The race for the Illinois Supreme Court is heating up with Justice Joy Cunningham defending her seat against state Appellate Judge Jesse Reyes in the upcoming March 19 Democratic primary. No Republicans have thrown their hats into the ring, making the Democratic primary winner the likely shoo-in for the general election in November.
At the core of this legal showdown is the debate over representation and experience. Cunningham, the second Black woman to serve on the state's supreme court, is adamant that her track record speaks for itself, telling the Sun-Times, "I am the best candidate because I’m already doing the job and doing it well." Meanwhile, Reyes, who aspires to be the first Latino justice on the Illinois Supreme Court, emphasizes the importance of mirroring the community's diversity on the bench. "Our system of justice should be reflective of our population and should be reflective of the various communities that the court serves," Reyes told the Sun-Times.
During a forum hosted by the Union League Club of Chicago and the Chicago Bar Association, issues of ethnicity and experience took center stage. Cunningham lamented how race had been "injected" into the contest, according to the Chicago Tribune, while Reyes countered, underscoring the need for "voice, diversity and inclusion."
Both candidates acknowledged the state's role in preserving rights as national dilemmas, such as abortion rights, have increasingly been delegated to state adjudication. Cunningham, in particular, emphasized the Illinois judiciary's significance as gatekeepers, "We have become the gatekeepers of all of the rights that we hold dear," she said in a statement obtained by the Chicago Tribune. Reyes echoed this sentiment, lauding Illinois' legislative and judicial bodies for protecting reproductive and LGBTQ rights.
The financial disparity between the campaigns is stark. Cunningham's campaign coffers ended 2023 with nearly $286,000, according to state campaign finance records. Reyes, on the other hand, started the new year with more than $117,000. Both candidates boast impressive backgrounds, with Cunningham's experience as an appellate judge since 2006 and Reyes' tenure on the state appellate court since 2012. Ultimately, with the Cook County Democrats endorsing Cunningham, Reyes is facing a challenging uphill battle.
