Eileen O'Neill Burke declares victory in the Cook County State's Attorney race; Fioretti concedes
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Eileen O'Neill Burke will be the next Cook County State's Attorney.
The seat is open for the first time in 16 years after current State's Attorney Kim Foxx announced she would not be running for reelection.
Democrat Eileen O'Neill Burke declared victory at 9 p.m. Tuesday night. Shortly after she began speaking, Republican Bob Fioretti addressed his supporters and conceded the race.
O'Neill Burke stepped down from the Illinois Appellate Court to run for the position. She narrowly defeated her opponent in the March primary, and has gone on to pull in endorsements of several labor groups and elected officials. She said her agenda focuses on getting guns off the street and addressing the root cause of crime.
"I think we can make this county safer. That's why I got into this race. There were a million reasons not to get into this race, but I believe we can make our system work for everyone," O'Neill Burke said.
Early in the campaign, O'Neill Burke pushed back on claims that she's a de facto Republican. Meanwhile, Republican candidate Bob Fioretti was, until recently, a longtime Democrat.
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The former alderman has had unsuccessful attempts at multiple offices, previously running for state's attorney as well as mayor and Cook County board president.
Fioretti is a former civil rights attorney who picked up an endorsement from Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Tuesday, Fioretti filed a lawsuit over mail-in ballots in the city of Chicago, saying there are no election hotlines.
"I think i see everywhere I go that people want safe streets, strong neighborhoods and thriving businesses for everybody," he said.
Libertarian Andrew Charles Kopinski is also on the November ballot.
