bob Dold.
They were battling over the reconstituted 29th, the longtime bailiwick of Susan Garrett. Garrett, in her second term in the senate, chaired the Environment Committee, and is vice-chairwoman of the Revenue Committee.
Many of the voters queried exiting polling places were split along party lines, but those who weren’t often had a personal view of the election.
“Arie Friedman? Great guy,” said Dr. Jon Citow of Glencoe, who extolled his fellow physician’s practice of providing care to the needy.
“He’s compassionate, honest – a rock star. There’s nothing negative about him.”
A steady stream of Morrison supporters seemed to pour out of the Deerfield Village Hall polling place, in the heart of West Deerfield Township.
“She does a lot for the community,” Shereen Barter said. “And if she does a lot for the community, she’s going to extend that” in Springfield.
Dale Winslow, who manages a Deerfield apartment building, says Morrison helps him find tenants.
“I told you, I voted for Romney, but I really wanted to get the vote out for Julie.
“Here in Deerfield, she’s just been a get-the-job-done individual.”
