Trying to "move up"

5th Ward Alderman Larry Bloom wanted to challenge Cook County State’s Attorney Richard M. Daley in the 1984 Democratic primary election. He assembled a small group of supporters from his Hyde Park base plus several people from other areas, to discuss the viability of a race.

One of the participants from outside Hyde Park was concerned that Daley was not beatable. He felt that many voters viewed him as the middle ground in the “Council Wars” battle between Mayor Washington and Ald. Vrdolyak, and that they liked him. The Hyde Parkers ignored that observation because they didn’t like Daley.

Bloom was warned that he would be perceived as a tool of Mayor Washington if he ran and would not even benefit from an ethnic vote that he was very deserving of.

It was suggested that he instead run for County Recorder of Deeds. He would be able to talk about property taxes, secret land trusts, and a host of good government issues. It was believed he possessed better name recognition than any possible opponent. He stood a good chance of winning.

Bloom pooh-poohed the idea of running for the lesser office, as did his 5th ward cohorts, who thought his alliance with Mayor Washington was a plus. He ran for State’s Attorney, anyway, carried only the city wards the Mayor had won, lost the suburban vote, and was soundly defeated in Chicago’s Jewish precincts.