* Cheryle Jackson is forming an exploratory committee…
In a phone interview, Ms. Jackson said paperwork for the exploratory panel will be filed later this week and she intends to declare her race for President Barack Obama’s old Senate race “within a couple of months.”
“I’m moving forward,” said Ms. Jackson, 44, who served as press secretary to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich before becoming president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Chicago almost three years ago.
Since word leaked out in February that she was considering running, “I’ve received an enormous amount of feedback, positive feedback,” she said. “This is a bold step for me.” […]
A race by Ms. Jackson could attract substantial national interest and cash because it raises the prospect that the only Senate seat now held by an African-American would remain so. It also raises the possibility that Illinois would get only its second female senator ever; the other was Carol Moseley Braun, who was defeated for re-election.
Jackson was the spokesperson for Rod Blagojevich, which ain’t gonna help much. She does have some important backing out there (including Sen. James Meeks), and she has some pretty good media skills. Here she is on Chicago Tonight last fall…
Thoughts?
