The strategy didn't work

Independents tried a new strategy to oppose 50th Ward Alderman Bernard Stone in the 1975 election.

Stone had won a special election two years earlier and now sought a full-four year term. He hadn’t been in office long enough to do a huge number of unpopular things, so a one-on-one race against him didn’t look like a promising strategy.

Instead, Dale Ginsburg, a PTA leader and Independent political activist, was going to be the candidate. It was felt she had the financial resources to wage a viable campaign.

It was decided to recruit a couple of candidates whose constituencies were different than hers. It was expected the three candidates would keep Stone below 50% thus forcing a runoff election, Ginsburg would finish second and advance to the runoff, and the other two candidates would then endorse her.

 But one of the candidates balked. He asked if he had a chance to win and was told no. He said there was no point running if he couldn’t win. The strategy fell apart.