Endorsements

From the Chicago Sun Times:

"39th District: This Northwest Side district has been represented by Maria Antonia "Toni" Berrios since 2003, when her father, the Cook County Democratic chairman, installed her in the job. She's inexperienced and not considered a productive legislator.

We prefer Green candidate Jeremy Karpen, a therapist for troubled youth at a residential treatment center in Chicago. He strongly supports school finance reform and increased funding for mass transit and has some innovative ideas on campaign finance and electoral reform."

The Independent Voters of Illinois - Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO) announced late Wednesday evening that they were endorsing Jeremy Karpen in the race for the 39th District State Representative seat over incumbent Maria Berrios.

The IVI-IPO is a not-for-profit, multi-partisan, independent political organization. Their mission is to achieve social justice through good government by increasing voter participation and knowledge, by providing a framework for candidate evaluation, and by electing responsive government officials.

According to their website, the IVI-IPO, formed in 1944, is dedicated to good government activism and an idealistic vision of open, honest government in Illinois through pragmatic means that confront cynicism and corruption with equal force. The organization's primary tools are voter's registration, voter information and candidate endorsement.

Accepting the endorsement, Jeremy Karpen stated that he has, "nothing but the highest respect for the IVI-IPO. The organization is strong and active in the 39th District and their support will definitely give the campaign a significant edge as we approach election day."